Homemade Cardboard Construction Set – Happy Hooligans
Make a cardboard construction set for kids to build and play with, using sturdy cardboard pieces from your recycle bin. Great STEM activity for toddlers and preschoolers.
Building and constructing with recycled materials is a lot of fun. It gets kids using their fine-motor and critical thinking skills and it’s a super way to repurpose materials from your recycle bin. We love using everyday house-hold materials for arts, crafts and homemade toys here in my daycare. It’s good for the environment and the pocket book.
In the past, we’ve made cardboard structures, and styrofoam structures. Last week, when I was organizing my craft cupboards I noticed we had an abundance of sturdy cardboard so I thought I’d make a little something for the hooligans with it.
Knowing how much my hooligans are obsessed with all things construction at the moment, I thought they’d enjoy playing with these pieces to construct some structures of their own.
You’re going to love this idea! It’s so simple to make and it won’t cost you a dime!
How to make a homemade cardboard construction set:
You’ll need some sturdy cardboard – stronger than a cereal box so it doesn’t bend or rip easily.
Now, simply cut your cardboard up into squares.
Then along the edges or at the corners, cut some very narrow V-shaped slits. Like this:
That’s all there is to it!
I placed the pieces in a basket and presented them to the hooligans, and they played with them on and off all day long!
These boys love a good building project!
The pieces became structures, animals and vehicles, and they thought that some of the pieces looked like letters.
Fine motor development, creative thinking and imaginative play all rolled into one very simple DIY activity!
Gotta love that! 🙂
More homemade structure activities for preschoolers:
Cardboard Roll Structures
Structures with Styrofoam Produce Trays
Stacking and Spreading with Shaving Cream
Icy Frozen Fractals Structures
And here’s another collection of activities for kids who like to build: Make your own catapults – Kids Activities Blog.
Click the following link for more easy and inexpensive homemade toys and gifts for kids.
Follow the Hooligans on Facebook
Jackie is a mom, wife, home daycare provider, and the creative spirit behind Happy Hooligans. She specializes in kids’ crafts and activities, easy recipes, and parenting. She began blogging in 2011, and today, Happy Hooligans inspires more than 2 million parents, caregivers and Early Years Professionals all over the globe.
