What can I do with a cardboard box? by James Maclaine. Illus. by Harriet Noble & Erin Wallace

We have all had experiences where we have seen mega amounts of money spent on a gift for a young child yet their greatest enjoyment has come from the cardboard box it was packaged in.

This new release from Usborne takes that humble cardboard box to a new level, well beyond the imagination of the toddler and into the construction skills of the older child. Using all sorts of boxes, each type readily available, they are challenged and guided to building a mini village, turning tissue boxes into monsters and rolling up chunky beads from bold and bright packaging. Bridges and ramps are put to the stability and functionality test, and that knowledge is used to investigate how to make an empty box strong enough to sit on. They can see what happens when a marble is rolled in the lid of a shoebox with some paint. And simple step-by-step instructions can turn any big cereal box can become an amazing 3D model of the Solar System.

Forget being thrilled about creating a cardboard version of Hogwarts - these projects will satisfy all of the requirements of the Design and Technologies curriculum while encouraging creative and critical thinking as models are designed, made and appraised as well as giving hours of enjoyment and fun. And there are even more ideas at the Usborne Quicklinks page.

Perfect for the Christmas stocking for both child and teacher!

Barbara Braxton