Another simple but very effective toy for children of all ages. Start by collecting old boxes in a variety of sizes - I used biscuit boxes, tissue boxes, and cereal boxes. One of the benefits is that they allow children to build really high towers and constructions but cause less damage than wooden blocks when they fall down, they are super cheap to make and older children can be part of the process. These blocks may be useful for siblings especially when the older child loves building and the younger loves knocking them down. I tested them out with our 11 month old and he was easily able to pick them up.
Fill the boxes with newspaper, this helps give them a bit of weight and increases their stability. Empty boxes seem to crush too easily.
Cut out contact to cover the ends and middle of the box. Contact can be a challenge to work with , you can use paper if you'd like but children may tear it off. Don't worry about bubbles in the contact. I found one contact which had sparkles in it and another one which had a furry texture which added another sensory element to the blocks.
Place the contact over each end making a cut on the corners so you can wrap it around.
Then cover the middle with one large piece and your block are ready for use.
Be careful using food boxes with children who have allergies, ensure they do not contain allergens - many cereals contain traces of nuts.
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