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How to Make Box Robots: Kids’ Cardboard Box Craft Project

Space ships not included...

Our book Out of the Box is packed full of fun kids’ crafts ideas made using recycled cardboard, with projects to spark creativity and imagination. Learn how to make these cardboard box robots, and take a crafty trip into the future! Watch the video to see the project from start to finish, or follow the step-by-step instructions below.

Watch the video above to see the project in full.

How to make cardboard box robots

To make this fantastic robot costume, you’ll need a big box for the robot’s body, a square box for its head, and two smaller boxes for its hands. Make sure the boxes are big enough for you to wear. You’ll be using cardboard circles and cups to add the robot’s ears and eyes.

You will need:

ruler
paper cups
scissors
large plate
paintbrushes
strong tape
pencils
paints
cardboard boxes

1.

Place the square box over your head and mark the positions of your eyes. Then remove the box and draw around the dots. Cut this shape out to make a slot for you to see through.

© iStockphoto.com/LeonU

2.

To create the ears, trace around a large plate on a piece of card. Mark the centre of the circle with a cross, then cut the circle out.

© iStockphoto.com/LeonU

3.

Cut along one arm of the cross from the outside of the circle to the centre.

© iStockphoto.com/LeonU

4.

Cut short slits across the other arms of the cross and fold them upwards to make tabs.

© iStockphoto.com/LeonU

5.

Pull each circle into a cone shape. Secure the overlapping edges of the cone with strong tape.  Keep the tabs at the centre folded over. Repeat steps 2-4 to make a second ear.

© iStockphoto.com/LeonU

6.

To attach the ears, tape the tabs at the centre of each cone to the sides of the box.

© iStockphoto.com/LeonU

7.

Now, make the eyes. Cut the base off two paper cups.

© iStockphoto.com/LeonU

8.

Make slits around the bottom of each cup to create tabs.

© iStockphoto.com/LeonU

9.

Fold the tabs outwards so that you can easily stick the eyes to the robot’s head.

© iStockphoto.com/LeonU

10.

Stick the eyes to the head by taping the tabs down.

© iStockphoto.com/LeonU

11.

Draw an antenna shape on cardboard (You can use the photo as a guide if you like!) Cut the shape out.

© iStockphoto.com/LeonU

12.

Make a support for the robot antenna. Cut out a small rectangle with tabs on two of the sides as shown, and fold the tabs up.

© iStockphoto.com/LeonU

13.

Tape the support in place on top of the robot’s head, then shape the antenna to the support. Tape the longer flap to the head, and the antenna to the shorter flap.

© iStockphoto.com/LeonU

14.

Now make the robot’s body. Cut off one of the sides of the large box. Then draw a U shape on the opposite side and cut it out.

© iStockphoto.com/LeonU

15.

Use a large plate to draw circles on the other two sides of the box. Cut the circles out to make holes for your arms.

© iStockphoto.com/LeonU

16.

Next, make the robot’s hands. Cut out two rectangular pieces of cardboard, roll them into tubes, and secure them with strong tape.

© iStockphoto.com/LeonU

17.

Take one of the small boxes and draw around the tube on each shorter side near the bottom. Then cut holes where you have drawn.

© iStockphoto.com/LeonU

18.

Push a tube through the two holes to make handles you can hold when you wear them. Repeat steps 15 and 16 to make the other hand.

© iStockphoto.com/LeonU

19.

Finally, decorate each part of your robot! Paint a base coat first and let it dry. Then paint on futuristic designs in bright colours. Make your decorations look like buttons, dials, screens and switches. And why not make your robot even more high-tech by adding three-dimensional features? Try sticking on plastic lids, parts of egg boxes, and other cardboard shapes.

© iStockphoto.com/LeonU

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