If you are hunting for a screen-free summer activity that keeps kids busy for actual hours, this is the one I keep recommending. Here is everything you need to know about one of our favourite open-ended toys.
I recently dropped the kids off at Grandma's, along with all of my recycling, and a cardboard construction kit for kids called Makedo.
Instead of showing up with a screen, a tablet, or a bag of plastic toys that would be forgotten by Tuesday, we showed up with a pile of cardboard boxes. And by the end of the afternoon, there was a full-blown castle in Grandma's backyard - a real one, with towers, doors that opened, and enough paint to redecorate a small country. The kids had been at it for hours, the grandparents thought it was the coolest activity too, and they came home happy, tired, and incredibly proud of their build.
In This Guide
What is Makedo?
Makedo is a cardboard construction tool kit for kids. There is no tape, glue, or scissors, and no batteries, app, or 40-piece instruction booklet either. The whole system is designed so kids as young as four can build safely on their own, which means you are not hovering with a hot glue gun and a roll of duct tape that somehow ends up in everyone's hair.
You give kids cardboard + Makedo, and they turn a boring stack of boxes into anything they can imagine - a castle, a rocket, a robot, a market stall, a spaceship for the cat. The cardboard is the building block, and Makedo is the toolbox that makes it real.
The tools, and what each one does
The kit comes with a handful of simple tools, and this is where Makedo is really clever. Each one is built to do a single job.
Safe-Saw. This cuts the cardboard, not little fingers. It is the tool I was most nervous about and the one I now trust the most. If you want to prove how safe it is, run it across the tip of your finger and watch nothing happen.
Scru-Driver and Scrus. Forget tape and glue. The Scrus are little reusable screws that hold the cardboard together, and the Scru-Driver twists them in.
Fold-Roller. This one scores the cardboard so kids can fold and sculpt clean lines, like curves, towers, and roofs. It's how flat cardboard becomes 3D.
Spin-Hinge. This is the magic for moving parts. It is how you get doors that actually open, drawbridges that actually drop, and windows that actually swing. The Spin-Hinge is what turns a cardboard box into a real castle, playhouse or epic fort.
Roto-Ring. We didn't get to this one for the castle, but this is the tool for wheels and anything that spins. If your kids are into cars, trucks, or anything on wheels, this is what makes them actually roll.
Hours of screen-free, open-ended play
Makedo keeps kids busy and creative without a screen, and it is our new go-to for easy summer play. Just grab those Amazon boxes piling up in your recycling bin and throw the kids outside with a kit … you'll be surprised what they come up with!
And the build is really just the beginning. Once it is done, the play keeps going. My kids were in Grandma's art studio so they went crazy with painting, and even decorating with flowers from the garden, but they can also stuff blankets inside a fort and turn it into a reading nook, or set up a market stall and run a pretend shop for hours. One cardboard creation turns into days of imaginative play. This is what open-ended toys do that the flashy plastic stuff never can.
The part I love most: you can reuse it again and again
The best thing about Makedo is that it is reusable. When the castle has lived its life, you take out the Scrus, recycle the cardboard, and keep all your tools and parts for the next build. One kit, endless projects, and a lot less plastic in the house. I am so done stepping on broken plastic toys, so this is the part that makes Makedo worth it for me.
Where to buy Makedo (+ a free shipping code)
If you want to try it this summer, here is what we used:
- Makedo Discover Kit (the main set of tools to get started)
- Makedo Tool-Case (keeps every tool and Scru in one place, which matters when small parts are involved)
- Spin-Hinge (the moving-parts tool for doors and drawbridges)
- Roto-Ring (for wheels and spinning pieces, great if your kids build vehicles)
You can shop the whole range at make.do. Use code MINIJETSETTER for free shipping, and the link applies it for you automatically.
Makedo FAQ
What age is Makedo for?
Makedo is designed for kids aged four and up. The tools are independently safety tested for that age, so younger kids can build with supervision and older kids can run with it on their own.
Is Makedo actually safe for young kids?
Yes. The Safe-Saw cuts cardboard, not skin, and there are no sharp blades, no hot glue, and no scissors involved. That is the whole point of the system.
Do you need tape or glue?
No. Makedo connects cardboard with reusable Scrus and a Scru-Driver, so there is no tape, no glue, and nothing to dry.
Is Makedo reusable?
Yes. The tools and Scrus are durable and reusable. When you are done, take out the Scrus, recycle the cardboard, and build something new.
What can kids build with Makedo?
Anything cardboard can become something! Castles, rockets, robots, doll houses, race cars, forts, and market stalls are all fair game. It is open-ended on purpose. If your kids need a starting point, Makedo also has a whole library of builds and inspiration on their website.
This post was created in partnership with Makedo. As always, I only share products we actually use and love with our own kids.
