Cardboard Crafts for Kids // Box Satchel

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Cardboard crafts for kids are so fun! These little satchels are made from old cracker boxes. Read on for a simple and satisfying DIY project!

cardboard crafts for kids

Every adventurer needs a satchel to carry their findings! Make this simple and colorful box satchel for your kiddos’ adventures.

This cardboard craft for kids is not only a fun project to make, but it’s a fun project to use after you create it! It will inspire lots of creative play and prove to be a functional item that your child can be proud of.

Why You Should do Cardboard Crafts with Your Child

There are so many benefits to introducing your kiddos to the world of cardboard crafting.

Learn about Upcycling and Reusing. Not only is it a chance to be crafty, but making cardboard crafts with kids is a great way to teach about our resources and how to care for them. When we use the materials that we already have (like an old box), we give them new life and new purpose.

Endless Creativity. Cardboard is basically a blank canvas for your child’s creativity to shine! Take this tutorial and let your child run with it. Maybe they want to include stickers, sequins, glue, pipe cleaners — let them take the creative lead.

Low Budget, High Reward. Crafting with recycled cardboard couldn’t be any more budget-friendly! I bet you have everything you need for this project in your home already. And when you turn an old cardboard box into something new and beautiful, it’s so rewarding to see the fruits of your work.

Don’t Miss These Extended Kid Craft Ideas!

While you’re checking out these cardboard satchels, be sure to pin or bookmark some of our other most popular kids’ craft and activity ideas as well!

cardboard crafts for kids

Things To Love About These Box Satchels

I always say that I love creating DIY tutorials that are not only fun, but also functional. And this one is no different!

I love these box satchels because they can actually serve a purpose for your kids! After we made ours, my children used them in a number of ways.

They came with us on nature walks, to collect rocks and flowers.

The box satchels acted as purses when they wanted to bring along some trinkets from home on our outings.

They even acted as doll beds for small stuffed animals and action figures.

Once you create a kids’ cardboard craft like this one, I think you’ll see their imaginations start to work overtime, working out all of the different ways it can be used.

My Favorite Kid-Friendly Tool for Making Cardboard Crafts

There’s one tool that I always recommend when making cardboard crafts for kids, or just crafting with kids in general. It’s one that not everybody has heard of, but comes in totally clutch.

My favorite kid-friendly crafting tool is, hands down, a low temperature glue gun!

The beauty of this tool is that it works just as well as a high temperature glue gun in that it melts glue sticks in order to help adhere parts of your craft. But it doesn’t get nearly as hot on the outside, making it more safe for little hands to help use and operate the tool.

I’ve given myself many a glue gun burn, and if you’ve experienced that, you know it’s painful! This particular tool that I’ve linked here runs about 75 degrees cooler than a standard glue gun. It works with cool glue sticks.

It also is a perfect size for smaller hands, so that little kids can learn to safely handle a glue gun properly.

Materials You’ll Need to Make Box Satchels

You won’t need many supplies to make this cardboard craft, so let’s see what’s on our list!

cardboard crafts for kids

How to Make This Cardboard Craft for Kids

  1. First, paint an empty cracker or cereal box with fun colors or patterns. Seal any open box ends with glue.
  2. Next, turn the box on its side. Slice open 3 edges of one of the long thin sides, creating a satchel with an open top flap.
  3. Punch holes in the top of each side of the satchel. String a braid of yarn or some trim through the holes and tie. This is the strap of your satchel. (This is a great opportunity to teach young ones the concept of braiding!)
  4. Punch a hole in the top flap. Tie a loop of yarn or a pipe cleaner through this hole.
  5. Finally, glue a button on the front of the satchel. To close the satchel, put the loop around the button. Wear it on all your adventures!
how to make box satchels
how to make box satchels

More Craft ideas for Kids

I hope you love this sweet and easy cardboard craft for kids! It’s a perfect project for summer, a rainy day, or when you’re out of things to do.

If you try it, I’d love to know what you think and see your results! Share with us on Instagram at @lovelyindeed, and rate our DIY below. xoxo

cardboard crafts for kids
cardboard crafts for kids

Cardboard Crafts for Kids // Box Satchel

Yield: Box Satchels
Active Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour
Difficulty: Easy
Estimated Cost: $3

Making cardboard crafts for kids is so fun! Try these box satchels, made from empty cracker or cereal boxes.

Materials

  • Empty cardboard boxes (cracker boxes work well!)
  • Craft paint
  • Buttons
  • Yarn

Tools

  • Scissors
  • Paint brushes
  • Hole punch

Instructions

    1. Paint an empty cracker or cereal box with fun colors or patterns. Seal any open box ends with glue.
    2. Turn the box on its side. Slice open 3 edges of one of the long thin sides, creating a satchel with an open top flap.
    3. Punch holes in the top of each side of the satchel. String a braid of yarn or some trim through the holes and tie. This is the strap of your satchel.
    4. Punch a hole in the top flap. Tie a loop of yarn or a pipe cleaner through this hole.
    5. Glue a button on the front of the satchel. To close the satchel, put the loop around the button. Wear it on all your adventures!

Notes

I always say that I love creating DIY tutorials that are not only fun, but also functional. And this one is no different!

I love these box satchels because they can actually serve a purpose for your kids! After we made ours, my children used them in a number of ways.

They came with us on nature walks, to collect rocks and flowers.

The box satchels acted as purses when they wanted to bring along some trinkets from home on our outings.

They even acted as doll beds for small stuffed animals and action figures.

Once you create a kids' cardboard craft like this one, I think you'll see their imaginations start to work overtime, working out all of the different ways it can be used.

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8 Comments

  1. Hey, I could use some of those boxes to store small things myself! Clean up some of the messy shelves I have. ?

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