The Value of a Box

One of the best and most inexpensive playthings for your child, no matter what their age, is a cardboard box. That's right, an empty cardboard box. From the time your baby begins to crawl, he or she will be fascinated with a box. There was many a time that my children preferred to play with the box, rather than the toy that was packaged within the box. When your child is small, they love a box that is bigger than they are so that they can hide from you. You may need to cut a door in the side of the box because your child will love to go in and out numerous times.

As your child gets older, they will like several smaller boxes so that they can put them together to make a train. They can sit in the front box as the train engineer and fill the other "train cars" with their stuffed animals or dolls.

Large appliance boxes are the best for such things as an "office" for your child. They will spend hours in their "office" if you cut out windows and a door and allow them to take some of their prized possessions in there.

Perhaps the best and most entertaining use of a box is to drape it with a sheet or tablecloth to make a "box tent". "Tent making" is one of my favorite rainy day activities with small children. Sometimes, even the older kids want to take part. Never underestimate the value of a box. It is smart to keep one available just for those times when your child has "nothing to do". Whether you have a toddler or an older girl or boy, a cardboard box will ignite their imagination as nothing else. And it is absolutely free.