One Box-Two Projects

The kids had a Step 2 play kitchen and a Loving Family doll house that they really loved playing with when we lived in Texas.  Unfortunately, those were 2 items that we could not bring because of their size.  I even tried disassembling the doll house, but it would have taken 2 large suitcases just to accomodate the doll house.  We did not have the luxury of allocating 2 suitcases for one item so the dollhouse had to stay.

I told the kids that if we could find a large box, we could make a play kitchen and a doll house.  While we were visiting at a friend's house, I asked if she had a large box that we could have.  She happened to have one that she was nice enough to give us.

We were able to make both the doll house and the play kitchen from just the one box.  I was pleasantly surprised myself because I wasn't sure where I would be able to get another large box.  My kids had a fun time making both the kitchen and the doll house.

I cut out the inner flaps from both ends of the box.  Then my oldest daughter taped the box shut.  I cut the box basically down the middle although the kitchen might be marginally wider than the doll house. I cut out the faucet and made the knobs from one of the cardboard flaps.  My daughter taped the faucet and knobs with red duct tape that she had picked out herself.  I guess the red is a nice contrast with the brown :)

I made the oven door by cutting the front of the box on 3 sides.  The oven handle was made out of braided duct tape.  I cut two holes in the oven door, shoved one end of the braided handle on each side and taped them down. 

The back of the oven is open which doesn't matter since it is against the wall.  I taped in one of the flaps in the middle of the box to make a shelf.  Now when the oven door is opened, there is a place to put cookware.  The kids enjoy putting all sorts of things in the oven.

The burners are made from old cds taped onto the top.  The sink is made from a small oven pan.  I could have used a small bowl just as well.

Anyway, it didn't take that long to put the kitchen together.  The kids love to cook on their new play kitchen.  My daughter said it didn't look "that beautiful" but she still likes playing with it.

I actually did need a couple of extra smaller boxes for the doll house, but the main structure of the house is made from the original large box.  This time the closed side is against the wall.  The roof of the house is made from the inner flaps of the box. The verticle middle partition is also one of the inner flaps.  The horizontal middle partitions are made from a ramen noodles box.

The kids picked what they wanted each room to be. The furniture is made out of cardboard fragments from the noodle box and from cereal boxes.

Here is the bathroom.  The kids told me what they wanted in the bathroom...tub, double sinks, toilet. The kids did all the coloring.

Here is the kitchen. My daughter made the shelves on the wall and decorated the table.

Here is the girls' room.  My older daughter tried writing her name.  She wanted a picture on the wall and put up decorations. She drew pillows on the beds.

Here is another bedroom...my son claimed this one.  He decorated the walls. He drew bedding on one bed and made a pillow from cardboard for the other bed.

Here is an end table in one of the bedrooms.  My daughter wanted a rug in her room so I helped her draw some flowers.  She did all the coloring.

The kids wanted the people to represent our family.  I cut out the shapes and they decorated the people. I asked my daughter why I had blond hair (my hair is black)...she had no response :)  I made the dog and cat.  The kids love animals.  Sadly we had to give our dog away before the big move.  We never have had a cat because I am very allergic to those furry critters.

The kids really like the kitchen and doll house.  I had so much fun making it with them.  My son said that we were "reusing" the boxes.  He said he learned about that at school too.  I'm glad that these projects helped reinforce that concept.  I told the kids that we could always make different furniture or change out the people.

The girls were playing with the empty box before we even made the kitchen and doll house.  Boxes are just so much fun.  The kids love their new toys.  Who would have thought that you could have so much fun with one big box!