You may have noticed a bit of a recurring theme in my recent posts. Buddy has developed a love for cardboard.

This is a passion we are happy to encourage because it’s a fantastic material for him to explore, it is readily accessible and it is disposable when he has mauled it to pieces.

I noticed how many ways he has used the cardboard over the past week or so and wanted to share the scope of play he has discovered at just 11 months. I imagine the possibilities for an older child would be immeasurable! Most of these plays have been initiated and created by our imaginative little man, some have had a little bit of Mummy and Daddy set up.

I apologise that some of these images are a touch dark, or blurred. They were all taken mid play using my mobile phone.

Pretend to be a Tortoise

Let’s face it, tortoises have it easy. They live for a hundred years and get to sleep all winter. I totally understand Buddy’s reasoning here.

Push it

Who needs a walker when you have a box to push?

Climb it

We had set this ramp up for Buddy to push balls and cars down. He felt it would be more fun to climb it.

Go for a Ride

Buddy sat in this independently. I added a cushion after this picture because I didn’t want him to get carpet burn through the hole in the bottom!

Play Postman

It’s amazing how many things will fit through the hole in a banana box. Buddy enjoys posting cardboard tubes.

Discover Object Permanence

Where did it go? Buddy has worked it out!

Practice Retrieving Objects

I love his face here. I can almost see the speech bubble saying “So that’s how it works!”

Drive Cars and Trains on it

This is made even cuter by the “doo doo” noises Buddy makes. He can’t enunciate “ch” yet, so “doo doo” is his train noise!

Make an Instant Peekaboo frame

Here, I was laying with my head in the box and Buddy kept tilting it so that he could see me. Every time he saw me I shouted BOO! He loved it and has initiated the play by himself since.

Pretend to be a Jack in the Box

I know I’m biased, but this is the cutest Jack in the Box I have ever seen!

We have loved our cardboard box play and I would love to hear about any cardboard box fun you have had!