5 Easy Cardboard Crafts For Kids and Adults

I found a lot of cardboard while clearing clutter a few days ago. Small Amazon boxes, toilet paper and paper towel tubes, and a whole lot of cereal boxes I had stashed away because “I could make something with this.” So this week, Roo and I committed to creating things with this pile of cardboard. Here’s what cardboard crafts we did.

Toilet Paper Tube People

This cute kid’s cardboard craft was fun and created a great opportunity for imagination. Bonus? They double as imaginative play toys!

Supplies:

Cardboard toilet paper tubes

Googly Eyes

Yarn

PipeCleaners

Paint

Glue

How to:

Have the child paint the tubes. While the cardboard tubes dry, cut pieces of yarn and set out pipecleaners and googly eyes. Make it a counting activity and have the child help you count how many eyes are needed.

Once the cardboard tubes are dry let the child design the people. How many arms will they have? How many eyes? What kind of hair? What emotions are they feeling and how can we show that in their face? Help them to attach the parts when necessary. I found that poking holes and threading the pipecleaners held up better than simply gluing things in place.

Kid’s Cardboard Guitar

I’m sure we’ve all made a cardboard guitar at least once in our childhood, but this cardboard craft is still a hit with kids.

Supplies:

Cardboard box (we used a cereal box)

Cardboard paper towel tube

Tape (masking, scotch, or washi tape all work)

Rubberbands

Craft knife or box cutter

Paint *optional*

How to:

Cut a hole in the center of one side of the box with the craft knife or box cutter. Seal any open ends with tape.

This is when your child can paint the box if desired. Allow the paint to dry before proceeding to the next step.

Stretch the rubber bands around the box, you only need as many as will fit in the circle you cut.

Attach the tube to one end with the tape.

Strum away!

 

Cardboard Aquarium

Supplies:

Cardboard box

Colored Cardstock

Craft Knife or Box Cutter

Googly Eyes

Glue

String

Tape

How to:

Cut fish shapes from the cardstock. The size and how many will depend on the size of your box. Attach googly eyes with glue, attach pieces of string with tape.

Cut a square, rectangle, or circle from one side of the box. Poke small holes in the top and string the strings through the holes and tie a knot.

 

Cereal Box Masks

One of the cardboard crafts I’m counting as both a kid craft and an adult craft because I had a lot of fun making my mask, maybe more than Roo. Here is a fun mask craft you can make from a cereal box!

Supplies:

Cereal boxes

Paint

Craft knife or Box cutters

Hot glue gun and glue

Mask Template (available here in the Whimsyroo shop for FREE)

How to:

Print and cut the paper template and trace to a piece of cereal box cardboard. For Roo’s wolf mask I cut a snout, nose, and ears. The dragon I made required a lot of scale shapes of varying sizes. Use your imagination to create the pieces for your mask and hot glue them in place.

Cereal Box Organizer

This cardboard craft is for adults, but it can be used in your kid’s rooms or craft rooms. I’m using the cardboard ceral box organizer to store paper, but it can organize magazines, mail, and stationary just to name a few uses.

I made a similar cardboard craft organizer from an empty diaper box and scrap fabric. Click here for that tutorial.

Supplies:

Cereal box

Craft knife or box cutter

Scrapbook paper

Washi Tape

Hot glue gun and glue

How to:

You can play with different shapes for your cereal box organizer, I cut mine at an angle, but left 2 inches at the bottom to hold it upright.

Cut your scrapbook paper to the same shape as your box. Add an extra two inches in length to the bottom to cover the front. Cut a two inch strip as long as your box to cover the back. Attach the scrapbook paper to the cardboard box with hot glue. Wrap Washi tape around the edges to finish.

Cardboard Crafts are a great way to recycle and reuse cardboard. Kids and adult can all find something fun to make and use around the house. All you need is a little creativity and whimsy!

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