This is the ultimate paper boxes craft which is great for kids of all ages. We are starting with sheets of colorful paper, learning how to make a paper cube and then building with the paper cubes or paper boxes. This folded paper box activity is the perfect boredom buster for a rainy day and also works great in the classroom as a STEM activity or STEAM activity.
Paper Box Craft Turned Stacking Toy
This activity was inspired by one of our favorite blog friends, Marie from Make and Takes. She calls it paper cube sculptures and creates paper cubes.
We thought it would be fun to add a building element which could keep this kids building activity going forever…
This article contains affiliate links.
How to Make a Paper Cube or Box
If you have ever wondered how to make a cube or box out of paper, you have come to the right place. Folding a paper box isn’t complicated origami folding, it is a few simple steps and a little glue.
Supplies Needed To Make Paper Cubes
- You will need a variety of colors of paper. We used this multi-color pack of neon paper – love how bright the colors are!
- Scissors, preschool training scissors or paper cutter
- Plastic cup
- Glue
- Q-tips. The Q-tips are used like little paint brushes to put glue into little crevices
Directions to Make Paper Cube Craft
Watch Our Short Tutorial Video on How to Make Folded Paper Boxes
Step 1
Cut your paper into strips. It is not super important how long or wide your pieces are as long as they are all the same size.
- We made our strips 4 1/4″ long (paper cut in half) and then roughly 2 inches wide.
- You will need 12 strips of paper for each cube.
Step 2
Fold each slip in half “like a hotdog”.
Step 3
Make a square “tray” with four of the strips. One side of the folded “hot dog” will be laying flat on the table while the other is perpendicular and pointing up. Meet the ends at the corners
For extra stability, try to layer the corners. Glue them in place.
Step 4
Now add four more paper segments that will reach up. They are the “legs” that will connect to another square tray at the top.
Again, try to layer the sides for extra stability. Glue the legs into place.
Make sure that each corner is tight and flush with the other. If you don’t your square will be lopsided or may not work.
Step 5
For the top of the cube, do one side at a time or create another square tray like in step 3.
Tip: If creating the paper cubes gets confusing for the kids, make the top and the bottom pieces first and then attach them with the legs.
Step 6
Repeat over and over again!
Another Paper Craft: Make paper dolls
Our Experience Making Paper Cubes
These blocks are addictive. You won’t want to make one, you’ll want a dozen!
After you make a couple together your kids can make the blocks independently. Our 3 year old had fun helping us glue. Our five year old has been making them all by herself!
Build with Your Homemade Paper Blocks
We stacked them and built different types of buildings, skyscrapers and full towns. Our favorite was to see how high we could stack them and the bonus is if they fall over, no one gets hurt.
This paper craft and building activity could also be a fun STEM or STEAM activity for kids. There are so many different ways you could explore the dynamics of strength, size, technique and utility.
Using the Paper Cubes as an Art Installation
See how we used this technique along with some thread to hang paper boxes from the ceiling at our house. I shared this on IG awhile back:
You can also add white paper to the “windows” of the cubes for a unique gift box.
Make Paper Boxes
These paper cubes are fun to make and they are a great building toy afterward to build skyscrapers and more! We have also used these homemade paper boxes as art.
Materials
- Variety of colored paper sheet - we used neon
- Glue
Tools
- Scissors, preschool training scissors or paper cutter
- Plastic cup
- Q-tips
Instructions
- Cut paper into strips of the same size - ours were 4 1/2 inches long and 2 inches wide.
- Fold each cut paper strip in half longwise.
- You will need 12 folded strips for each paper box.
- Using 4 of the folded strips, arrange them into a square with the ends overlapping and glue into place.
- Add for more strips - one on each corner pointing up and glue in place.
- Add the last four strips one by one gluing into place to create your cube or paper box.
- Repeat until you have a whole building set of boxes!
More Paper Crafts & Fun with Kids Activities Blog
- Download, print and craft your own paper dolls.
- Make your own paper airplane with the leftover paper from this craft!
- Paper mache is a traditional kids craft that uses just a few supplies with unlimited possibilities.
- These paper bag puppets are so easy and fun to make!
- Make a paper lion craft…roar!
- How to make pinwheels is super easy with these paper windmill templates.
- Make a paper shark craft with these simple step by step instructions.
- We have a ton of paper plate crafts…over 80 that you don’t want to miss!
- And a bunch of tissue paper crafts for kids of all ages…OK, adults love them too!
- And we have a big selection of simple and easy paper crafts for kids that will keep you busy for days, weeks…years?
- We have super easy paper fans for origami beginners!
- Don’t miss out this paper box template!
How did your paper boxes turn out? What did you build with the paper cubes?
I love how easy it is to make these paper cube boxes!