How many times was your child given a gift and more enthralled by the box or wrapping it came in than the toy itself? Grandma might be insulted that her present wasn’t a hit, but don’t be worried if your kid prefers the packaging. This alternative type of play is actually beneficial for children’s development. It’s a phenomenon researchers call “loose parts play,” open-ended play where kids get creative with everyday household objects instead of with toys that are typically only supposed to be used in a finite number of ways.

And there’s no official ranking, but if I had to make one right now, the top of the list of household objects most enthralling to young, curious minds (ages 2-8 ish?) is easily the cardboard box — the type from Amazon, the ones that toys come in, heck, even that pizza box from last night’s dinner. My 7-year-old was given this Makedo kids’ box cutter set for his birthday and has already made a race track and a lemonade stand out of Target boxes. We’re talking hours of screen-less, basically free fun here, folks. Don’t sleep on the “junk.”

Here are a myriad of ways for you and your kiddo to get creative with cardboard boxes, which you probably have lying around the garage waiting to be broken down anyway. (Note that some of these DIY cardboard box projects do require parental supervision). You know what they say about one man’s trash…

• This cardboard board game requires nothing more than a box, some glue, and two shades of brightly colored paint

• Make any of these cardboard games for the toddler set such as Skee ball, ball roll, or cardboard golf 

• This cardboard snowman game is a great activity for snow days or when it’s too cold to go outside

• Create a cozy cardboard reading nook complete with twinkly lights

• Paint mini cardboard trees to put in a fairy garden or imaginative town

• Make the fairy garden even cuter with these cardboard mushroom houses

• If only this cardboard birthday cake was edible — how cute would this be for pretend play at a birthday party or restaurant?

• Attempt this cardboard monster truck ramp (if you have hot glue and painter’s tape handy)

• Or, keep it simple with this cardboard car race using a strip of cardboard where little kids can race their toy cars and big kids can test out their Lego creations

• Encourage pretend play with a mini hospital made out of cardboard. The ER drive-up is too cute

• Try this cardboard marble maze, where the goal is to get a small ball to the end of the path

• Build a lifesize cardboard truck of your kid’s choosing — a fire truck, a UPS truck, and a food truck are all fun options

• Babies and toddlers will get a kick out of this cardboard stacking game with a popsicle stick to keep it all together

• When all else fails, grab some art supplies, have the kids sit inside the cardboard box, and get to work!

Looking for more inspo? There are plenty of books on this topic, including Cardboard Box Engineering for the STEM-inclined minds, or Cardboard Creations for Kids with 50+ fun ideas.

What’s your favorite cardboard box craft?

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