DIY cardboard washing machine

Surely every child has an interest in washing machines. When a daughter or son simply can't leave their "household helper"'s side, parents often consider buying a miniature version for their child. Toy washing machines are quite expensive. Not everyone wants to shell out $20 for a thing that might bore a child within a week. It's better to try making a washing machine out of cardboard. A homemade toy will engage your child and teach them to help mom.

Let's collect the necessary materials

It's easy to make a cardboard washing machine with your own hands. You can involve your child in the process so that he or she feels like a real inventor. Prepare all materials and tools for construction. You will need:

• Box. Determine the size of your future cardboard washing machine yourself. Shoe boxes, small or large appliance boxes, and other suitable options are available.
• A thick, transparent material. You can use a document file, durable polyethylene, or film;
• pencil;
• marker;
• scissors;
• a sharp stationery knife;
• glue that can firmly bond cardboard and film.

That's all you need to make a toy car with your own hands. When working with sharp objects, remember to follow safety precautions, especially if you're building with children.

How is a machine made?

A cardboard washing machine is easy to make. Your little one can start playing with it in just 30 minutes. What do you need to do?

1. Draw the front of the washing machine on the cardboard box using a pencil. Mark the location for the door (to make the circle perfect, you can trace a plate of the appropriate size). Draw the control panel – mark all the buttons, draw the program selector knob, and outline the detergent drawer.

The hatch is drawn with two circles, and the difference between the edge of the lower and upper circles should be 2 cm.

2. Outline the finished sketch with a black marker.
3. Use a utility knife to cut out the door along the outline of the smaller circle. Be careful to ensure a straight cut.
4. Start by cutting out the larger circle. Be sure to leave 4-5 cm of the circumference uncut in the center left corner. This will be where the hatch will attach to the cardboard frame. This will allow the door to open.
   
5. On thick plastic or a document file, trace the smaller cut-out circle, adding one and a half centimeters to its edges.
6. Cut out a polyethylene circle along the outlined line – it will be similar to the sunroof glass of an “adult” car.
7. Apply glue along the edges of the plastic and stick the film to the inside of the cardboard washing machine door.

The cardboard car for children's play is ready. Children can open the door, load clothes into the drum, close the hatch, press the illustrated buttons, and imagine themselves as a real helper.

Create an educational game

A toddler will definitely figure out how to play with a cardboard washing machine. A mother can only occasionally give the child developmental tasks. Here's what you can ask your daughter or son to do:

• Sort socks by color before loading them into the drum;
• wash the dolls' clothes, measuring the washing time by the clock;
• place the clothes in the drum, using both hands;
• remove the laundry from the washing machine. You can specify which specific item;
• hang clothes on a rope and secure with clothespins.

A cardboard washing machine is a treasure trove of interesting and useful games. Your child will not only develop self-care skills but also learn sorting, colors, and timekeeping.

   

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