How to make a kitchen from a cardboard box

Yesterday I spent the afternoon, building a kitchen... for my kids... from a cardboard box.

I found my inspiration on the Disney Family Fun site. and made a few adjustments.

Their plan is for a double unit, one part stove, one part cupbard & sink, but I wanted it to fit into my kids' plastic outdoor house.  The house could only fit one box, so I combined the sink and stove units and sacrificed some cupboard space.

Materials:

large cardboard box  (I used an old moving box left behind after our kids' stuff swap.)

colored tape  (I couldn't find any colored packing tape, so I got the kind they use for electric cables)

craft knife (I put too much strain on my splice precision knife, -my fault, I still recommend the knife,- and found that a sharp scissors, and kitchen knife can also work if neccessary)

rimmed bowl (I try to avoid going out to buy MORE stuff, so I used an extra one from my kitchen)

soap dispensor pump (apologies to my sister Shiri who has no dispensor for her soap now)

plastic caps (I used ones without holes)

nail & hammer

screws & plugs (honestly, I didnt even use the plugs in the end, as the screws were stuck into the thick cardboard, but depending the thickness of your box, perhaps have them in case)

stay-tab from top of soda can (do you have a better name for it?)

CD's

permanent marker

Instructions:

1. turn cardboard box upside down

2. outline rimmed bowl on the top of the box, where you'd like your sink to be, and then use a craft knife to cut a circle about 1cm smaller than the bowl's diameter, then place your bowl inside. Consider using glue or tape to keep it in place.

3. make a small hole for a faucet and place the soap dispensor pump inside

4. draw a rectangle for the oven and use craft knife to cut out the top and sides of the oven.

5. use permanent marker to appropriately decorate the stove burners and stick them onto stovetop with superglue or glue gun.  I also put a piece of red tape under each of the burners, which gives the impression of a 'hot working stove'.

6. make holes in the caps, insert the screws and then push them into the box to make the knobs

7. use colored tape over hard jagged edges and for decor.

8. attach a stay-tab or alternative to just above the oven door with a screw to keep the oven door closed.

(Warning: after looking for a picture of a stay-tab, I saw several warnings regarding how they are choking hazards, if there will be small children playing with this kitchen, I would suggest using something else to close the oven, eg. a rectangular lid, that can swivel from horizontal to vertical thereby keeping the oven closed)

Enjoy making your own!