How to Build a Cardboard Castle

Learn how to transform simple cardboard boxes into a grand fortress for your imagination with these easy steps. HowTo: Family Edition: family how-tos that actually help.

1. Prepare your base. Find a clear space on the floor. Arrange your largest boxes side-by-side to create the main walls of your castle. Tape them together securely from the inside so the tape doesn't show on the outside.
2. Create the battlements. On the top flaps of your boxes, draw a series of square 'teeth' using your pencil. Ask a grown-up to help you cut out every other square to create the classic castle look.
3. Add a drawbridge. Pick one side of a box to be your front gate. Cut three sides of a rectangle to create a flap that folds down. You can attach a piece of string to the top corners to help it open and close.
4. Decorate your fortress. Now it is time to make it yours! Use markers to draw stone patterns, paint flags for the towers, or glue on paper shields to show off your family crest.