Castle Fun with a Cardboard Box
Written by Anne Feenstra
Large cardboard boxes can be a great source of inspiration and a real chance for children to express their God-given imagination.
Turning a plain cardboard box into a castle like those in medieval times seems to appeal to both boys and girls. With some appropriate dress-up clothes relevant to the era, this creative and inexpensive project is sure to spark the imagination of most children.
Supplies
- large appliance cardboard box (eg: refrigerator)
- scissors, craft/utility knife
- strong string or nylon rope
- duct tape or masking tape
- crayons, markers or paint
- flags (optional)
Method
(NOTE: Even though an adult should likely do the cutting in this project, children will enjoy helping with the other aspects.)
- Cut the top flaps off the box but keep the bottom of the box intact for strength.
- To make battlements, cut notches out of the walls. Do this by cutting two lines down and folding the cut section forward. Cut along this fold.
- Cut out either a rectangular or arched drawbridge making sure the bottom of this piece acts like a hinge and is not detached from the box. Punch a small hole on the top sides of the drawbridge. Also poke two small holes in the upper wall on either side of the doorway. To determine how much string is required, first pull strings through the holes in the drawbridge and knot them securely. With the drawbridge lying flat on the ground, put the other ends of the string through the holes in the wall and tie in large knots. Children can now open and close the drawbridge, a very attractive feature, by pulling on the strings. (To strengthen the structure, the knots on the drawbridge and the areas around all the holes can be reinforced with tape.)
- Cut out narrow window slits in the walls.
- Using paint or markers - let the children express their creativity by drawing stones and bricks on the walls.
- If desired, add flags to the top of the walls.
Hints
- If several children are involved, two cardboard castles may spark even more imagination plus allow for some individual space.
- Make dress-up clothes available, eg: crowns, jewelry, fancy dresses, armor, helmets, swords.
- Check out the internet or library books for other medieval ideas. When our children were younger, we reenacted a medieval feast where we ate out of trenchers and were entertained by a court jester, troubadour and had a jousting contest.
So “let down the drawbridge” and allow your grandchildren to enter an enchanted world of castles, knights and princesses. Treasure the camaraderie of working on this project together and then enjoy the fun as you watch them play and reenact medieval times.
