I've always had a fascination for those lit-up miniature ceramic villages that you see in the stores. So Of course I have a couple of sets and every Christmas and Halloween I faithfully set them up, adding a few new pieces now and then. Sometimes I had to replace a few buildings as they are not very child friendly to a toddler who also has a fascination for them. This prompted us to build another set out of milk cartons, cereal boxes, cracker boxes, and a variety of large or small cardboard boxes, which make wonderful toy houses and buildings. This craft and activity can make for endless hours of play and can be an ongoing project or hobby.
Wrap the boxes with paper bags, construction paper or used gift wrap, or with textural materials such as aluminum foil and popsicle sticks, or anything else you might have scraps of. Doors and windows can be drawn on, or partially cut to make flaps that can be open and closed. (Always make sure that cutting activites are supervised and the tools are age and skill appropriate.) Other building features can also be drawn on, or made separately to be glued on to give a 3-D effect. Depending on your and your child's imagination, skill level and material availability, your buildings can be as simple or elaborate as you want them to be.
Next, introduce your child to the world of city planners and landscape architechts by drawing streets on a large sheet of paper and placing the buildings on it. If it's appropriate, install a string of miniature Christmas lights inside the boxes. Add some toy cars and people, and your child has his or her very own miniature toy village. That is until a giant purple Barney (Godzilla) comes along to stomp on it all!
Here's a few suggestions for building and landscape features made out of some household materials (or you can visit your local model/craft store for supplies if your child shows a real interest):
Shrubs: shaped cotton balls dyed or painted green
Trees: sticks or popsicle sticks stuck in playdough with stretched out green painted cotton balls
Grass: green felt, paint, green construction paper
streetlights: cotton Q-Tips stuck in playdough
Rocks: real pebbles or playdough
Cartoon style stickers of flowers and animals.
door knobs: glued on pierced earring backers.
window glass: wax paper taped or glued inside box over cut opening.
Chimney smoke: cotton balls
