Growing your own 'useful box'

If, like me, you were a watcher of Playschool, you’ll probably remember the ‘useful box’.

The beloved television show often featured a box that seemed to be a treasure trove of possibility. Stashed within an unpretentious cane crate was an array of seemingly random household junk, the oddest bits and bobs - yet a cheery presenter could reach in, rummage about, and pull out some magic. Two toilet rolls might become binoculars; a couple of tissue boxes might transform into fancy slippers; old tin cans could be stacked in the shape of a wobbly robot.

Even today young viewers watch with wonder as random scrap items - from pinecones to rags, icypole sticks to balls of wool - morph into fun creations, ready to spark some imaginative play. This type of creativity can seem magic to children.

Now, when convenience is ‘apparently’ paramount, we can purchase ‘ready-made’ kids craft sets from retailers. For me these sets have limitations, and often they’ll contain items that are quite prescriptive and have one defined purpose (eg. googly eyes). Sometimes they lead children toward creative ideas that are more formulaic and less open-ended.

While any craft kit can be fun, I’ve always found it quite satisfying to gradually build your family’s very own ‘useful box’ organically, collecting objects that you come across. In this way you gather contents that respond to things your children like and match the skills they’re developing.

Begin with a box: a recycled cardboard shoebox or a plastic tub, whatever suits the space it will be stored in. Below are some ideas to help you fill it.

Collect things to create with:

• paper to draw on, various sizes, recycled is fine (little notepads are usually a hit too)

• age-appropriate drawing materials - pastels, pencils, textas

• dot stickers

• old greeting cards & wrapping paper

• glue stick

Collect things to construct with:

• masking tape

• scraps of string, ribbon or wool

• cardboard tubes, toilet rolls or kitchen wrap

• pipe cleaners

• paper bags

• small cardboard boxes

• disposable cutlery

• flat plastic lids (can be used as a base, a palette or a template for drawing shapes)

Collect things while out & about:

• feathers, seedpods, bark, sticks, pebbles, leaves

Things I avoid:

• glitter - I’m not a fan since learning it’s a microplastic that washes off hands and clothes into drains and then the ocean. For further details see my 2019 blog post Why glitter has lost its sparkle

• pompoms - their surface makes them tricky to attach to anything without using PVA or hot glue

• googly eyes - why use prescriptive plastic when kids can draw such cute ones on their own

You’ll probably be amazed with the ideas that are sparked by a random collection of materials. Start gathering your ‘useful’ bits’n’bobs and let the kids have fun!