Cardboard - Page 10 of 36

The Vertical Bead Zip-Line

Steps:

Tape a large piece of cardboard vertically onto a wall.
Cut the paper roll into three small rings using scissors.
Tape the rings onto the cardboard in a vertical zigzag pattern.
Thread a long piece of yarn through all three rings.
Tape the top and bottom of the yarn to the cardboard.
Slide one large bead onto the yarn before taping the bottom.
Give your child a pipe cleaner to use as a poker.
Ask them to push the bead up through each ring.
Use the helper hand to keep the cardboard steady.

Safety Tip:
Ensure the cardboard is taped securely to the wall to prevent it from falling during play.

Zigzag Cardboard Explorer

Steps:

Use a marker to draw a wide zigzag line across your flat cardboard.
Adult: Carefully cut along this line using your scissors to create a narrow slot.
Tape the ends of the cardboard to two small boxes so the board is raised.
Fold an index card in half and draw a little person on the top part.
Slide the bottom half of the index card into the cardboard slot.
Hold the board with your helper hand to keep it steady.
Use your other hand to slide the character from one end to the other!

Safety Tip:
Always supervise your child while they are playing with scissors or small cardboard pieces.

The Silver Foil Starry Night

Steps:

Place a piece of flat cardboard inside the bottom of an aluminium foil pan.
Secure the cardboard with masking tape so it stays firmly in place.
Flip the pan over so the bottom is facing up toward your child.
Hand your child a golf ball tee and show them how to hold it like a pencil.
Encourage them to poke the tee through the foil to create small ‘stars’ across the pan.
Challenge them to poke holes to form a simple shape like a circle or a square!

Safety Tip:
Always supervise your child when using golf ball tees. They have pointed ends and should be handled with care. Ensure your child remains seated during the activity to prevent accidents.

Cosmic Antenna Balance

Steps:

Press a medium ball of playdough onto the center of a sturdy cardboard sheet to create the base.
Push three Q-Tips into the playdough at an angle to create a tripod stand.
Place a baking cup upside down on top of the three Q-Tip ends.
Gently rest a fourth Q-Tip across the flat bottom of the upside-down baking cup.
Carefully slide one paper clip onto each end of the horizontal Q-Tip to act as satellite dishes.
Challenge your child to add more paper clips without tipping the whole antenna over!

Safety Tip:
Ensure the structure is built on a flat, stable surface. Keep small parts away from younger siblings.

The Cardboard Castle Squeezer

Steps:

Find a large, flat piece of sturdy cardboard to be your castle base.
Draw four or five narrow rectangles on the cardboard using your markers.
Ask an adult to help you cut out these rectangular slots using scissors.
Ensure each slot is slightly narrower than the width of a paper cup.
Give your child several paper cups and encourage them to decorate the cups.
Show them how to use both hands to squeeze a cup until it is flat.
Challenge your child to push the flattened cup through a narrow slot.
Once through, the cup will pop open slightly to stay inside the castle!
Repeat this until all the castle towers are securely in place.

Safety Tip:
Always supervise children when using scissors. Ensure the cardboard has smooth edges to prevent scratches during the pushing movement.