This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
My biggest priority in life is to raise our kids to be the kinds of kids that we want to hang out with as adults. That can only happen by spending time with them… teaching them, guiding them, talking to them. In order to make that happen, we plan fun things to do at home, as a family. We try to think of things that the kids can get involved in and things that let us spend time together.
We’ve been playing four square, jacks, and many other games that we used to play as kids. Today, however, it’s been rainy, which meant that we had to find an indoor activity.
It was the perfect day to make cardboard cars!
I first wrote this post years ago, but I wanted to reshare it today because it is such a fun & easy activity! Every day is the perfect day to host your own “drive-in movie.” It’s a family activity in our house. The kids help Mickey make cars out of boxes while I help them decorate the cars & bake cookies or make popcorn for the movie.
How do you make cars out of cardboard boxes?
1- To make the cars out of cardboard, first, you’ll want to “design” your car.
We let each of the kids draw their design on paper and then try to figure out where/how the car needed to be cut in order to look like their design. You don’t really have to cut the box at all if that’s the way that your child designs their car.
2. Cut the car to fit the design.
You may also want to create a windshield.
3- Using a paper plate and a clip of some sort, attach the plate to the box to use as a steering wheel.
HINT: Tape the clips down on inside so the clips won’t scratch their skin.
4. Make wheels out of paper plates (you may want to paint it black if you don’t have any black plates).
5. Design & Enjoy!
You can then let your kids have fun painting it, drawing on it, or decorating it however they choose.
When the kids were done with their boxes, they took them out to our screened-in porch to watch a movie in the rain. We have a TV out there, so we were all set.
Of course, no movie is complete without popcorn… 🙂
We all had a blast. It’s always nice to make memories like this… These pictures are from the first time that we made our “Drive-In” on the back porch, several years ago. Look at how little they were!!
The kids loved eating in their cars & watching the movie. They even put a pillow behind their backs for some extra comfort.
We even used this opportunity to tell them about the drive-in theater that was near our house when we were younger.
These cars gave them hours & days of playtime! Our younger kids pretended to be moms & dads driving their kids around. Hmmm… Sounds familiar!
Have fun creating your OWN memories. I highly recommend doing a drive-in movie in your backyard, on your porch or in your living room. It’s a fun activity and the kids will definitely remember it and ask to do it again.
Make memories while you can… this time goes by too fast. If it’s nice outside, head outside to create a stained-glass sidewalk chalk design.
