As early intervention providers, we’re always looking for creative and effective early intervention strategies to support the children we work with in their everyday routines. And as usual, the simplest solutions can be the most effective. Today, I want to share a story about a little boy, a shopping cart, and a cardboard box – a tale about addressing sensory needs, the surprising usefulness of this everyday item, and how it fits into early intervention strategies.

Big Adventure (in a Box) – A Case of Sensory Seeking Behavior

As you may know, I had the privilege of fostering a child we called “Little Monkey.” Little Monkey was a sensory seeker. He needed a lot of input to stay regulated. This presented some challenges, one of those challenges was the simple act of grocery shopping. Trips to Sam’s Club (where we bought groceries for our big family) were particularly difficult. The standard shopping cart seat, with his legs dangling, just wasn’t working. He was unhappy and we were stressed!

Enter the cardboard box. Sam’s, bless their warehouse-sized hearts, has a wealth of cardboard boxes available to grab. On a whim, I decided to try something different. I placed a cardboard box in the main part of the shopping cart and let Little Monkey sit inside. It was like magic.

Suddenly, his wiggles became manageable. Little Monkey loved his cardboard container!

• The small, cozy space gave him a sense of security and defined his personal space.
• It provided clear boundaries, which seemed to help him feel contained and safe.
• He liked sitting on the softer bottom of the cardboard.
• He was able to push and pull on the sides of the box, which gave him proprioceptive feedback.

This experience taught me a few valuable lessons for early intervention strategies:

• Trial and Error is Essential: Addressing sensory issues often involves experimentation. It always shocks me how one small change can make such a difference.
• Cardboard is a Versatile Tool: Cardboard boxes can be used for much more than just storage! They offer a range of benefits for children, especially those with sensory processing needs. Cardboard box play is a valuable early intervention strategy.

Here’s what I found from others about the usefulness of cardboard boxes and the benefits of cardboard box play:

Why Do Babies Love Cardboard Boxes?

In their early years, little ones spend a good deal of time getting to know their bodies, and with that comes the necessary question, “How big am I?” But they’re growing, so the answer to that question keeps changing. That’s why kids are constantly testing their size by crawling in, through, around, over, and under things. Cardboard boxes are often the perfect size for this kind of spatial exploration.

Teacher Created Materials

• Spatial Awareness: Playing with boxes helps children understand their body size as they crawl in and around the box.
• Comfort and Security: Cardboard boxes provide a sense of comfort and security, similar to being bundled in a caregiver’s arms.
• Empowerment: The lightweight nature of cardboard boxes empowers children, allowing them to manipulate objects bigger than themselves.
• Control: Cardboard boxes can serve as hiding places, giving children a sense of control.
• Sensory Play: The subtle sensory input from a cardboard box contrasts with more stimulating sensory experiences, offering a blank slate for imaginative play.
• Imagination: Cardboard boxes offer a blank slate for imaginative play.
• Calm-Down Space: Cardboard boxes can be transformed into a “squish box” by filling it with pillows, blankets, and stuffed animals, providing deep pressure sensory input.
• Heavy Work: Use a box for heavy work activities like pushing and pulling, which provides proprioception.
• Body Awareness: Simply sitting in the contained space of a box can benefit children who lack body awareness.
• Vestibular Input: Use a box to create a slide, which helps with motor planning and proprioception.

A Cardboard Box as a Sensory and Behavioral Support in Early Intervention

My experience with Little Monkey highlights the challenging behaviors in everyday routines that can be associated with sensory processing differences. The cardboard box solution, a simple early intervention strategy, addressed several of his sensory needs and made a challenging situation much more manageable. It also underscores the many benefits of cardboard box play for children in general.

Turning this or any cardboard play space into a squish box is easy to do. We took all of our extra pillows and stuffed them into the bottom of the box. We added a super soft comforter in the bottom and threw in a few favorite stuffed animals. The idea is for the space to be tight and allow children to push and squeeze without hurting anyone or anything around them.

Lemon Lime adventures:

Box It Up! Early Intervention Strategies for Cardboard Box Play

This article from A Sensory Life outlines several sensory uses for a cardboard box, particularly beneficial for children with sensory processing challenges. Here are some ways to use a cardboard box in everyday routines and play, incorporating them into your early intervention playtime strategies:

• Create a cozy retreat: Transform a box into a calming space with soft blankets and pillows.
• Build a fort: Encourage imaginative play and provide a sense of enclosure.
• Make a tunnel: Promote gross motor skills and spatial awareness.
• Use it for containment: Contain messy play activities for easier cleanup.
• Provide heavy work: Let kids push, pull, and manipulate boxes to address sensory-seeking behavior.

The Cardboard Box: Your Best Friend in Early Intervention

Cardboard boxes are a readily available, inexpensive, and incredibly versatile tool for early intervention providers. They can support sensory needs, address sensory-seeking behavior, and encourage imaginative play, making them a valuable component of early intervention strategies. So, don’t throw those boxes away! Think outside the box and see what you and the children you work with can create.

What are your favorite ways to use cardboard boxes with children? Share your ideas and tips in the comments below!

References

Teacher Created Materials. (n.d.). What children can learn from a cardboard box. Retrieved from https://www.teachercreatedmaterials.com/free-spirit-publishing/blog/what-children-can-learn-from-a-cardboard-box

Abraham, D. (2017). Cardboard rocket ship: Perfect calm sensory retreat. Lemon Lime Adventures. Retrieved from https://lemonlimeadventures.com/cardboard-rocket-ship-perfect-calm-sensory-retreat/

Voss, A. (n.d.). Sensory uses for a box! A Sensory Life. Retrieved from https://asensorylife.com/sensory-uses-for-a-box.html