7 Fun Craft Ideas for Kids Using Leftover Holiday Cardboard
The holiday season often leaves behind more than just fond memories - it also brings a pile of leftover cardboard and packaging from gifts, decorations and deliveries. Don’t just toss those boxes and tubes into the recycling bin! These leftovers hold the potential for endless creativity, turning into the primary material for stunning art projects and fun crafts for kids, while also making way for imaginative play, learning and artistic expression.
With a material as neutral as cardboard, the possibilities are as vast as their imaginations. So, gather those scraps, and check out these exciting cardboard crafts that are sure to keep your kids entertained.
1. Encourage Creative Expression with DIY Wall Art
When kids are growing up, every corner of the home becomes a space for their creative expression. Everything they create feels like a masterpiece. Why not encourage them to turn leftover cardboard into beautiful wall hangings, simple cutouts, or even custom photo frames? With some paint, markers, or fabric, kids can design world-class art pieces that add warmth and personality to your home. Set up an art area using an all-in-one table like the Deluxe Art Center or the Martha Stewart Kids' Art Table and Stool Set. This provides a dedicated space for crafting and storing leftover materials.
2. Create Cardboard Collages and Sculptures
Cardboard crafts can be an ideal way for kids’ artistic expression. Use Martha Stewart Kids' Easel to set up a painting station where kids can create masterpieces on large pieces of cardboard. Encourage them to try stamping or stenciling for unique textures and effects.
Is your creative little one a budding sculptor? If yes, provide them with scissors, glue, and tape to craft 3D sculptures! Cardboard tubes can become arms or legs, while flat pieces can serve as a sturdy base. These projects are perfect for developing fine and gross motor skills and sparking creative problem-solving.
3. Build a Special Hideaway
Not just growing kids, we all love living in our own little world. That's why this is one of the best craft ideas for kids, especially when it comes to cardboard crafts. Large cardboard boxes can be transformed into magical forts, castles, or playhouses. Kids can cut out doors and windows, paint the exterior, and even decorate with stickers and markers. For an extra dose of creativity, encourage kids to design bridges or towers for their castles using leftover tubes and small boxes. This activity not only fosters imagination but also teaches basic engineering concepts.
4. Inspire Hands-On STEM Fun
Engage kids in STEM activities by designing a cardboard marble run. Use leftover tubes, boxes, and tape to build a fun-infused structure. Pair this project with Unit Block Marble Run for added colors, complexity and experimentation with gravity and motion.
Older kids can also indulge in constructing a cardboard bridge. Guidecraft’s Unit Blocks can provide additional support and structure, helping kids learn about balance and weight distribution in a fun and interactive way.
5. Bring Stories to Life through Pretend Play
All those large cardboard boxes taking up space can be turned into a puppet theater. Cut out a stage opening, paint the exterior, and let kids use their imagination to create their own vibrant performance space. They can craft puppets from cardboard cutouts, decorate them, and tell stories that come straight from their hearts. This activity will enhance the kids' social-emotional development, storytelling, and language skills, while also bringing you closer to their thoughts.
6. Make a DIY Puzzle
Crafting puzzles out of cardboard is a simple yet incredibly rewarding activity for kids. Not only does it encourage independence and imaginative thinking, but it also transforms scrap into something extraordinary. Let kids draw their own design on cardboard, cut it into puzzle pieces, and then reassemble the puzzle. It's a great way to foster problem-solving skills and spark creativity. The Martha Stewart Kids' Art Table and Stool Set is perfect for this activity, allowing kids to sketch their designs before cutting and decorating. These creations also make wonderful keepsakes or gifts for friends and family.
7. Create a Collaborative Cityscape
Here’s one of the coolest things to make with cardboard: a city! Invite kids to design a cardboard city using boxes, tubes, and paper. They can craft buildings, roads, and even vehicles. To elevate the cityscape and bring the city to life, incorporate Community & Roadway Essentials and the Double-Sided Roadway System, offering endless opportunities for collaborative play and creativity.
Encourage kids to work together to name their city, assign roles like mayor or architect, and develop stories about its residents. As they assign roles, Guidecraft’s Wedgies Career Set can be used to place and play characters within the city, adding personality and depth to the play. This activity promotes teamwork, imaginative play, and the development of problem-solving skills.
Leftover Cardboard is the Perfect Canvas for Kids' Creativity!
Reusing cardboard not only reduces waste but also provides children with endless opportunities to learn and grow. From artistic expression to STEM exploration, these cardboard crafts support development in key areas like creativity, problem-solving, and collaboration.
By incorporating Guidecraft’s thoughtfully designed products, you can take these projects to the next level, blending open-ended play with structured learning. So, as this holiday season comes to a close, let your leftover cardboard become the foundation for countless hours of joy and discovery.
Get inspired, grab your scissors and markers, and explore the many things to make out of cardboard. Your cardboard creations will surely become the highlight of your family’s holiday memories!
Images were provided by Pop Art! Kids, a Reggio inspired play space offering sensory playgroups, birthday parties, family painting sessions, studio classes and more for children of all abilities. For more information on their space, please check out their website or their Instagram.
