Not a Box!

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Anyone who is around children (or cats) knows that a box is not just a box but a tool to excite the imagination. Cardboard (boxes of all kinds, toilet/paper towel tubes) is usually free and plentiful which is a big plus for a programmer on a budget.

Jane Yolen's latest book What to Do with a Box reminded me of the wonders of a simple box. It transform into a library, a palace,  a nook, a car...

Now I need to plan a program. Here are some favorite uses of a cardboard. Please add your faves in the comments!

• Drive- in Movies (ALSC) -Make a car and then watch a movie! I remember seeing a library pair the program with a stuffed animal sleepover. The kids dropped off their stuffed animals. The next morning everyone returned to pick up their animals, make a car,  and watch a slideshow of the animals library adventures together in their brand new cars. I'm not able to find the source! If you know, please post in the comments.
• Angry Birds (Show Me Librarian) -  Still popular and boxes make great structures to throw angry birds at! I'm still recovering from the one I did but the kids had a great time.
• Cardboard Challenge from Colleen Crowley of the Chippewa Falls Public Library - The event was inspired by Caine's Arcade. Every September the Imagination Foundation encourages communities to host an event that uses cardboard to inspire the imagination.
• 50 DIY Toilet Paper Roll Crafts You Need to See! (Crafting a Green World)