Cardboard Boxes Sparking Young Imaginations

Cardboard Boxes Sparking Young Imaginations

Are you one of the many parents who has invested time and money in the ‘must have’ toy, only to watch your child spending more time playing with the big cardboard box it was packaged in?

It’s a familiar story. The novelty of the toy soon loses its appeal, whilst the cardboard box transforms into a car, boat, castle and provides hours of entertainment.

With the Easter holidays upon us, you may be wondering how to keep the children occupied, without spending a fortune. If so, Aylesbury Box Company has spotted the following story from Bristol, which could inspire you to simply collect a pile of cardboard boxes.

Bristol Nursery Favours Cardboard Boxes Over Toys

In a radical step, a nursery in Bristol is trialling a toy-free month. The dolls, trains, dinosaurs and play kitchen have been packed away in a cupboard. These colourful, largely plastic, toys have been replaced by stacks of cardboard boxes, egg boxes, lolly sticks, corks and other basic items.

Beneficial Results from Cardboard Play

The Head of Ilminster Avenue Nursery decided on a toy-free month after researching similar projects, which have been running for several decades, in Germany. The evidence suggests that when given cardboard boxes to play with, the children became far more imaginative.

In addition to opening up the possibilities of what a cardboard box could become, the children also demonstrated higher levels of social interaction, language development and communication skills in comparison to their counterparts in nursery settings full of toys.

Children Adapting Well to the Switch to Cardboard Boxes

In Bristol, the children still have access to books, craft materials, paints, sand and water. Staff reported that some parents were sceptical about the idea, however, on the whole, the children have been more than happy to get creative with the cardboard boxes. A few favourite toys have been missed, but it seems that the youngsters are very adaptable to the new set up.

The nursery is now considering the best approach for the future. They are contemplating whether there will be cardboard box days and toy days, or will a small number of toys be re-introduced and rotated around the classes? There seem to be no plans to completely ditch the back to basics trial and welcome the return of the traditional toys, which indicates that the cardboard boxes have been a success.

Cardboard Creations for the School Holidays

You can often collect cardboard boxes from your local supermarket, or there may be some already in the house following a recent online purchase (or two!).

If your children enjoy imaginative play, it might be possible to simply let them make up their own games. Alternatively, there is a wealth of creative, crafty ideas online to help you transform those cardboard boxes into something else entirely. Aylesbury Box Company would be delighted to see your creations!

This is a low-cost activity that could take place indoors or out in the garden. When the excitement has passed and the cardboard boxes have been abandoned, they can simply be flattened and put in your recycling bin. The fibres can be processed and used to manufacture more boxes.