Robot crafts are always fun for kids.
There is no right or wrong way to create a robot. They can come in all kinds of shapes, colors, and sizes…
The possibilities are as endless as your child’s imagination.
Which is why making an oversized cardboard box robot is a fun recycled craft for kids of all ages to do at home or with friends at camp.
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Making cardboard robots is not only fun, it’s also a great way to recycle those packing boxes.
Our church VBS made these big box robots to use as robot decorations for Fun Maker Factory. The robots were super creative and so much fun to look at.
Once they are finished they are fun for pretend play, too. Your child will also love this DIY Cardboard Box Castle.
Cardboard Box Robot
If you’re making oversized robots, you will want plenty of materials for the kids to experiment with and use in their crafting.
The good news is most of the items you need can be found in the recyclables or at the dollar store.
I suggest having the following items:
- Cardboard Boxes of Various Sizes
- Paper or Plastic Cups
- Empty Egg Cartons
- Cardboard Tubes
- Paper Plates and/or Bowls
- Dryer Ventilation Hose
- Aluminum Foil
- Plastic Bottle Caps
- Pipe Cleaners (chenille craft sticks)
- Duct Tape
- Hot Glue Gun
- Scissors
- Silver Spray Paint
- Acrylic Paints/Brushes
How to Make a Robot out of Cardboard Boxes
Start by stacking 2-3 boxes to form the body of your robot.
Experiment with how you stack them until you find a shape you like.
You might choose to put the largest box on the bottom (like the robot below).
Or you might use two smaller boxes on the bottom to form legs.
Move the boxes around until you are happy with how it looks. Then use your hot glue gun to secure them together.
To give your robot a metallic look, spray the boxes with silver spray paint.
Next, add details to the robot.
Buttons are always a fun accessory for this cardboard box robot craft.
Plastic lids make great buttons. Or, try adding the bottom section of an empty egg carton to form rows of buttons, like the robot in the picture below.
Ventilation hose can create realistic looking robot arms and legs.
Cut pieces to the desired length to attach to your box robots. Use duct tape to secure them to the robot to create wiggly arms and legs.
Paper plates and bowls, cardboard tubes, and other small boxes can also be used to add fun details to your robots.
Once you have all the pieces glued together, you can use acrylic paint to give your robots a touch of color. Colored duct tape is also a fun way to add details.
Making a robot out of boxes is lots of fun for kids.
Each one turns out so differently. You may just find that you just can’t stop with just one robot.
Once the crafting is finished, this large robot craft can be used for hours of pretend play.
Robots out of cardboard boxes also make fun decorations for a robot party.
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Originally published May 27, 2018.
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