Home » Parenting & Kids

How to Build a Cardboard Castle

Ranked #553 in Parenting & Kids, #17,460 overall

Building a giant castle in your backyard is great for birthday parties or anytime you want to turn a weekend into magical childhood memories. And it's so much easier and less expensive than you ever imagined. With Mr. McGroovy's Box Rivets and castle plans, it's easy to build a backyard cardboard castle playhouse.

Get More Information Online

Visit Mr. McGroovy's online for more detailed information and to get plans to build your cardboard castle.
Mr. McGroovy's cardboard castle plans
Get creative plans for building a cardboard castle out of refrigerator boxes. These plans have lots of illustrations and show step-by-step how easy it is to build a cardboard castle.
Where to buy Box Rivets
With Mr. McGroovy's Box Rivets you will remember this day for the fun - not the frustration - of building your castle.
Where to get FREE cardboard boxes
Great tips for easily getting FREE cardboard boxes for this project.
Options for decorating your castle
Detailed information on how to decorate your cardboard castle.
Build magical memories!
Discover the importance of play to childhood development.

1. Get Mr. McGroovy's Easy Plans

Mr. McGroovy's plans illustrate step-by-step how to build a cardboard castle.

*Visit the link above to get plans*

2. Box Rivets are Brilliant!

Simple, yet ingenious.

Mr. McGroovy's Box Rivets are inexpensive plastic fasteners that expand your creative potential when building with cardboard. Box rivets make building with cardboard a *snap*.

Featuring:

Large diameter head - so rivets won't pull through the cardboard and your projects stays together and lasts longer.

Ratchet Action - Rivets snap together easily but won't come apart.

Top 5 Reasons Rivets are Better than Duct Tape

  1. Easier to Use - big projects go together in a snap
  2. Stronger - projects stay together and last longer
  3. Faster - more time for creativity and enjoying your project
  4. More versatile - build with cardboard in new ways
  5. Reusable - construct a new project every week

3. Collect FREE Cardboard Boxes

Call your local appliance store. The best stores give away boxes on a daily basis, so don't be afraid to ask. It helps them to get young families into the store - and young families buy appliances.

Take your own utility knife so you can cut down refrigerator boxes as shown and they will more easily fit into your vehicle. Mr. McGroovy's castle plans assume each box will be in this configuration (i.e. top and bottom flaps cut off).

Places to Get Free Boxes

All boxes do not have to be the same size. Washer/dryer boxes work as well as refrigerator boxes. Mr. McGroovy's cardboard castle plans can easily be adapted to accommodate any number of or size boxes, or any space constraints.
  1. Local appliance store (avoid chain stores)
  2. Furniture store
  3. Bicycle shop
  4. Cabinet dealer
  5. Building contractor

4. Putting It All Together

Using Mr. McGroovy's Box Rivets and castle plans, your cardboard castle can be assembled in under two hours, from start to finish.

5. Decorate Your Castle

There are lots of options for decorating your castle. Castles that are totally decked out with decoration may have a little more "WOW" factor during the first impression, but ultimately it makes little difference to the enjoyment that children will get out of playing in the castle.

The important thing is to find a balance between meeting your own expectations for how you want to the castle to look, and finding a method that doesn't take more time than you want to invest.

Visit Mr. McGroovy's for more information on decorating your castle. See the link above.

6. Building Magical Memories

The Importance of Play

Great PLAY makes great LEARNING.

There is an extensive body of research that shows play is critical to childhood development, and becomes even more meaningful when adults participate.

YOU are your child's favorite teacher & playmate!

Your child will have a great time, you will have a great time, and having a great time together will nurture your feelings of closeness.

by

Mr_McGroovy

"Mr. McGroovy" was the nickname given to me by some fifth grade students my first year teaching elementary art in 1995. I taught elementary art from 1... more »

Feeling creative? Create a Lens!

Explore related pages

Related Tags