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Cardboard Box Trains

Choo, choo! All aboard! Kids will love playing in this cardboard box train. With a hat and train whistle, it makes an adorable conductor costume.

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rustic train birthday party cardboard train wearable

Photography: Jena Carlin Creative

Source: Martha Stewart

Introduction

This project comes from Jena Carlin who made them for her son's train-themed birthday party.  

 

For more ideas, scroll through our entire collection of kids' birthday party ideas.

materials

  • Flat-bottomed cardboard box

  • Wrapping paper

  • Paper plate

  • Packaging tape

  • Craft paint in black and white (Pictured: Martha Stewart Family Friendly Multi-Surface Satin Acrylic Craft Paint, in Black Belt and Snowball, $9.39 for 8 oz., michaels.com.)

  • Metallic craft paint (Pictured: Martha Stewart Family Friendly Multi-Surface Metallic Acrylic Craft Paint, in Royal Gold, $3.19 for 2 oz., michaels.com.)

  • Paintbrush

  • Box cutter

  • Scissors

steps

  1. Use box cutter to remove top flaps from the box. With cardboard cutouts, carve out shapes for the train parts such as a chimney, outside cylinders, and front-facing grate.

  2. Paint cardboard cutouts and the back of a paper plate with all three colors as shown; set aside to dry.

  3. Flip the box upside down so that the flat bottom is facing upright. Carve a circle big enough for your child's waist to fit through the center.

  4. Cover the box with wrapping paper entirely, using scissors and tape. (Note: In this step, the hole will also be covered. To uncover the hole: Slice an "X" into the wrapping paper; make relief cuts, and tape back the paper.)

  5. Attach the painted cardboard parts to the box with tape. (Tip: For the chimney, carve an incision on top of the box between the waist hole and the box front. Insert the chimney into the slot and tape it further if it's too loose to hold up on its own.)

  6. When ready for play: a child can step into the carved hole, pull the box up around his or her waist, and play-pretend as a train conductor.

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