Saturday 18 August 2012

Craft - making a campervan from a shoebox

I love making Harry toys out of cardboard boxes. We've made lots of things - a car wash, a bus, a car house...and as he gets older he has just as much fun helping to make them as he does playing with them. I have very fond memories of the Playmobil campervan we had when I was little, and so I thought I'd have a go at making a simple camper van for Harry to play with.

How to make a camper van from a shoebox using Rolobox wheels

I used an old shoebox, and it is the right size for his Happyland figures. I cut the lid off so it was removable and made a door in each side.

How to make a camper van from a shoebox using Rolobox wheels

We painted it pink (Harry's choice) and I used cream card to make the shaped bit at the front. The windows are light blue card. For the distinctive Volkswagen camper van logo I printed one out that I found on Google Images. For the wheels I used our Rolobox Wheel Kit For Boxes (affiliate link) which are brilliant, we've used them to make lots of different things. They are simple plastic wheels which screw into the cardboard, they also come with a pull cord. Otherwise you could just make the wheels out of cardboard.


How to make a camper van from a shoebox using Rolobox wheels

Unfortunately the lid for the roof didn't really work as it was a hinged lid. A box with a removable lid would have worked better. I stuck the windows to the roof so that when it is in place you can see the windows, otherwise the box is too shallow for them to fit.

How to make a camper van from a shoebox using Rolobox wheels

I (sorry, we) had a lot of fun decorating the inside. I used little cardboard boxes to make a bed and a sofa, then we stuck a photograph of a television onto a small box and made a fruit bowl and table with bottle lids. We cut out pictures and a mirror from a catalogue to decorate the inside walls.

How to make a camper van from a shoebox using Rolobox wheels

We've also used these fab Rolobox wheels to make a double decker bus. If you have a toddler obsessed with campervans you can find lots of campervan crafts, activities and resources over on my other blog!

5 comments:

  1. I remember doing things like this with my Mum when I was little! She used to be very crafty and loved to make things (she made a lot of my favourite dresses back in the day) and come the weekend we always had the scissors, glue, fabric offcuts, paint, paper, glitter, colouring books and Fuzzy Felt all over the dining room table.

    Those days were fun. I think children today really miss out, especially the ones with parents who are too busy watching train-wreck TV to engage with their children and teach them new skills.

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    Replies
    1. My Mum was always making things with us too! I also have very happy memories.

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  2. Oh my goodness, so cute. Love how you have the inside kitted out too!

    Thank you for sharing on Kids Get Crafty!

    Maggy

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  3. You don't show how to make a tractor out of a shoebox

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