Have you ever thought of making a laptop out of a humble shoe box and a plastic cake tray?
Recycle your shoe box into a Latop!
We are surrounded by all this techno stuff whether it’s smartphones, tablets, computer or smart tv’s and not forgetting gaming, with x-boxs or with a playstation!
Our shoe box crafts, will be to recycle one of your shoe boxes into a fun, kids learning type of laptop.
Of course it won’t be a real tye of laptop, but a make belief one, in this case with interchangeable parts.
Kids are well in there with savvy knowledge walking around with their personal smartphones.
As parents or carers, it’s our link to our kids to communicate and for their saftey in case of an emergency!
So let’s get back to the laptops. I have found even as young as two, kids know that pressing keys on the keyboard they will get some kind of change or an image up on the screen.
We are their role models and kids unbeknown to us, they would observe and take in what we do!
Mimicking our actions and are really like mini us!
They know if you press a button on the remote control they can change the channel.
This is so with computers, or laptops only thing is the younger they are, the worse the outcome will be….. a great toy this is they may be thinking causing mayhem!
Banging away on the keys, like it were an instrument !!! looking at you with a massive smile on their faces!
Shhhhh, be careful as your kids will record what you say and guess what, use it later on in a harmless conversation with their friends oh no!
WHAT I HAVE IN MIND!
I am looking to make a laptop out of a shoe box! This will be our
shoe box crafts!
More like a learning tool, where you can improvise your childs learning.
Making it fun and easy to work with, a learning tool where you can change the letters, numbers and shapes as they move on.
The beauty of the shoe box is that you can store all your parts within it.
Giving it some thought, I do find the keyboard quite hard for kids to learn on, so I will make it very simple and have some very large letters, numbers and symbols.
Learning the Alphabet and numbers in sequence, adding on or changing the letters and numbers as they become more confident.
This is the typical layout of a keyboard, as you can see too over whelming for the young ones.
LET’S FIND OUT WHY THE KEYBOARD IS THE WAY IT IS!
I suppose it makes some kind of sense, we have just got used to it.
I did a Pitmans typing course, where you learn how to type using a old fashioned typewriter and I learnt how to type without looking at the keyboard.
I remembered the position of each key, by laying my hands over the keys and memorised where the letters were.
Today I type without a thought, yet when I take my hands away, it’s hard work to remember where the letters are.
Now let’s get back to the Shoe box crafts!
WHAT YOU NEED TO LOOK FOR!
Look for a shoe box, medium size and a plastic cup cake holder, that you can fit within the shoe box and it sits comfortably.
If you can’t find one, then look for something of the same size as the shoe box to cover the opening or cut down to size, this would be the surface to place the keys on. This will be made more clearer once you start with this project.
If you have a laminating machine, that would be super to laminate one white A4 card.
No laminator, then some A4 white cards, would work trim the cards to fit inside the lid, flip over to use the back and replace once you have run out of space. Use a bit of blu tack to keep it still.
LET’S MAKE OUR SHOE BOX LAPTOP!
RESOURSES!
1 medium size shoe box.
1 plastic cupcake tray.
A range of different coloured cards/Papers.
Scissors. Ruler (not shown)
Black felt pen (broad tip)
Different sized round shapes to use to draw circles with.
Double sided tape/ Glue stick.
Large sheet of coloured paper/card. (for inside of box)
2 long pieces of garden wire.
LET’S GET STARTED!
IDEAS BEHIND THE TIPS!
- When you open up the shoebox, it’s a laptop with a keyboard, but much more simplified.
- When attaching the letters, numbers or symbols use a glue stick to gently tack them on, or a bit of blu tack, so you can replace them easily.
- A bit like a learning game, with corresponding, letters, numbers and shapes. or dots. o oo ooo and so on.
- You can have capital letters on one side and lower case on the other side.
- Working with colours also can be an option, have different colours per circle and kids can have coloured board markers and as they scribble the colour your say it, ‘this is orange’ ‘this is yellow’ and so on.
- You can make it into a game, once your kid has mastered the first few letters and numbers, then you can make another set of each and move on with their learning.
- The white board is your screen, where they can write what they see below.
- Touching each digit before they write it, like they were pressing the keys on a keyboard.
- You can close the lid and the wires will bow out or slide in and when you open the lid again the wires will straighten out again, holding the lid up-right.
The shoe box crafts, is a solution in fulfilling our kids overwhelming desire to be on laptops, computers, playstation games and more without having to plug in or use batteries.
Who would think we can use our junk to make a kids friendly make-do laptop!
We can’t stop the progression of technology and as our kids grow up, they will be exposed to more and more technological devices.
This project really brings everything right back down to basics. It’s an easy and simply way to introduce your kids into the world of computers.
In this case it’s hands on, literally where they can write or scribble digits whilst pretending the white board is like a laptop or a computer screen.
As your kids get quicker or perfect their letter, number or shape formation, you can upgrade or move on with more letters of the alphabet and more numbers.
THINGS TO WORK ON!
- You model the letters, numbers and shapes and your kids can tace over them.
- Rub out and allow your child to guess how to draw the shapes.
- Faintly draw the outlines of the letters etc and they can trace over them.
- Write three letter words like:-
- cat, mat, fat, sat. then put them into sentences:- The fat cat sat on the mat.
- Do simple sums:- 1+1=2
- Use dots as well as numbers like:-
- 2 •• 3 ••• 4 ••• and so on. Kids will start to recognise symbolic grouping of numbers, like on dice.
LOOKING FOR A SIMILAR LAPTOP TOY?
If you like the idea of things being on a very basic format, no batteries or flashing lights and endless screen time, but looks just like the real thing, then check out KIDLY UK
They offer this super wooden laptop, with make believe keyboard and a screen that is just a blackboard.
Kids can scribble, letters, numbers or any kind of wording, rub out and practice again and again.
Suitable for kids from 2 years upwards.
When closed your kids can carry it around as it has a nifty handle.
Easy to transport where ever you go with your family, and your kids can whip it out and start to get down to some serious paper work!
Hey there, when you click on links in this post and you make a purchase, I may earn a small commission that l can use towards resources (other than throw-outs) for project making within my website😀
WHAT TO DO WITH YOUR OLD TECH!
So what are we doing as a concious nation wanting to protect our planet and do our bit?
Well for one, it’s cuttiing back or thinking how to reduce our energy supplies and recycling as much as we can, in hand reducing landfill sites and managing sustainable waste this is the way to go, don’t you think?
CHECK THIS OUT!
So what do you do once your PC, Laptops, or MacBook gets old? Would you take it to the dump yard, or simply leave it to gather cobwebs?
You could pass it on to another member of your family, but have you thought about recycling it, but in a good way?
Let’s remember and I am sure most kids will know the three ‘R’s’……….. Reduce-Reuse-Recycle’
Wait a minute you might think, how?
Let me introduce to you this super site:-
an update soon!
JUST AN ADDED NOTE!
Our kids as well us adults, can get quite wrapped up on our laptops, computers, or playstations and we can overlook the fact that our eye will ultimately suffer.
Too much gazing on light emanating from our screens can tire our eyes and in hand even though we have had a good night sleep, your eyes would have paid dearly.
TIRED EYES!
Waking up with tired, burning or itching eyes with heavy a head is due to overworked eyes.
We all need to take care of our eyes and there is a simple solution….Yes limit the amount of time your kids have access to their techno gadgets, but also to follow this rule.
HOW TO HELP YOUR EYES!
20-20 -20 rule. Every 20 minutes look away find an object about 20 feet way for 20 seconds.
By looking at an object at least 20 feet away relaxes the eyes. Looking at something close up for a long time will strain the eyes.
PALMING!
I find ‘palming’ helps relieve my eyes and relax them, this is the process of rubbing the palm of your hands together and placing them gently over your closed eyes for about five minutes sometimes even longer.
THE OUTCOME!
With the warmth from your hands and by blackening out the light, will make such a difference to your eyes. Your eyes will feel revitalised and refreshed.
It’s like wrapping up your eyes in warm blankets and giving them tender loving care. You should try it and see for yourself!
TOO MUCH SCREEN TIME!
Also looking at the screen too long reduces your blinking and you would get dry eyes, known as ‘dry eye syndrome’ so blinking rapidly will help lubricate the eyes.
I know this is alot to take in, but simply keep an eye on your kids, so to speak!
What a great idea! And I love that you provide step-by-step instructions for the shoe box laptop. I’m not that talented in terms of crafts … so this is definitely helpful! Thank you!
Hi Katharina, I am so glad you like this project! I love to inspire
kids and adults to try and be inventive and make interesting projects
like this fun laptop!
Also my aim is to get kids to recycle as much throw-outs as they can
and be creative at the same time!
Thanks for your comment and I believe anyone can put together this
shoe box crafts in no time, just follow my instructions. Give it a go!
Happy Crafting!
Julia. 😀