How to Make a House a Using Box

Playhouses for children can cost from hundreds to thousands of dollars, depending on the materials and design used in the construction. One unfortunate fact of childhood is that children quickly outgrow their toys and belongings, rendering expensive toys virtually useless except as resale items. Children are just as happy playing house in a cardboard box playhouse as they are playing in one made of plastic. Make a house from a major appliance box in about an hour.

• 1

  Find a box from a large appliance, such as an oven, dishwasher, washing machine or dryer. Cut the flaps from the open end of the box with with scissors or a box cutter. Cut refrigerator boxes in half to shorten them. If you do not have a very large box, ask a local appliance retailer to save an appliance box for you to pick up.

• 2

  Place the box with the open end down. Choose a side to be the front of the playhouse.

• 3

  Measure the height of the child who will be using the playhouse and add 2 inches to this measurement. This will be the the door height. Measure the width of the child and add 5 inches to this measurement. This will be width of the door.

• 4

  Use the measurements from Step 3 to draw a rectangular door onto the center, front of the box. Start at the bottom (cut end) of the box, and use a yardstick or other straight edge as a guide.

• 5

  Move to the right side of the box. Measure and draw a rectangle or square half the height and width of the door. Repeat for the left side of the box. These are windows.

• 6

  Cut a capital I in the center of the windows, so the child can bend the flaps back like shutters and open and close the windows.

• 7

  Cut out the door along the top and right side of the door. You may completely cut out the rectangle if desired, but leaving the left side of the rectangle intact will allow the door to open and close.

• 8

  Make a door knob by measuring half-way up the right side of the door and 2 inches inside the door's edge. Poke the screw of a small knob (a cabinet- or drawer-size knob) through the cardboard of the door. Secure the nut to the knob screw on the other side of the door. You can also cut a 2-inch diameter hole through the cardboard instead of making a door knob.

• 9

  Make a mailbox by measuring and cutting a 9-inch long by 2-inch high rectangle. Place the mailbox on the front of the box at a comfortable height for the child who will use the playhouse.

• 10

  Decorate the house with acrylic or tempera paints if desired. Allow your child to particpate in the decorating process and allow him to make decorating decisions for his playhouse.