How to Make Your Own House Game for Kids

Choose your largest box as a base and remove all four of the top flap pieces with the box cutter blade. Save the cardboard flaps to be turned into house accent pieces later.

Reinforce the floor of your playhouse by applying strips of duct tape to each of the four corners. Duct tape adds flexible strength that will allow the floor to flex without tearing the cardboard. Refrigerator and large appliance boxes often have double thick reinforced box bottoms that are made to withstand heavy weight.

Remove a large rectangular cardboard panel from another clean box using the box cutter and crease it in the middle to form a roof. Consider the height of your child and the height of the uncovered box. The larger the rectangle piece you have available the more headroom your roof will provide.

Rest your creased roof on top of the box partly folded to form a peak and secure it by hiding strips of duct tape on the underside.

Set your cardboard playhouse on its side and use the box cutter to trace the empty triangular holes on either side of the roof onto flat cardboard pieces.

Cut a door in the front of the playhouse with the box cutter. For a door that will close, make three cuts: one parallel to the floor, the next straight up the height you want your door and one more of equal length and parallel to the first cut. Then bend back the remaining flap for an easy hinge. Reinforce the hinge from inside the playhouse with a single long strip of duct tape.

Grab your triangle cut outs and reach inside the house to secure them in place. Use three strips of duct tape to attach them and strengthen your roof.

Break out the paints and ask your kids to decorate the playhouse. Allow them to customize the the house using non-toxic paints and the cardboard scraps that were saved. Have them cut out a cardboard house key, shingles for the roof, a mailbox and cardboard letters with safety scissors and add them to the house.

Get your kids started by providing dress-up clothes and ideas for pretending and playing games inside their new playhouse.