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Monday, June 24, 2013

How to Make Child's Play Furniture

How to Make Child's Play Furniture

Why spend money when you can make exciting play furniture for your children with recyclables? If your child uses disposable diapers, you likely have more cardboard boxes than you know what to do with. Your child will love homemade toys just as much or more than toys you find in the store. Play ovens, doll tables and chairs, washing machines, changing tables, cradles and pantries are just a few of the things you can make with cardboard and imagination.

Instructions

    1

    Decide what kind of play furniture you want to make for your child. Take note of what he likes to do and contemplate what structures will help further his imagination. An oven can be an easy place to start, because children generally love to pretend to cook.

    2

    Prepare the cardboard. If your child may sit on the item, reinforce your cardboard by hot gluing two pieces together. Otherwise, regular box strength should work.

    3

    Draw a plan of what you intend to create. This does not need to be complex; it is simply a way for you to have enough materials and keep track of where to cut. If your child is old enough, involve her in the planning and building.

    4

    Measure out your cuts and mark with a pencil before cutting. Some projects may not require complex cuts; an oven, for example, can be as simple as cutting the flaps off of a box, turning the box over, painting it and drawing stove elements on the top. Your play furniture can be as simple or as complex as you desire.

    5

    Cut out any pieces you use. Use a ruler to make your cuts straight. Two-ply cardboard is usually easier to cut with a utility knife than with scissors.

    6

    Glue your pieces together with hot glue. To get an even application, use a scrap piece of cardboard to quickly smooth the hot glue before attaching it to its final location. This increases the surface area of the glue and improves adhesion.

    7

    Paint your finished project with spray paint, latex paint or acrylic. Add any embellishments you or your child wish to make it more realistic or fun. For example; a plastic sheet protector can be used to make a clear door for an oven.

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