Ages
Time
Equipment
Benefits
20+ minutes
Large, Plain Cardboard Box
Art Supplies (optional)
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Spatial Concepts
-
Orientation
3+
Come On In!
About the Game
Cardboard Boxes are a great fun for little ones... and for you too! But more, they’re great for your child’s sense of Intuition.
How? A box and a kid. Their curiosity and imagination will do the rest!
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Why? Small spaces like boxes, tunnels, and even under the coffee table help children understand their own personal space and that spaces come in different sizes. And that’s particularly appealing because in big spaces kids are small. In small spaces kids are big!
What You Can Do
Start out by introducing the box and watch to see what they do with it. Give them cues as needed. For instance, if your child’s a little hesitant to get in the box, open up both ends to make it a tunnel and play peek-a-boo at one end to draw them through to you. If your box is big enough climb in and play with them.
Set Up
Find a large discarded (preferably plain) cardboard box. Dive right in or offer your child a chance to decorate it with crayons, markets, stickers, etc. Make it as fancy as you like!
Box Play
Peek ‘n Seek. When your child is in the box, hide down below the box sides and pop up. Peek!
Box Car. When your child sits in the box they’re in the driver’s seat while you push the box around.
Turtle Box. Have your child crouch down and put the box over them. “Oops. Where did you go?”
Room for Two. Climb in the box with them for a great big, giggly snuggle.
Tunnel Play. Cut open the top and bottom of the box to create a tunnel.
Toll Booth. Place the tunnel in the doorway between two rooms. Now everyone has to crawl through!
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Peek-A-Box. Get on one end and play peek-a-boo with them. They’ll love chasing through the tunnel after you. Race to the other side and have them crawl back through to you.
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Curtain Call. Place a blanket over one end of the tunnel for them to push through. When they appear be sure to shout “Ta Da!” Kids love a big entrance.
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Boxworm. Encourage them to wiggle through the tunnel on their tummy, back, or side. Try wiggling through without using their arms.
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Mining. Put a blanket over the whole box so it’s dark inside. Leave a favorite toy in the or tape a picture to the tunnel wall. Give them a flashlight and let they go “mining” for treasure.
Storybox. In a darkened tunnel, bring a flashlight and a book into the tunnel to read a story together.
And there's more...