Cardboard roll characters
Create your own DIY figurines by decorating recycled cardboard rolls with paper characters!
Turn simple cardboard tubes into a whole cast of characters for pretend play. Just draw people, animals, or silly creatures on pieces of paper, cut them out, and stick them onto the tubes. It’s a lovely mix of craft and open-ended play that brings their drawings to life, and can keep little hands busy and imaginations soaring.
You can create family members, favourite storybook characters, or even design your own superheroes. Once they’re made, the characters can star in their own mini adventures, puppet shows, or play scenes.
Materials
Prep / make
Step 1:
Gather your cardboard rolls and craft supplies.
Step 2:
Optional: Pre-cut paper shapes to speed things up for little ones.
Step 3:
Draw people, animals, or imaginative creatures on paper and cut them out.
Step 4:
Stick them onto the cardboard rolls to create your own figurines.
Play
Use the characters for storytelling, small world play, or a DIY puppet show.
Extend
Theme it: Make a superhero squad, fairy tale characters, animals from the zoo, or characters from a favourite book
Build a scene: Create simple houses, cars, or parks for your characters using other recycled materials
Mix and match: Make interchangeable heads, bodies, and legs for hilarious character combos.
