Cardboard: Kids’ Intuitive Choice for Play and Imagination

The simple and undeniable truth is that kids love to play with cardboard, no matter where they live! If there is cardboard within their reach they will invariably grab it and create with it. This magical response to cardboard is natural and it carries several benefits for the child.

Some of the benefits of playing with cardboard are less obvious than others but I think we can all agree to some, like imaginative play, free-play etc. There are several practical reasons why cardboard is great for initiating imaginative play.

Durability and Kid+Earth Friendly

Cardboard is a durable and versatile material. It is lightweight, fairly strong, and recyclable. Unlike plastics and other materials, cardboard lets kids decorate with crayons, markers, paint, stickers, just about anything you can imagine. Also, there’s no better way of educating your child on the Green movement than up-cycling plain old cardboard to something really cool.

Hands-on learning from designing

A child can put their creativity and design concepts to the test over and over until they get it right. If one idea doesn’t work, there’s always more cardboard to try again and test a different approach. 

3-D Building

Unlike flat sheets of paper, it is easy to build 3D structures with cardboard and kids seem to intuitively know how to work it.

A blank slate

Cardboard’s neutrality allows for the perfect medium upon which a child can easily express their creativity.

What’s your big box idea? A big idea out of a cardboard box has nothing to do with consumerism but more with creative play. For those of you who like to work from patterns for inspiration, there’s a plethora of cardboard building ideas out there to inspire your child’s own creations. The best idea is the one that your child can connect with, whether being airplanes, masks, armors, swords, shields and of course helmets! Let your child make the choice. If you have never built with cardboard and are looking for ideas, check out Crafteeo’s Boxeeo Helmet, where you can print out the patterns from their website and use your own cardboard to build it! Painting and decorating might be optional, but rather irresistible!

If you want to support Crafteeo, a local Carmel Valley startup by a Dad, in their effort to bring exciting learning projects to kids that combine electronics to their creations, check their Kickstarter campaign running till August 21st. San Diego has incredibly talented entrepreneur parents who care about the future of our children. Help support their Kickstarter by pledging for their cool rewards and sharing the campaign with your friends.
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” Kristin Rude is the Owner and Center Director of FasTracKids, Del Mar, established in 2007. She started teaching Kindergarten in 1992. Kristin last taught in the Del Mar Union School District. She obtained her teaching credential from the University of San Diego and has her Masters degree in curriculum and instruction with an emphasis on second language learners. When Kristin is not working, motherhood keeps her plenty busy with her 2 children, Connor, age 7 & Katherine, age 5. It has been a truly rewarding experience watching her own children benefit from the FasTracKids program. Spending time with her family, golfing, traveling, and continuously learning are among her favorite activities.”