Earth Day: Upcycling - Making A Play Kitchen From Boxes

A few months ago, my daughter recived some hand me down kitchen playset full of dighes, pots, and pans.  She loved playing with them and sometimes we'd set up a box in the kitchen so she can "cook" with me. I started thinking about making her a little kitchen out of the cardboard boxes we had.  So with a free weekend, and a plan, and some imagination, we created one for her.  Here's how we did it.

We colllected boxes and moved them around to see which would be the best stove, sink, and refrigerator. 

 We got some supplies...  contact paper, duct tape, foam sheets, mixing bowl, and hooks.  Not seen are the glue gun, packing tape, pump from a liquid soap dispenser, foil.  I think for this project we spent approx $13 for everything.  

Before covering your boxes with the contact paper, try to figure out which side will be the front and back, where you door opening will be.  Draw them on with a black marker so that when you cover them box with contact paper, you can see lines.  For the hinges of the door openings, score  the inside of the box, where these will be, then cover your boxes with contact paper.  We used the clear packing tape to keep things in place.  Once covered, start cutting you door openings.  If you scored the hinge side of the door from the inside, your door should open easily. 

We then measured and cut holes for the mixing bowl and the "faucet".  To secure the faucet, my husband drilled a hole in the bottom of the pump dispenser and then put a screw in horizontally so it would stay put once installed.  I used the hot glue gun to secure the rim of the bowl to the box.  Remember to put the glue on the rim and then press down onto the box.  If you use the gun on the box, the heat from the gun could possible burn a hole in your contact paper.  

I added the colored duct tape to the sides of our appliances so it would help reinforce the contact paper.  I cut the foam sheets for the burners (mine are the size of a CD).  I also used foam sheets for the handles and hot glued them on.  For the oven, I made brackets out of bent cardboard and hot glued them to the sides of the oven walls.  I then covered a sheet of cardboard with foil and then hot glued the piece to the brackets.

I also secured 2 hooks on the side to hold her grocery bag, dish towel, or purse.

The box we used for the refrigerator still had the Styrofoam packing pieces still in them, so I used them to create the shelves in the fridge.  I did the same thing here as the oven...made brackets out of extra cardboard, then glued the Styrofoam shelves on the brackets.  I had an extra box that fit perfectly as a crisper drawer, so I covered it in contact paper and loaded it up with her Ikea play veggies and fruit.  I also glued a velcro circle to the door and shelf so that the door can remain close.  

 My daughter had a ton of kitchen stuff passed down to her so we just stocked up the kitchen cupboard with her extra dishes and cooking equipment.

Voila!

Here is Cora enjoying her new kitchen with her Daddy!