Kids and cardboard boxes were made for each other. Small boxes they sit in and pretend they're driving...big boxes become a secret hide out! Why not make this natural play thing look great and be more useful?

1. Locate a box! You can call appliance stores, or visit new homes under construction and ask the Site Foreman to save you a box when his next appliances are installed. The best boxes are from stoves, washers, or dryers. A refrigerator box is also good but will need to be cut down.

2. Cut out a door large enough for your children to fit through. Don't make it too big....half the fun is it's "just their size"!

3. Paint the outside of the box with any flat wall paint you have left over from projects around the home.

4. Draw any objects or features you want on the outside of your painted box. It can look like a building with windows and doors,or get creative with your child and design something special, if your not an artist simply cut pictures from magazines and paste onto the box. Your children will probably get many months of fun out of this one low cost item.

by areaguides.com / ubuild.com

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