How to Build an Epic Cardboard City with Kids
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I hosted my event at our library. Here's how I prepped:
Weeks before the Event:
1. I put out the call on FB for cardboard. Some really awesome moms and dads saved their cardboard boxes, rolls, and even yogurt containers for me. A lot of the cardboard came flat, but some of the smaller items still maintained their shape. (This variety ended up being great because some kids just like using premade structures while others like making their own designs.)
2. I also started amassing other crafting items. Here's a bunch of the materials that the library and I jointly provided:
Materials Provided:
- Thin Cardboard
- Like cardboard rolls, egg cartons, and cereal box cardboard (thicker corrugated cardboard would have been too difficult for kids to cut)
- Scissors
- Other Recycled items
- Yogurt Containers, Bubble Wrap, Lids
- Other Colorful Paper
- Paint Samples, Origami Paper
- Other Craft Items
- Scissors, Pipe Cleaners, Sticky Back Felt, Googly Eyes, Craft Punches, Aluminum Foil, Clothespins
- Drawing Items
- Markers, Kwik Stix Paints, Pencils, Pens
- Glues/Tapes
- White glue, glue sticks, Clear Tape, Colorful Masking Tape
3. I also asked our librarians to help me locate these building/cardboard craft books. I wanted to put out a curated selection of books for kids to look through for inspiration.
15+ Awesome Books to Inspire Your Building:
- Epic Cardboard Adventures
- Not a Box
- The Cardboard Kingdom
- The Birthday Box
- The Cardboard Box Book
- What to do with a Box
- Meeow and the Big Box
- Out of the Box
- Recycled Crafts Box
- The Most Magnificent Thing
- Iggy Peck, Architect
- Rosy Revere, Engineer
- How a House is Built
- Look at that Building: A First Book of Structures
- If I Built a House
- Architecture Shapes
- Arches to Zigzags: An Architecture ABC
- Nanette's Baguette
The Week of the Event:
1. I sorted through all my donations and made sure I had enough fun items to keep kids and adults engaged.2. I built a long cardboard stand to hold all the kids' creations. (Mine just looked like grass and mountains.)
3. I also made some sample cardboard people, vehicles, and buildings to provide the kids with inspiration.
(Ha! Seeing the grouchy cats driving the red car makes me smile.)
4. I also created a music playlist for the event. (I don't know about you, but music helps me to focus!)
The Day of the Event:
1. I put out the cardboard and crafty materials on a long table. Then, I placed markers, Kwik Stix paints, scissors, pencils, pencils, staplers, and tape on each table for easy access.2. I put out the long cardboard display out along with my sample items. We also put our books nearby.
Parents and kids had a lot of fun making cool creations. Some of the kids chose to bring their creations home, but enough of them decided to leave their creations at the library. (They're now being displayed over the craft books in the kids section.)
I hope you have a fun time trying out this group crafting idea too. And if you're looking for more group playdate ideas, check out the links below:
More Fun and Easy Crafty Group Playdate Ideas:
Happy making, friends!