Home >> Toys >> Childrens Toys

How to Make a Cardboard Car

Children adore empty boxes. They also love to decorate. This fun and easy project that you can do with your kids will provide not only a box car to ride around in, but a great decorating opportunity as well. All you'll need is an empty box big enough for your child to climb into and carry around, and some great decorating materials that you may already have around the house. Use crayons, paints and markers, glitter, beads, bits of fabric, yarn, construction paper and gift wrap or pictures cut from magazines.

Things You'll Need

Cardboard boxes Box cutter or hobby knife Scissors Masking tape Dinner plate or large pot Glue Brads Twine or string Paper plates Markers, crayons, paints Colored tape Decorating materials

Instructions

- 1
  Use a box cutter or hobby knife to cut off three of the four flaps from the top of the box. The one that remains will soon magically turn into the car's windshield.
- 2
  Flip the box over so that it's upside down. Seal the flaps into place with masking tape.
- 3
  Trace the outline of a dinner plate or a large pot onto the middle of the bottom of the box. Cut the circle out.
- 4
  Draw arm holes on the sides of the box near the top, if it's a large box. Cut the holes out, creating a shirt-like structure. If the box isn't overly large, make suspenders out of twine or string. Poke holes in the upper body of the car, and tie the ends of the suspenders to the holes.
- 5
  Glue or tape two smaller boxes to the body of the car, one on the front and the other on the back. These are the car's hood and trunk. Draw or paint doors, windshield wipers, a license plate and lights on the car, and have your child color them. Help your child write her name on the license plate.
- 6
  Draw a steering wheel on a paper plate and have your child color it. Attach it to the dashboard interior with a brad, which will allow it to turn. Have the child decorate four more paper plates for tires, and attach those to the car with brads, too. Draw, color or paint flames on stiff paper or leftover cardboard. Cut them out and glue them to the back tires.
- 7
  Add racing stripes to the sides of the car with colored tape, or color or paint them on it. Have your child finish decorating the car with whatever materials that you have on hand. Show the child how to step into the hole in the car and position the arm holes or suspenders. Toddlers, start your engines!

Childrens Toys