Make Your Make : 30 projects that promote a love of writing, self-confidence and compassion
Help your child to make their mark with these wonderful projects that help develop a love of writing, creative storytelling, self-confidence and compassion – along with six sets of bonus printables.
It’s always exciting when a delivery arrives in a great big box. Who cares what’s inside, the big questions is: what shall we make with the box? Over to Big this time, who straightaway said, ‘Let’s turn it into a Story Box’. Her inspiration came from the character Pinky Dinky Doo (attention: this link is noisy!) who has her own cardboard story box where she draws pictures which come to life to tell her stories.
I think this is a wonderful idea to get children creating stories of their own, developing language skills as they play with characters and settings. It’s also good to use drawing in a different way – on the walls and roof of your house. And writing on a vertical (or even overhead) surface is very effective in developing wrist strength and pencil grip, getting ready for writing.
To make your own story tent you will need:
a big box – ours is big enough for both girls to fit in to together and sit upright comfortably. (If you’re not expecting any deliveries of your own, your local removal company or white goods store are places you might source a big box.)
a craft knife – to cut out some windows to let light into the box so you can see what you’re drawing. And apparently, rectangular windows are boring, so you might like our star-shaped ones.
felt pens – to get drawing and telling stories with. Whatever you like – let your imagination go free! And you can come back again and again to add more characters and make the next installment of your adventure, until every surface of your story box is full.
You might like to add in some cushions and a blanket to make your story box as comfortable as can be.
My girls are really enjoying this play den – inside together, in their own space, lying on their backs, collaborating over a story as they draw it out on the ceiling. Why not give it a try with your children? I’d love to hear what stories they come up with.
Any if you’re looking for other ways to use a cardboard box you might like our play house or ride-on train too.
Love it! How sweet that they can both fit in. And how nice to have somewhere super cozy to relax in whilst reading/ hearing a lovely story!Red Ted has a “make shift” tent (blanked and Pip Squeak’s jingly jangly frame thingy). Happy Memories!!! 🙂
I remember large boxes were always really exciting to me as a child – they have such a wealth of possibilities, they can become houses, castles, cars or trains…. A story box is another marvellous idea for them.
With all the things we’ve used boxes for, the boys have never done a story box. Will have to remember this idea for next time we have a big box (our boxes are usually trains or cars or forts!)
What I especially like about this story box is how the girls keep going back to it to add more pictures as they get new story ideas. It’s always good to get a really big box which they can both fit in together. No grown-ups allowed though!
What a great way to take box play that one step further in terms of the learning (whilst playing!) potential. Love your girls working side by side together.