Step 3 - Think!

Brainstorm some ideas about what you could create out of cardboard. Remember, you can make anything that you love and are passionate about out of cardboard. 

Here are some questions to think about as you start your brainstorm... 

- What are your interests? Think about sports, places you have been, etc. 

- What did you see in Caine's Arcade that caught your eye?

- What costumes did you see that caught your eye?

- Think about the things in life that you wish you had, but can't! Make a cardboard version! 

- What have other people made? Can you make something similar or better?

Here are some ideas to help you think about what you can create for our "Medieval Fairytale" theme....

GAME IDEAS (Medieval Fairytale Theme)

• Dragon's Lair Ball Toss: Build a cardboard dragon with an open mouth. Players toss balls, beanbags, or pom-poms into the dragon’s mouth to earn points.

• Knight’s Archery Challenge: Create a cardboard target with different-sized openings. Players use ping-pong balls or rolled-up socks to try to hit the target.

• Castle Siege: Build a cardboard castle with towers and walls. Players use soft balls to knock down the castle or knock over cardboard “guards.”

• Slay the Dragon: Build a standing cardboard dragon with different targets on its body. Players toss balls at the targets to “defeat” the dragon.

• Wizard’s Potion Toss: Decorate cardboard “cauldrons” and have players toss colored balls into the correct potion pot. Different cauldrons can be worth different numbers of points.

• Unicorn Ring Toss: Create a cardboard unicorn—or a row of magical creatures—with horns that players can toss rings onto.

• Knight’s Horse Race: Build cardboard horses and create a tabletop or floor racing game. Players roll dice, spin a spinner, or complete challenges to move their knight forward.

• Troll Under the Bridge: Build a cardboard bridge with a troll underneath. Players must roll a ball across the bridge and knock down the troll—or toss something past the troll without waking him!

• Gold Coin Toss: Create a treasure chest from cardboard with different-sized openings. Players toss “gold coins” (cardboard circles, plastic tokens, etc.) into the chest to earn points.

• Castle Catapult: Build a small cardboard catapult and use soft balls to knock down towers, dragons, or other fairytale targets.

• Feed the Troll: Make a giant cardboard troll with a big mouth. Players toss “food” into the troll’s mouth. Bonus points for making the troll’s favorite foods!

• Fairy Garden Knockdown: Create cardboard mushrooms, flowers, fairies, or magical creatures and use a soft ball to knock them down.

COSTUME IDEAS (Color-Themed + Wearable)

• Royal Crowns & Tiaras: Cut crowns from cardboard and decorate them with jewels, glitter, paint, foil, or cardboard “gems.” Students could make crowns for kings, queens, princes, and princesses.

• Knight Armor: Create a cardboard breastplate, shoulder pads, arm guards, and shin guards. Students can decorate their armor with their own family crest or coat of arms.

• Knight Shields: Cut cardboard into different shield shapes and decorate them with a personal crest, initials, favorite animal, or magical symbol.

• Cardboard Swords: Make lightweight swords from cardboard and decorate the handles. You could even have students design different types of fantasy swords.

• Dragon Costume: Create cardboard wings, horns, a tail, or a dragon head that can be worn like a mask/helmet. Students can invent their own dragon species!

• Wizard Hat & Staff: Make a tall cardboard wizard hat and a cardboard staff topped with a giant magical symbol, star, moon, or crystal.

• Fairy Wings: Use cardboard to create oversized fairy wings. Students can decorate them with patterns, flowers, stars, or magical creatures.

• Unicorn Headpiece: Make a cardboard unicorn horn and ears that attach to a headband or simple cardboard crown.

• Walking Castle Costume: This one could be hilarious! Build a lightweight cardboard castle around the student's body with towers, windows, a drawbridge, and flags.

• Knight’s Horse: Create a cardboard horse costume that fits around the student's waist. Add a mane, reins, armor, and even a cardboard saddle.

• Troll Costume: Students can create a giant cardboard nose, ears, horns, or a mask and pair it with a homemade troll vest or armor.

• Dragon Rider Costume: Make a small cardboard dragon that appears to sit on the student's shoulders or back. Add cardboard reins so it looks like they're riding it!

• Archer Costume: Create a cardboard quiver, bow, and decorative shoulder armor. Students could design their own archer uniform.

• Royal Robes: Cardboard can be used to create decorative collars, crowns, shoulder pieces, belts, and royal accessories to pair with fabric or paper "robes."

• Enchanted Forest Creature: Students could invent their own magical creature—fairy, elf, goblin, woodland sprite, etc.—and make cardboard ears, wings, horns, tails, crowns, or masks.

Once you have an idea you feel excited about... head to Step 4!