Cardboard boxes and childhood. The perfect match.

Cardboard boxes and childhood.  The perfect match.

Just like saying ‘no’ when you really mean ‘yes’;

The requirement for boo-boo kisses and special bandages to make the 
tiniest of tiny injuries feel better;

The first time one selects a ‘sprinkle donut’ at Tim Horton’s

and a sticky popsicle on a hot Canadian night -

 Cardboard boxes and children simply go together.

Give a child a box, ample time to explore, discover and invent and see where the play unfolds.  Adding loose parts and found objects such as ropes, string, tape, tubes, empty containers, paint, cushions, and blankets extend the play as the box is transformed into a submarine, a rocket to the moon, an amusement park ride, a fort, a castle or a cave.  Boxes can also become puppet theatres, operating rooms, as well as storage containers for important collections including rocks, gems, action figures, and things that roll.

Did you know that cardboard boxes were inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame in 2005?  The significance of boxes of all types has been well researched and both scientifically and anecdotally studied for hundreds of years.  Here are some of the most significant developmental reasons why including boxes in children's every day environments both at home and at school, inside and outside is so important:

Spatial awareness- 
Ever notice that regardless of age, when presented with an interesting box, children will
try to climb in!  This is an essential part of the brain's discovering where the body is in
space.  Opportunities to climb in, around, over, and under things helps children to
understand themselves and their impact on the world around them.

Comfort and security- 
The emotional sense of well-being that children experience when they are bundled up
tight and gently embraced in the arms of loving adults is extended throughout childhood
when children are given opportunities to seek out and use small spaces.  Cardboard 
boxes give children a chance to take a break from the overwhelming stimulation that
bombards their brains every second of every day.

Mastery and control- 
Children delight in discovering that they can move and manipulate objects.  The sense of
creating something from nothing comes with intrinsic satisfaction
that encourages children to continue to think of new ways to solve all sorts of problems.

                         

 Imagination- 
Cardboard boxes offer a wide range of possibilities in part because they themselves are typically neutral in terms of sensory input.  The subtle nature of natural containers including colour, texture, design, shape, smell and muted sound offers both a tranquil experience and a clean palette for experimenting and inventing original ideas.