Learning & adventure

This is a great weekend project and a chance to recycle all those cardboard boxes you might have been amassing during lockdown. It’s also a super-easy way to create a cheap and temporary den that will keep the children entertained for hours.

A space or den of their own is a key factor in getting the children outside and enjoying the garden. It provides a base that they’ll want to keep coming back to.

You could easily spend £250 to £350 or even more on a readymade wooden house for the garden. This project reduces the cost to almost zero, and you can change the look and location whenever you want. You needn’t worry about the design either – just let the kids go wild with some colourful paints.

You will need:

12 lengths of 2 x 2 wood Screws

Drill

Stapler

Lots of cardboard boxes Paint and brushes

Step 1

Measure out 12 pieces of wood, all the same length, to correspond with the size of the castle you want. Screw them together to create a cube-shaped structure.

Step 2

Dismantle and flatten your boxes, then screw them to the outside of the cube to make walls. Staple pieces together where necessary. Don’t forget to cut out your castle’s drawbridge and windows.

Step 3

Let the children paint up their new den however they want. Then allow plenty of time for play!

These exciting hands-on projects will fire up little one’s imagination, with lots of ideas that combine play with science and learning about the natural world