The Cardboard Castle That Saved Summer Break

Like most moms of young kids, I’ve developed a sixth sense for what will keep my children entertained and what will end in a mess and a meltdown 90 seconds later. And since the early days of COVID, I’ve found myself gravitating toward projects that are low-lift, low-cost, and ideally make use of what we already have around the house. Bonus points if I get to repurpose something destined for the trash.

I’m a part-time stay-at-home mom of three, full-time creative schemer, and I’m here to tell you that your recycling bin might just be your most underrated craft store.

These three no/low-cost projects are screen-free, kid-approved—and best of all—actually engaging for more than a couple of minutes. They’re easy enough to pull together with things you likely already have, and they offer open-ended creative play that grows with your kids. Plus, they look pretty cute left out.

1. The Fairy Castle That Started It All

My husband was about to flatten a pile of Amazon boxes for the recycling bin when I stopped him mid-squish.

Instead, I grabbed a mix of sizes, taped back the flaps (busted out the packing tape here), and Frankensteined them together into a multi-room “house.” That night, I left a little note for my kids, “from the fairies,” asking if they could decorate the new home for their tiny magical friends.

Cue the morning magic.

I laid out tape, scissors, stamps, construction paper, and assisted with a few origami suggestions (every fairy needs a Noguchi-style lantern, obviously). My kids dove in. They wallpapered. They furnished. They fought over zoning regulations (architect father rubbing off?). The house took on a life of its own.

The best part? It didn’t end there.

Every couple of days, I leave a new note from the fairies (I make it cute in Canva, but handwritten works just as well) with requests like:

“Our cousin is visiting! Could we get a new room?”

“Can you build us a garden for our puppies?”

Here is a link to my templates for maximum ease.

It has become a low-effort activity I could prep after they went to bed to keep the play going and stretch their imagination. The house now has a restaurant, multiple gardens, and a not-to-code roof slide, but the pride they have in it is unmatched.

2. Paper Sculptures (a.k.a. DIY Roller Coaster Park)

This is one of those crafts that doesn’t have an end point and that’s exactly why I love it.

All you need is construction paper, scissors, tape, and a base (like a piece of cardboard or a cereal box). Cut the paper into strips of different lengths, widths, and shapes. Then tape each end down to the cardboard to make loops, twists, ramps, and folds—a.k.a. like you're building loads of roller coasters.

Encourage your kids to mix colors, layer shapes, and experiment with different paper lengths and directions. We’ve done fan folds, spirals, zigzags, even a rainbow tunnel situation. Every direction they go in leads to something fun (and mildly architectural, if I may say so).

3. Paper Weaving (Surprisingly Soothing for Everyone)

This hits that sweet spot between mindless and mesmerizing: easy enough for kids to do solo, but fun enough that you’ll want to join in.

Start with a piece of paper and fold it hamburger-style (along the short-edge of the paper). Cut slits from the folded edge up toward the open edge, stopping about three-quarters of the way down. Unfold your paper—this is your “loom.” Then, cut contrasting strips of paper and weave them through, alternating over-under and under-over.

Once your kids get the hang of it, they can start cutting the loom into wavy or zigzag patterns for optical illusions. We used leftover paper from an old airplane kit and random drawings, and the pattern mixing was *chef’s kiss.*

If you want to get fancy, Majo Ideas has an art kit we were gifted with more complex weaving patterns that totally leveled us up. But truly, all you need is paper and scissors.

Final Thoughts

None of these crafts are groundbreaking. They’re not Pinterest-perfect. But they work, and I enjoy participating as well. They’ve helped us reuse what we have, stretch our creativity, and create little pockets of joy on otherwise chaotic days.

And honestly? The fairy house might still be the most loved “toy” in our entire home—and it was literally made of trash.

Made a fairy house? Turned your recycling into a roller coaster? I need to see it. Tag me @itsmommysalami or follow along for more crafty chaos and low-effort magic