Playing indoors is still an opportunity for open-ended play! Here we have 9 options to use up those Amazon boxes and help kiddos use their imaginations!

Cardboard Castle Kingdom
Kiddos can design and create their own castles using large cardboard boxes! They can cut out windows, doors, and turrets, then use markers and paint to decorate. Once built, kiddos can role-play as kings, queens, knights, or dragons in their imaginative kingdom.

Cardboard Tunnel Adventure
Set up a series of connected cardboard boxes to create tunnels. Kiddos can crawl through them, pretending they’re explorers navigating a secret cave or tunnel system. They can decorate the tunnels with stickers or drawings to personalize the adventure.

Space Rocket Ship
Create a spaceship by cutting and assembling a cardboard box, complete with control panels, windows, and a captain’s seat. Let kiddos pretend to be astronauts flying to outer space, exploring new planets, and encountering alien life.

Cardboard Puppet Theater
Turn a large cardboard box into a stage for puppet shows! Kiddos can create their own puppets from smaller cardboard pieces or use their stuffed animals. Let them come up with stories and perform plays, sparking their imagination and storytelling skills.

Cardboard Playhouse Village
Create several small cardboard houses and buildings that kiddo can decorate and transform into a village. They can build streets, add pretend furniture, and act out community life, such as going to the “store,” attending “school,” or “working” in different professions.

Cardboard Animal Safari
Turn a large cardboard box into a safari jeep, then add paper cutouts or stuffed animals to create a safari adventure. Kiddo can pretend to drive through jungles or deserts, “spotting” animals along the way and learning about wildlife.

Cardboard Boat or Pirate Ship
Design a cardboard boat or pirate ship with large boxes and accessories like sails, ropes, and wheels. Kiddo can pretend to be pirates on the high seas, going on treasure hunts, battling pirates, or discovering new lands.

Fairy Tale Forest
Use cardboard to create a whimsical forest setting with trees, flowers, and magical creatures. Kiddos can play fairies, elves, or woodland creatures, creating their own stories and adventures, interacting with their magical world.

Cardboard Dollhouse
Build a dollhouse using cardboard boxes, complete with rooms, windows, and doors. Kiddos can decorate each room with furniture made from additional cardboard pieces and play house, using dolls or action figures to act out daily life scenarios.

With these activties, kiddos can spend time designing, building, decorating, and then playing for hours! What’s your kiddo’s favorite cardboard build?

Tools:

We highly recommend this Makedo building set to help kiddo safely cut and connect cardboard!