Our great fun with a toddler-sized box car the other day had me thinking: What can’t a toddler do with boxes?

Next time you receive a package, wait at least a few days before you toss the cardboard into the recycling. The possibilities are almost endless! First off: color on them. In the past, Travis and I have drawn the dials and buttons of a “rocketship,” which then makes for great make-believe.

Or if you have a box large enough, open it up and color each segment of the box a different “habitat,” such as jungle, ocean, or desert, adding a background and appropriate animals to each. Your child can step from location to location, and talk about the animals you’ve drawn in each. After the second time we played this game, Travis went to town on the entire piece of cardboard with a black crayon – very Jackson Pollock-esque!

If you have a few medium-sized boxes, string them together and place stuffed animals inside, and then take them for a train ride!

A large box is perfect for turning into a toddler-only house….

…after you’ve decorated the outside of course.

And smaller boxes make perfect garages and tunnels for all the toy cars in the house!

What other ways have you found to play with your child and boxes? Please do leave your thoughts in the comments!