It's a box...

Oh but it's so much more than just a box! It's a HOUSE!

(Gratuitous picture of our bunny because he's so cute.)

Ok, so it doesn't look like much of a house yet but keep reading to see how you too can turn a big empty box into a fun playhouse for your kid.

Step 1. Let your kid go crazy decorating their house. Since there is a lot of cutting and taping, this is the one step where they can "help". At first I wanted to paint the box or wrap it in cute paper to make it look all fancy but K really wanted to color it. I'm so glad she was able to contribute because she loves her 'Rainbow House'. Sometimes I have to let go of what I think, as an adult, looks good and remember that what the kids make themselves are the things that look best.

Step 2. Open the top flaps and determine the how steep you want the pitch on your roof. Draw a diagonal line from the bottom corner of your flap to the top. I just eyeball'ed where I thought would be a good spot and then used a yardstick to draw the line.

Step 3. Cut off that triangle and use it as a template for the other side of the front flap and the back flap.

It's starting to look roof-ish.

Step 4. Use one of the triangles you cut off in Step 3 to make the top of your roof. I had A hold it in place and then I traced the angles needed to get it to match the rest of the roof. Cut that out and tape it to the front of your roof. Repeat the same thing for the back of the roof. Also, tape the side flaps of your roof to the front and back flaps.

Somebody was already very excited about her house.

Step 5. Measure the opening of your roof between the side flap and the peak of your roof. Using another box, cut out your measured rectangle and tape it to your roof. We taped it in the inside too. Also, if you can use another box that has cardboard that's equally as thick as the rest of your box, that will help with durability.

I was surprised to find that I can stand up completely straight in the
middle of the house.

There you have it. A basic cardboard playhouse that will bring your children hours of imaginative play.

The house looked a bit like a gingerbread house to me so I gave it just a few finishing touches to really make it feel as if it came from a storybook. I made the scalloped piece on the front and varying sized shingles for the roof to cover up all of the tape. I also want to add some windows (with shutters) and a doorknob.

This project was a lot easier than I thought it was going to be. A and I got it finished in one night. Letting the glue dry on the scalloped facade piece and adding the individual shingles took the most time. So what are you waiting for?!? Get out there and do something awesome with a box!

(By the way, these books would be fun to read together in your box: The Birthday Box by Leslie Patricelli, Not a Box by Antoinette Portis and Little Boy by Alison McGhee.)