Rebecca and her two sons, from Bedfordshire, made this fantastic cardboard barbecue with cardboard food! Let’s have a look…

What did you do?

My husband and I made my son (2.5) a BBQ made out of cardboard, so he could cook some yummy food for his cuddly toys, just like Daddy does for us. We are absolutely over the moon with how it turned out and so was Harry. The next day Harry and I made food for his BBQ using all recyclable goods.

To make a BBQ, you will need:

  • 2 x Large cardboard box
  • 1 medium cardboard box (used for cutting up for different pieces)
  • Tinfoil
  • 4 wrapping paper cardboard rolls (or smaller ones joined together)
  • 4 Egg box bottoms
  • 1 Kitchen cardboard roll
  • 3 egg box dimples
  • 3 elastic bands
  • 3 paper clips
  • Tape
  • Scissors
  • Glue

To make the BBQ food, you will need:

  • Cardboard
  • Bubble wrap
  • Polystyrene packing peanuts
  • Paint

To make the BBQ:

  1. For the grill base, fold the two edge flaps of one of the large boxes back under themselves like wings to make the side trays. Use strong tape to secure the edges down. The angle of the cardboard will make the side trays stronger.
  2. Fold the front edge down flat, use tape to secure it in place. Leave the back edge for now.
  3. Remove the lids on all four of the egg boxes and trim the points so they can lay flat.
  4. Paint the bottom of the egg boxes black and the three egg box dimples and leave to dry.
  5. Cut strips of cardboard a little longer than the width of the cardboard box you are using for the grill base. Being longer will help you fold each end down when securing them to the box. Cut as many as required to cover the box leaving a cap between each one.
  6. Cover these strips in tin foil, we used glue to make sure the tin foil didn’t move.
  7. Measure the legs of the BBQ for the correct height of your child and trim to measurement.
  8. Attach the legs to the bottom of the BBQ.
  9. Cut a large rectangle shelf for underneath your BBQ, make four holes, and then slide it onto the legs. This helps give the BBQ more strength.
  10. If your egg boxes are reasonably dry now, paint the tips of them red.
  11. Trim the top box for your BBQ lid, leaving the back edge.
  12. Attach a handle to your top BBQ box, using the kitchen roll cardboard tube.
  13. Cut a shelve shape for your top BBQ box, add strips of tin foil.
  14. Once the egg boxes are dry, stick them into the bottom box
  15. Attach the grill pieces across the bottom box.
  16. Stick the three egg box dimples to the front of the box as knobs.
  17. Attach your top box to the bottom box using the back edge you left. Slide the top box on top of the bottom box, then tape the bottom boxes back edge inside the top box. Then tape the top boxes back edge on to the outside of the bottom box.
  18. Cut out shapes for tongs, a fork, and a burger flipper. Stick tin foil on the parts that would be made of metal.
  19. Make a hole in the end of the utensils, thread an elastic band through and tie a knot.
  20. Open a paper clip and hook it on to the side tray of the BBQ, do the same with the other two. Then hook the elastic bands on the utensils on the paper clips. 
  21. Finally, add some weight into the legs of the BBQ, we used a few medium stones, then tape them up.

To Make the BBQ Food:

  1. Cut large circles, medium circles and smaller circles out of cardboard for your burger buns, burgers and tomatoes.
  2. Cut lettuce shapes and square shapes out of cardboard for your cheese squares and lettuces.
  3. Paint the burger circles brown, the tomato circles red, the cheese squares yellow and the lettuce shapes green.
  4. Paint polystyrene packing peanuts red, yellow and green as though they are peppers and light pink for chicken.
  5. Cut large squares and smaller squares out of bubble wrap for your corn on the cob and your sausages.
  6. Roll both the squares into tubes and glue the edge down.
  7. Paint the large roll yellow and the smaller roll brown.
  8. Draw some sesame seeds on your burger bun top with a pencil.
  9. Enjoy

What will be your next project?

I am constantly making different activities for both my sons every day. I make lots of different tuff tray activities such as shaving foam ice cream parlour or dinosaur world and sensory trays for my 2.5-year-old. I also make my baby boy (3.5 months) lots of different sensory experiences, such as a space tepee and sensory tent. But our next cardboard project we have decided to make a pirate ship.

Cardboard barbecue and food project

Tell us a bit about your background…

My name is Rebecca, I have two sons, Harry is 2.5 years old and Louis is 3.5 months old. We are from Bedfordshire in England. I am currently a stay at home mum who loves creating activities with my children for fun and different ways to teach them things. I used to implement systems into businesses so it’s a very different life now.

I have really enjoyed lockdown, spending time with my boys, and creating lots of fun things for us to do each day. I obviously miss the rest of my family and friends, but I have treasured this time with my boys and husband.

 I love the fact that Housebound with kids has a website for people to go and find what they want, good ideas always get lost in Facebook groups moving down the thread.

You can find out more about Rebecca and family at @harrylouisadventures. https://www.facebook.com/harrylouisadventures/