14 Simple DIY Toys: Toddler Crafts Using Old Cardboard Boxes

Old cardboard boxes are like treasure chests of creative potential when you have a toddler.

They’re free, easy to work with, and you probably have them at home!

If you’re looking for fun and imaginative ways to repurpose those boxes while entertaining your child, here are our best ideas for Toddler Crafts Using Old Cardboard Boxes.

Table Of Contents

1. DIY Car Parking Lot
2. Cardboard Vet Clinic
3. DIY Play Kitchen
4. Cardboard Tunnel Maze
5. Cardboard Puppy House
6. DIY Marble Run
7. Cardboard Grocery Store
8. DIY Cardboard Castle
9. Cardboard Tool Bench
10. Puppet Theater
11. DIY Cardboard Car or Airplane
12. Toddler-Sized Washing Machine
13. Cardboard Car Ramp
14: Cardboard Spoon Slots
A Personal Touch: What Would Your Toddler Create?
Enjoyed This Post? Here’s How You Can Help!
- Why Use Cardboard Crafts?
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1. DIY Car Parking Lot

Park your cars in style.

What You Need: Flat cardboard piece, markers, and toy cars.
How To: Draw parking spaces and roads on the cardboard. Add small ramps or tunnels for extra fun.
Why It’s Great: Encourages creativity and teaches spatial awareness.

Toddler Crafts Using Old Cardboard Boxes - Car Park

2. Cardboard Vet Clinic

Perfect for toddlers who love animals.

What You Need: Medium box, toy medical tools, and plush animals.
How To: Turn the box into an exam table by cutting out a “door”. Draw or tape on medical charts. Use toy tools to “check-up” plush animals.
Why It’s Great: Teaches empathy and introduces basic care routines.

3. DIY Play Kitchen

Cook up fun with pretend food!

What You Need: Large box, bottle caps, and markers.
How To: Draw burners on top, cut out an “over door,” and glue bottle caps as knobs. Your toddler can pretend to “bake” or “fry”.
Why It’s Great: Sparks creativity and helps with role-playing skills.

4. Cardboard Tunnel Maze

A crawling adventure awaits!

What You Need: Several medium boxes, tape, and scissors.
How To: Connect boxes to make tunnels. Add cut-out holes for peeking through or crawling challenges.
Why It’s Great: Helps develop spatial awareness and burns energy.

5. Cardboard Puppy House

Create a cozy home for plush animals.

What You Need: Medium-sized box, markers, stickers, and fabric scraps.
How To: Cut out windows and a door. Decorate the box with your toddler using markers and stickers. Add a “puppy bed” using fabric scraps inside.
Why It’s Great: Promotes imaginative play and fine motor skills.

6. DIY Marble Run

Introduce your toddler to physics!

What You Need: Cardboard strips, tape, and marbles or small balls.
How To: Attach strips to the side of a large box, creating ramps and tunnels for the marble to roll through.
Why It’s Great: Encourages problem-solving and fine motor development.

7. Cardboard Grocery Store

Shop till you drop.

What You Need: Medium box, paper bags, and pretend groceries.
How To: Cut out “shelves” in the box and stock them with pretend food. Use small boxes or paper bags as shopping carts.
Why It’s Great: Helps with counting and role-playing.

8. DIY Cardboard Castle

What You Need: Large box, paint, scissors, and glue.
How To: Cut out towers and a drawbridge. Let your toddler help paint the castle and decorate it with drawings or stickers.
Why It’s Great: Encourages role-playing and storytelling.

9. Cardboard Tool Bench

For the little builder in your life.

What You Need: Flat cardboard pieces, Velcro, and toy tools.
How To: Draw or attach Velcro for “tools” to hang. Add cardboard nails for hammering.
Why It’s Great: Enhances fine motor skills and introduces DIY concepts.

10. Puppet Theater

Bring stories to life!

What You Need: Large box, fabric for curtains, and cardboard for puppets.
How To: Cut out a stage window. Decorate with paint and attach a curtain. Make puppets from smaller cardboard pieces.
Why It’s Great: Boosts creativity and storytelling abilities.

11. DIY Cardboard Car or Airplane

Zoom into fun!

What You Need: Large box, paper plates, and markers.
How To: Decorate the box as a car or airplane. Add paper plates as wheels or controls. Cut out a hole for your toddler to sit inside.
Why It’s Great: Encourages pretend play and gross motor skills.

12. Toddler-Sized Washing Machine

Because chores can be fun too!

What You Need: Medium box, clear plastic (optional), and markers.
How To: Cut a round “door” and add dials. Use clear plastic for a “window”. Pretend to wash small items.
Why It’s Great: Introduces practical life skills.

13. Cardboard Car Ramp

Race to the finish line!

What You Need: Long cardboard pieces, tape, and toy cars.
How To: Create an inclined ramp using the cardboard and secure it with tape. Let your toddler race toy cars down the ramp.
Why It’s Great: Develops hand-eye coordination and introduces basic physics concepts.

14: Cardboard Spoon Slots

Looking for a quick and easy activity that will keep your toddler engaged and help develop fine motor skills? Try this Cardboard Spoon Slot game!

What You’ll Need:

A cardboard box (or any sturdy cardboard you have lying around)
A pair of scissors
Spoons (plastic or wooden work best!)

How to Make It:

Cut out several narrow slots in the cardboard. Make sure they’re just wide enough for the head of the spoon to fit through, but not too wide that the spoon will slip through too easily.
You can create a pattern of slots, or even label each one with a different color or number for added learning!

Click Here For More Fine Motor Activities

A Personal Touch: What Would Your Toddler Create?

Every child has unique interests. Would your toddler love a cardboard train, a dollhouse, or even a cardboard rocket ship? Take a moment to observe your child’s favorite toys and activities. Share your ideas in the comments or on social media—I’d love to see what you create together! Here are some questions to inspire you:

What are your toddler’s current interests? (e.g., vehicles, animals, pretend cooking, or specific TV shows/books.)
Do they enjoy fine motor activities or bigger, more physical play?
(e.g., threading, stacking, crawling, or pushing objects.)
What everyday routines or chores could be turned into play?
(e.g., pretend grocery shopping, a laundry day setup, or cleaning games.)
What types of crafts tend to hold their attention the longest?
(e.g., painting and decorating, solving puzzles, or role-playing.)
Do you have any specific seasonal or holiday themes in mind?
(e.g., a cardboard Christmas tree, Halloween maze, or Easter egg hunt.)
Are there any educational goals you’d like to focus on?
(e.g., color matching, counting, or shape recognition.)

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Why Use Cardboard Crafts?

These “toddler crafts using old cardboard boxes” are eco-friendly, cost-effective, and fantastic for fostering creativity and development. Whether it’s building a castle or caring for plush puppies, the possibilities are endless. So grab those old boxes and get crafting—your toddler’s imagination is the limit!

BTW.: Here Is a thread on what to do with Cardboard Boxes – not just toys.