Cardboard Boxes

Are you familiar with Operation Christmas Child (samaritanspurse.org)? Filled shoe boxes are sent around the world filled with toys and toiletries for different age groups. There are also shoebox projects for troops overseas (operationshoebox.com) and many others for specific regions. Tis the season to help box and wrap gifts for local purposes, too. If you get started with gift giving maybe he can collect boxes for a purpose, use them for some good and then start collecting again.

If he's an entrepreneur he could wrap the boxes so that they'll open (like in the movies) and sell them to friends and family - this would support the buying of more paper (on sale after the holidays) and generate some income. At least the pile would be rotated and he could keep collecting. Good luck - I can't wait to see what others suggest! :)

Hi K.,

My 9 year old LOVES boxes. I have to hide them if I get a package because they take over the family room. He does build things with them - home and vehicles for Webkinz and other toys. We've had to have a deal about how many he can have, and if he obtains a new box, he needs to forfeit one that he's already had. Good luck!

I love the previous idea of making care packages for the troops - and you could do something similar for the homeless or seniors in your area. Actually, since you're a social worker, you may know of a certain group that would be in need of special care packages.
You could also turn them into a giant 3-D mural of the NY skyline.
Maybe he could make gifts for the family out of them. Jewelry boxes or keepsake boxes for his sisters - a shadow box with photos for a grandparent, etc.
He could paint them and use them as his own organizational method in his room. Red box is for cars, blue box is for craft supplies, etc.
If your son likes to read, have him create his favorite scenes in the boxes.
Or have him invite a few friends over, and have a box party. You can have a bunch of craft supplies and they can bring some of their own. Let each friend have a box to make whatever they want. Then they can take it home. Then they could all work together to make something together with several boxes that your son could keep for awhile.

You can help him turn them into buildings, which can grow into a whole town. Shoe boxes can be cars, buses,trains. Go to the library and get some books about towns, cities, architecture, etc and talk to him about building. He sounds like a future architect to me. (Creativity in young children is my field)

Hi K.
How very exciting for me to hear that someone has shoeboxes. I am heavily involved in a mission project called Operation Christmas Child, in which people fill a shoe box and bring it to a drop off center and they are eventually distributed around the world. The shoe boxes themselves are hard to come by in some areas and would be appreciated by any drop off center. Although it is late for this year's packaging, the drop off center in your area would be the place to call. We just brought our boxes from our drop off center to the distribution center in our area yesterday.
Shoeboxes are usually wrapped in Christmas wrap which would be another gift to the drop off center to have the boxes wrapped already. It would be a great service project for the new year to wrap those boxes. Locally one of the 4H clubs did that for us. We were then able to have our church group fill them during Vacation Bible School.
Just an idea! "Operation Christmas Child" has a website which lists all the local centers.
God bless
K. SAHM married 38 years -- adult children 37 coach,32 lawyer married and dad to our only grandchild, and twin girls 18.
I homeschooled the twins and they are now in college one majoring in fine arts, and one in journalism.

My son is 6. He collects shoes boxes also. He puts special toys or arts and crafts in them and calls them his memory boxes. We keep them in his closet where he can reach them, and when he is looking for them he takes them out and plays. He also has one at each grandparents house. They always keep him entertained.