Get your kids involved in eco-friendly fun—don’t just throw away those recycled cardboard boxes!

Following our previous cardboard car/kitchen play ideas, here’s another money-saving and eco-conscious DIY toy.

Before making the cardboard car, Mommy Bobo actually made a cardboard house first, along with this cardboard tunnel. (But the cardboard house was super simple—Mommy Bobo didn’t even take photos of the process. We’ll share a more deluxe version next time when we make one.)

.

The idea to make a cardboard tunnel came because we happened to have a long, suitable box at home (Dad is a total homebody and really good at shopping…)
The method is super simple—just cut a hole on each side, and you’re done!

With the first-generation cardboard tunnel completed, Bobo had so much fun playing with it (actually, our cat Stinky Cat was the most thrilled). But… Bobo, is your way of playing a bit unusual? Aside from crawling inside, you kept carrying it around XD

That’s using crayons to let Bobo doodle all over the cardboard. Bringing out different colored crayons at different times kept Bobo entertained for another two days. (Mommy Bobo also thought that older toddlers could try tearing colored paper for collages or using round stickers to decorate—it’s pretty fun too.)

Once Bobo had finished drawing on the cardboard, it was time to deploy the second trick—cutting holes on the sides.
The method is to find a circular object of a suitable size (Mommy Bobo used a CD), draw the outline in the right spot, then cut it out. Don’t forget to reinforce the edges with tape for safety. This idea was actually inspired by taking care of our cats. We used to have three cats at home (now only Stinky Cat remains…), and Mommy Bobo made lots of toys for them. One of them was a similar cardboard tunnel, though much smaller in size, with lots of these round holes that the cats absolutely loved. Kids and cats are actually quite alike. (I just read a news article the other day saying cats have the intelligence of 5- to 6-year-old kids—I totally agree!)

The final ultimate trick is to poke holes in the top of the cardboard box.
This time, the holes shouldn’t be too big—just small ones (Mommy Bobo made them about 2 cm in diameter). The holes don’t need to be perfectly aligned, but it’s better to have more of them.
Below the poked holes, you can stuff long socks to create a sock forest.
You can also leave some holes empty. (Bobo crawled inside and looked up at the holes, saying, “They’re stars!”) (So cute…)
When playing from the top of the tunnel, the holes are just perfect for a “stuffing” game. Bobo stuffed in Gigo building blocks (the Little Engineer’s vehicle set), which I highly recommend—they teach kids how to use various tools, offer lots of variations, and are incredibly fun to play with.
(So much fun that Mommy Bobo wanted to buy two sets just to build bigger creations.) (Actually, it’s just because Mommy Bobo loves playing with them herself XD)

You can put all sorts of things in the holes—even the non-woven fabric carrots that Mommy Bobo made. Plant them in and play “pulling the carrots.” (Previously, they were tucked in the sofa crevices for Bobo to pull out.)
The socks stuffed in the bottom holes—Bobo also worked hard to pull them up (the socks are so long, Bobo has really strong strength).

With these few tricks, Bobo and Mommy Bobo spent many rainy (or sunny) days indoors when going out wasn’t possible.

Read more: