Box Forts
Box forts are one of those classic activities that children seem to love no matter their age. With a pile of cardboard boxes, some tape, paint, and a little imagination, simple boxes quickly become houses, castles, shops, spaceships, secret hideouts, or anything else children can dream up.
This activity encourages creativity, problem-solving, teamwork, and hands-on construction skills. There’s no right or wrong way to build a box fort, which makes it perfect for children who enjoy creating, experimenting, and bringing their ideas to life.
The best part? Most of the materials can often be sourced for free, making this a simple and affordable activity for families, community groups, and homeschoolers.
You'll Need
• Cardboard boxes of various sizes
• Tape
• Child-safe scissors or a craft knife for adult use
• Paint, markers, or crayons
• Optional decorations such as stickers, coloured paper, fabric scraps, or natural materials
How To
Collect a selection of cardboard boxes.
Invite children to decide what they would like to create. It might be a house, shop, cubby, castle, vehicle, animal shelter, or something completely unique.
Use tape to join boxes together and create the basic structure.
Cut doors, windows, tunnels, or other features as needed.
Decorate the fort with paint, drawings, signs, patterns, or any extra materials you have available.
Allow plenty of time for children to adapt and expand their creation as they play.
Once complete, enjoy imaginative play inside the finished fort.
What It Encourages
This activity supports:
• Creativity and imagination
• Problem-solving skills
• Fine motor development
• Planning and design thinking
• Communication and teamwork
• Confidence and independence
• Open-ended play
Building projects like this also help children see that everyday materials can become something extraordinary with a little imagination.
A Last Note
Large boxes can become surprisingly sturdy, though adult supervision is always recommended when cutting cardboard or constructing larger forts.
There’s no need for the finished creation to look perfect. Some of the most memorable forts are the wobbly, quirky ones built entirely from children's ideas.
