{DIY} Toy Garage

1 August 2013

Recently we have progressed from chunky toy cars of the kind that babies play with, to small matchbox cars of the kind that little boys play with, and that seem to multiply like rabbits when you’re not looking. We already had a car play mat, with roads and parking lots, but what all those little cars were really calling out for was a toy garage. Somewhat reluctant to spend money on some plastic monstrosity that would just end up cluttering up the nursery when no longer flavour of the month (and even a wooden one would be no space saver), everyone’s favourite playmate – the good old cardboard box – came to the rescue.

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So, last night the boy and I set about transforming these two cardboard boxes and cardboard tube, into a multi-storey garage for his beloved card collection. Well, when I say ‘we’, his role mostly consisted of excitedly pointing at what he wanted me to do and where, and shouting “Schneller, Mama, schneller!”

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Just a couple of tools were needed to help with the transformation:

  • a pair of scissors
  • a thick black marker
  • some sticky tape
  • a glue stick
  • and a glue gun

(also some brown and white paper and a purple pen, not pictured)

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I cut out a door from the side of the smaller box and two doors from the bigger one – to give the lower box a bit more stability, I thought it was better not to cut out the whole side but to leave a strip in the middle for extra support. I know it’s not going to last forever, but it would be nice if it didn’t collapse at first play.

I cut the cardboard tube in half and attached it with sticky tape to the side, thus making a ramp leading up to the top deck. We then stuck some brown paper on top of the large box to cover up the sticky tape and the labels that had been on the box, and the same with white paper on top of the smaller box. The final step in the assembly, was to stick the small box on to the large box with the help of the glue gun.

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I then asked the boy what we should draw on to the garage. He wanted some parking spaces and a road. And a helipad. I actually had some crayons out for him to help with the drawing and decorating, but he just wanted me to do it and was very bossy in directing me what to draw where!

The boy was so delighted with his new garage, he didn’t want to finish his dinner or go to bed, so that he could play with it. And he now thinks his Mama is some kind of genius. Mission accomplished!

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