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Build a Cardboard City

A companion sheet — print it, scribble on it, keep it or recycle it

Voleio

What we're doing

A week-long build: houses, roads, a park and a plan.

  • About 150 minutes
  • Art
  • Project

Gather these

  • Cardboard boxes
  • Tape
  • Paint
  • Scissors

Step by step

  • List everything a town needs.
  • Draw a plan on a big sheet of card.
  • Build the buildings from boxes.
  • Add roads, signs and green space.

Worth talking about

Town planning
3D shape
Community and services
VOLEIOBuild a Cardboard CityPage 1 of 3

Record what happened

There's no wrong way to fill this in

Voleio

What we did

Write, list or draw — whatever suits today.

Skills we touched on

SkillHow it showed up

Reflect together

What surprised you about build a cardboard city?
What was the easiest part? What was the fiddliest?
What would you change if you did it again tomorrow?
VOLEIOBuild a Cardboard CityPage 2 of 3

Take it further

Three doors out of the same activity

Voleio

If it felt tricky

Build three buildings and a road.

If it felt easy

Add a scale, a population and a transport plan.

If you'd rather do it differently

Build it outside in mud, sand or snow.

Next time, we could

  • Try it outdoors
  • Invite a friend or sibling
  • Stretch it over a whole week

Our own ideas