Cardboard Weaving

Cardboard is cut into circles with slits cut periodically through the sides to make spokes.  Next, kids are given different colored yarns to weave through and make pretty designs with hello wonderful.

Good for ages 3 and up.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.hellowonderful.co/post/easy-cardboard-circle-weaving-for-kids

Cardboard Town

Cardboard boxes are cut and painted into house frames for kids to put together to create their own play town with non toy gifts.

Good for ages 9 and up.

Get the instructions here:
http://nontoygifts.com/driving-through-the-cardboard-town/

Candy Corn Decorations

A piece of cardboard is cut into a triangle and decorated with white, orange and yellow tape to make candy corn decor.  Crafts n coffee then personifies them by adding googly eyes.

Good for ages 4 and up.

Get the instructions here:
http://craftsncoffee.com/2013/09/13/candy-corn-crafts-week-craft-these-duct-tape-candy-corn-cuties/

Pocket Watch

Cardboard is cut into the shape of a small clock to create a pretend pocket watch with almost unschoolers.  Next she cuts out a circle of white paper and writes on the numbers like an analog clock and adds cardboard minute and hour hands.

Good for ages 6 and up.

Get the instructions here:
http://almostunschoolers.blogspot.com/2012/05/alice-in-wonderland-pocket-watch-craft.html

Cardboard Wrist Watch

A strip of cardboard is bejeweled with gem stickers and given an analog clock face and hour and minute hands.  Nurture store shares the details.

Good for ages 6 and up.

Get the instructions here:
http://nurturestore.co.uk/learn-to-tell-the-time-clock-craft

Cardboard Arc de Triumph

A cardboard box is cut into a nifty tunnel and colored to look like the Arc de Triomphe with non toy gifts. 

Good for ages 8 and up.

Get the instructions here:
http://nontoygifts.com/cardboard-arc-de-triomphe/

Cardboard Purse

Cardboard is cut into the shape of a classic purse, decorated with scrapbooking paper, and given pipe cleaner handle bejeweled with beads with ikatbag.

Good for ages 9 and up.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.ikatbag.com/2010/09/tea-party-behind-scenes-cardboard.html

Cardboard Wings

Wings are cut out of cardboard and painted bright colors to make fairy wings for fun pretend play with secret agent josephine. 

Good for ages 9 and up.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.secret-agent-josephine.com/2009/09/fairy-wings-and-toadstool-cupcakes/

Cardboard Slide

A cardboard box is cut open, flattened and secured onto the stairs to make a fun slide for both kids and their toys with the contemplative creative.

Good for ages 8 and up.

Get the instructions here:
http://thecontemplativecreative.blogspot.com/2012/04/kids-project-cardboard-slide.html

Winter Cardboard Castle

 

Cardboard is cut into a castle shape, glittered for decoration and painted with a snow topped mountain background.  Hello wonderful also adds some snowy white trees and peg dolls.

Good for ages 9 and up.

 Get the instructions here:

http://www.hellowonderful.co/post/MAKE-AN-EASY-WINTER-CARDBOARD-CASTLE

The imagination tree makes a three dimensional version.

Get the instructions here:

http://theimaginationtree.com/2011/05/diy-castle-story-box.html

Cardboard Xmas Tree Doll House

Cardboard triangles transform into this super cute Christmas tree that doubles as a doll house.  Mr. printables shares a template and details for the entire construction. 

Good for ages 12 and up.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.mrprintables.com/christmas-tree-doll-house.html

Cardboard Shark Jewelry Holder

Cardboard is transformed into this super cool jewelery holder from dollar store crafts. 

Good for ages 8 and up.

Get the instructions here:
http://dollarstorecrafts.com/2013/02/tutorial-shark-jewelry-holder/

Cardboard Circle Animal Magnets

Cutout cardboard circles are colored and given a cute face and ears with meri cherry.  She then adds magnets to the back so kids can have fun with pretend play.

Good for ages 8 and up.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.mericherry.com/2014/06/13/cardboard-cutout-animal-magnets-diy-magnet-board/

Cardboard Folded Birds

Folded cut out cardboard is decorated with red tissue paper and orange construction paper to make these self standing birds.  Marghanita shares this cute idea.

Good for ages 5 and up.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.marghanita.com/recycled-crafts-for-kids-rocking-robins/

 

Happy hooligans shares the same tutorial using orange tissue paper and brown regular paper.

Get the instructions here:

http://happyhooligans.ca/rockin-robin/

Cardboard Container Bird House

An empty oatmeal or cornmeal container makes a super base for this bird house from nick jr.  Decorate with colorful paper, paint and stickers and cut a hold for the birds to nest. 

Good for ages 7 and up.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.nickjr.com/crafts/wonder-pets-birdhouse.jhtml

Tea wagon tales uses fabric, ribbon and flower accessories.

Get the instructions here:
http://teawagontales.blogspot.com/2011/04/making-messhaving-fun.html

Cardboard Box Pizza and Oven

A cardboard box becomes a pizza oven with made by joel.  He also shows how to make a pizza as well.

Good for ages 10 and up.

Get the instructions here:
http://madebyjoel.com/2014/01/diy-shoebox-pizza-oven-toy.html

Cardboard Igloo

Cardboard pieces turn into a three dimensional igloo ornament with rust sunshine.

Good for ages 12 and up.

Get the instructions here:
http://rustsunshine.blogspot.com/2011/12/12-days-of-christmas-ornaments-day-7.html

Cardboard Ocean Creatures

Have fun playing with sea creatures courtesy of Mr. printables who includes a whale, shark, porpoise, octopus and jellyfish three dimensional cardboard cut outs.  He suggests adding clothespin people to ride on all of the ocean life. 

Good for ages 4 and up.

Get the template here:
http://www.mrprintables.com/peg-dolls-with-cardboard-sea-creatures.html

DIY Cardboard Puzzles

Having fun at home makes a homemade pizza puzzle.  The kids first cut pictures of foods from magazines and the glue them onto a round cardboard cut out.  She then cuts them into slices for the kids to put back together.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.havingfunathome.com/2011/05/homemade-pizza-puzzle.html

Mr. printables shares a fantastic United States puzzle printable.  You can print it out and glue it onto cardboard for longetivity.

Get the template here:
http://www.mrprintables.com/map-of-the-usa-jigsaw-puzzle.html

Hands on as we grow shows how to turn a cardboard box into a puzzle using numbers on one side and the products box front on the other.

Get the instructions here:
http://handsonaswegrow.com/two-for-one-cracker-box-number-puzzles/

Flat Cardboard Vase

The cardboard collective has a really cool idea for making a vase.  Using a long, flat piece of cardboard, she cut slots within the board to make a woven pattern.  She uses plastic straws and bags to hold the flowers and water.

Good for ages 7 and up.

Get the instructions here:
http://thecardboardcollective.com/2013/03/29/woven-cardboard-vase/