36+ Best Cardboard Crafts & Activities For Kids in 2024

If you have a bunch of boxes piling up from all that online shopping and you need something to do with the kids, these super creative cardboard crafts are the perfect activity to try! Whether you’re looking for a DIY learning game to play or a fun way to recycle that leftover pizza box into a creative craft… you’ll find the best ideas and tutorials below

Here are the ones I found:

DIY Cardboard Box Puzzle

Photo credit: Walking In The Wild on Instagram

A rainbow puzzle?! Yes, please! A rainbow puzzle that you can make at home? Sign me up! Take some paint, and a cardboard box, cut it, draw on it, and let your kids have all the fun. The best part of this one is that they can learn from making it AND playing with it. Perfect!

Pizza Box Learning Game For Kids

Photo credit: Cinta & Co on Instagram

Learning about fractions doesn’t have to be a scary and terrible experience. Create a confetti pizza out of a recycled cardboard box and show your kids how fractions work! They won’t even notice they are learning. And, learning through games is the best way to do it for sure!

Pom Pom Cardboard Activity

Photo credit: Jade – Raising Little Man on Instagram

Help your little one learn how to spell, recognize, and trace their name. This DIY project is super-easy, yet incredibly useful. All you need is some cardboard, scissors, and glue. So, gather all supplies and get down to work!

Toilet Roll Toucan Craft

Photo credit: Cardboard Folk on Instagram

Toucans are such cute birds. So, why not create a few of them? If your kids are getting bored at home… this is the perfect little cardboard craft activity! Once you’re done they would go also buy a fun decoration for their room!

Related Craft Post: Toilet Paper Tube Craft Ideas

Shoe Box DIY Game

Photo credit: Lisa on Instagram

Running out of ideas for games to play with your kids can be a real struggle. Now, there’s a solution to that problem! Get inspired to revamp a cardboard box and create a traditional Dutch game called “sjoelbak”. Teach your kids how to play it and have some fun!

Tiny Cardboard Gingerbread Houses

Source: Little Red Window

Have you been looking for a project to entertain your kids and spend some time with them at the same time? Here’s one! This DIY project shows you how to create tiny cardboard gingerbread houses and it’s the most fun craft idea ever! You can also use them as the cutest decoration ever!

DIY Solar Oven Smores

Source: Desert Chica

Throw together some science and some s’mores and you’ve got yourself the most amazing cardboard science project ever! Take advantage of the scorching sun this summer and enjoy your solar oven made of cardboard. You will be your kids’ newest hero after this one!

Cardboard Box Noah’s Ark

Source: The Craft Train

Everyone’s imagination runs wild, especially when you’re a kid. Help your kid’s imagination with this fun DIY project. Teach them about Noah and his ark with this cardboard craft that is just perfect for imaginary plays. Amazing!

Cardboard Box Elevator With Push Buttons

Source: Repeat Crafter Me

Kids love pressing buttons, any and every button! Help them with that obsession and make sure that they no longer press a button they shouldn’t. This recycled box craft shows you how to create an elevator with buttons. Watch your kids take all those elevator rides and enjoy!

Cardboard Pirate Ship For Kids

Source: Molly Moo

Pirates are the best! Grown-ups and children share that same love for pirates and here’s the perfect tutorial to engage yourself and your kids on a cozy afternoon. The project will take you about an hour, but the fun that your kids can have with this cardboard boat is never-ending

DIY Valentine Wreath

Source: Soccer Mom Blog

Any time Valentine’s Day rolls around, there’s always a shortage of cute decorations. If there are any left, you either don’t like them or they are too pricey. Now, you can cross this worry off your list because this tutorial shows you how to create the most wonderful Valentine’s day wreath. Show someone you “love them to pieces!”

Cereal Box Monster Jaws

Source: It’s Always Autumn

Letting your kiddos enjoy their screen time is perfect for you, but this DIY tutorial is even more perfect for the whole family. Grab that leftover Amazon box, gather the rest of your supplies, and follow this tutorial to create some monster jaws. The fantastic thing is that you can even have your kids decorate their jaws in any way they want!

Cardboard Box Dinosaur

Source: Adventure In A Box

Kids have the most creative ideas! This cardboard craft started with a little kid’s idea and it turned out great. Grab a cardboard box that will fit your kid and help them create a dinosaur box they can ride. Trust me, they’ll play with it for hours and won’t get bored. Is there anything more perfect than that?

Recycled Cardboard Box Rocket Ship

Source: The Bear & The Fox

Recycling old boxes has never been more fun with this craft idea! Create a rocket ship with some supplies that are very easy to find around the house and some packages that are piling up from all those online orders. Plus, you can customize it any way you want!

Recycled Cardboard Food Trucks

Source: Barley & Birch

Food trucks have an abundance of culture! Teach your kids about different cultures through the food they eat. Doing that is way easier than it seems – just follow this step-by-step tutorial. It’ll help you build cardboard food trucks without much hassle. To teach them, you can talk about the cultures that eat that food as you go along cutting and putting together those trucks. Simply, amazing!

Related Craft Post: Best Paper Plate Crafts For Kids

Cardboard Box Superhero Hideout

Source: Pink Stripey Socks

Kids can be hooked on superheroes very easily. And all of a sudden, they want it all: superhero cups, backpacks, notebooks and so much more. Support this love for superheroes with this amazing foldable cardboard hideout. After you are done with this fun tutorial, your kids will have a place to hide their favorite superhero when they run off to bed. Watch them play with it all day long!

DIY Rainbow Cardboard Craft For Kids

Source: Hello Wonderful

If you are stuck thinking of a costume for your kid’s next costume party, worry no more! This DIY project shows you how to create a rainbow costume out of cardboard. Make the shape, paint it, and there you have it!

DIY Cardboard Mailbox

Source: Little Red Window

Get crafty with this cardboard idea! Create a mailbox out of a cardboard box and a few more supplies that you probably have in your craft bins. Your kids will have all the fun in the world being postman. And, you’ll have some free time, too!

Cardboard Butterfly Wing Craft

Photo credit: Bambino Mummy on Instagram

Give your kid some butterfly wings with this DIY project! Run and grab some cardboard boxes and get down to cutting. You can even educate your kid on how shadows work using this project!

Seed Mosaic Build A Flower Activity

Source: Woodlark

We all worry sometimes that we are being a bit too wasteful with our planet. With this craft, you don’t have to worry as it’s a low-waste craft for which you will need some cardboard boxes and dried beans, seeds, or grains. After you are done making it, you will have a flower mosaic made of some things that you surely have at home!

Cardboard Learning Game For Kids

Photo credit: Esra Selcukblgn on Instagram

Rainbows happen with rain and sun; we all know that. Well, sometimes you don’t want to wait for the rain and the sun and want to create your own rainbow. With this project, all of that is easy! Some cardboard cutting, painting, strings, and there we are! You’ve got yourself a perfect rainbow you can use to teach your kids about how rainbows work, counting, and developing fine motor skills. Love it!

Scavenger Hunt For Kids

Photo credit: Clare ~ Curious Columbus on Instagram

Kids love scavenger hunts! They are fun for the whole family. If you’d like to have a great time together, you can create a scavenger hunt using this idea. Grab a cardboard box and start making that list. Even if you aren’t able to hit the beach, you could easily customize this and have yourself the perfect summer activity!

Solar System Learning Craft

Photo credit: Nadean on Instagram

All kids love learning, but sometimes it can get tricky. The Solar System is one of those areas where kids get stuck. Fortunately, you no longer have to sweat it – just create this amazing cardboard puzzle. After you are done making it, your kids will never forget which planet comes after Jupiter!

Related Craft Post: Popsicle Stick Craft Ideas

Lady Bug Cardboard Craft

Photo credit: Play at Home Babies on Instagram

Bugs can be scary for kids… but as soon as you make this project, your kids will love all ladybugs! So, grab a cardboard box, cut it, draw a ladybug, paint it, add some spots, and voila! You’ve got an adorable little bug!

Counting Activity With Old Cardboard

Photo credit: Cardboard Folk on Instagram

If your kids get bored with all the board games you have at home, then this DIY project is for you. Now, you can create a counting game on your own with some cardboard. Then, all you have to do is play it with your kids and learn at the same time!

Cardboard Animal Craft

Photo credit: Loren C on Instagram

Bring a little fun into your home with this cardboard craft idea! Check out the pictures and gather your kids around the table. Get out those cardboard boxes and let’s put together some cardboard animals!

Bunny Needs a Haircut

Source: Land of Littles

Help your kid practice their motor skills with this super fun activity! All you will need for it is some a cardboard box, some yarn, a bit of glue, and some scissors. Yup, that’s all! So, let’s do it!

DIY Cardboard Car For Kids

Photo credit: Stacey Martin on Instagram

If you have some cardboard boxes just lying around and you’ve been looking for ways to use them, this is the solution for you! Create some vintage cars for your kids! Give them all the creative power and have them paint whatever they want!

Preschooler Learning Craft

Photo credit: Our Preschool Adventures on Instagram

This fun cardboard idea is all about getting your kids to learn something. Create a window-like cardboard cutout and have your kids look for a word as they scroll through the letters. They’ll learn and have fun at the same time. So, grab those scissors and provide your kids with an interesting educational game!

DIY Cardboard Clock Activity

Photo credit: Learn Craft Grow on Instagram

Teach your kids how to tell the time with this magnificent cardboard craft. You need a leftover box, some rocks, some paint, and some glue. Paint those rocks, stick them to the box, and you have a clock! That’s all!

Related DIY Post: Best Rock Painting Ideas

Days Of The Week Craft

Photo credit: Our Upcycled Life on Instagram

If you have young kids that are still learning the days of the week, then this project is right up your alley. You can put the days of the week on a cardboard chart and have your kiddos move a sign that points to the current day. It’s fun and educational at the same time!

Hot Glue Cardboard Stamp Activity

Photo credit: Sheryl & Kiddo on Instagram

All kids love playdough because they can make just about anything from it. This DIY project shows you how to make dough even more fun with some cardboard stampers you can make at home. You can even teach them about shapes and colors with this craft!

Cardboard Drawing Craft For Kids

Photo credit: Mbs Activity Room on Instagram

Help your kids learn how to trace lines with this cute cardboard activity. It’s easy to do, interesting, and it has a cute little spider weaving a web. Can it get any more fun than this?

Easy Sorting Game With Shoe Box

Photo credit: Gus Gus & Mama on Instagram

Create a color-sorting activity out of a cardboard box. It’ll help your kids learn the colors and develop their motor skills because they have to pick and sort all the colors in different parts of the box. How useful!

Fun Dinosaur Foot Print Craft

Photo credit: Little Happy Learners on Instagram

Dinosaur slippers? Such a neat idea! Cut some dinosaur feet out of cardboard, put on a piece of elastic, and have your kiddos wear them. If you have a sandbox out in the backyard, these are super fun to let them walk around in and check out the footsteps!

Matching Game With Cardboard Box

Photo credit: Katy Ann on Instagram

Create a neat matching activity for your youngest like this one! It’s easy and incredibly useful if they are learning how to match or count. So, grab that cardboard box, draw some shapes, write some numbers, and you’re done!

Tissue Box Monsters

Source: The Best Ideas For Kids

If you have some leftover tissue boxes that you don’t know what to do with, this is the solution for you. With this tutorial, you will be able to create a cardboard tissue box monster. Your little ones can design it and decorate it themselves. They can even choose the monster!

Magnetic Pac Man Game

Source: Frugal Fun 4 Boys

Another science project? Why not?! This tutorial shows you how to create a magnetic Pac-Man game out of a cardboard box. You can find all the supplies you need around the house and it will help you fill those afternoons. Grab your supplies and let’s get down to work!