Box Train made from Cardboard Boxes

A box train got made over the holidays with all the packaging and cardboard boxes!

This year I did almost all [probably 98%!] of my Christmas shopping online, so boxes were in plenty this year.

I didn’t let the boys play with them until all the Christmas wrapping was finished to make sure I had enough boxes to put everything in.

But once they got a hold of them, and with a quick suggestion for them to make a box train. Henry, the train engineer, was underway.

He started with lining up all the boxes to make his train. Telling me about each train car as he did it. As well as which one was the train engine and the caboose.

I asked them if they’d like to decorate the box train. And Henry immediately said he was going to make it the Holiday Train! Lit up with lights and everything!

I gave them a few options, such as markers and crayons, or paper to cut from and stick on. The boys wanted to cut.

I had a bunch peel & stick foam sheets. I picked a few of each color and gave them to the boys, as well a scissors. That’s all it took and Henry was satisfied for the rest of the evening. George did pretty well with it too, trying to cut his own pieces and stick them on as well.

Henry definitely took the lead though. George was content just being there trying to figure it out and doing what he could.

Henry even connected the boxes with the foam sheets, using multiple ones to make it from box to box. I was impressed that he came up with that!

Some leftover wrapping paper got used for wheels too.

Once the box train was decorated to the boys’ content, I tied the boxes together with a piece of ribbon [so they could actually pull the train around the house]. I just strung it through the boxes. Punching holes through each box with a knife and tying it off at the engine, and just threading it through to the caboose.

For just a cutting activity, this sure got to be a mess in my office though! There were the sticky back papers everywhere from the foam sheets.

But once all was cleaned up, the train got running smoothly! The boys choo choo’d their way around the house for the next few days.

George always had to be the caboose. Poor boy.

Henry is 4.5 years old. George is 2 years old.

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