The common cardboard box was inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame in 2005, in part because of its ability to be transformed by children into innumerable playthings. Australia’s Makedo has developed a low-tech, open-ended toolkit that assists children to create cardboard construction projects.
The company’s construction kits include special tools to safely cut, fold, and connect pieces of scrap cardboard. The tools work in concert with plastic “SCRUs,” which come in two different lengths and allow between 3 and 6 layers of corrugated cardboard to be securely connected.
Makedo has also fostered a global community of cardboard makers through social media and a searchable online Hub, which provides access to various projects organized by size, skill level, theme, and the number of SCRUs needed to put it together. Families with access to a 3D printer can also print freely available 3D parts, such as hinges and angle brackets, to extend their toolkits’ capabilities.
Makedo kits are available from several online resellers or directly from the company’s e-store. Prices range from $5 USD for individual tools to $150 USD for a 360-piece “Invent” set.
