Spotted: Cardboard Wheelbarrow and 13 other Cardboard Toys

I know you’ve seen those junky plastic children’s wheelbarrows in, like, every single big-box store ever.

Don’t buy them. They’re stupid. That cheap wheelbarrow will break after your kid tries to sit in it, or a wheel will come off, or the handle will snap, and your kid will cry. And you’ll get to throw that gigantic piece of junk into the garbage.

Instead, do what this incredibly awesome guy did, and build your kid a sturdy, functioning, super fun wheelbarrow out of cardboard, duct tape, and stash PVC pipe (and you KNOW I like myself some PVC pipe!).

I mean, kids love cardboard boxes best anyway, right?

And once you’ve got that cardboard wheelbarrow built, don’t stop amazing your kids! Check out these cardboard toy tutes for your next big adventure:

1. castle. It’s a doll house, only medieval-themed.

2. doll bed. This doll-sized bed looks gorgeous, and is a perfect place for an American Girl to sleep.

3. guitar. This cardboard toy guitar is a big step up from plain old air guitar.

4. hexbug habitat. The purchase of those awesome little robot bugs doesn’t have to inevitably lead to the endless purchasing of plastic places for them to play.

5. horse. These jointed horse dolls are fun to decorate AND to play with.

6. house. It’s like a giant gingerbread house without the sugar poisoning!

7. number tiles. Your kids can play so many cool math games with this easy-to-make manipulative.

8. purse. Dress-up is even more fun with this endlessly-customizable cardboard toy purse.

9. shadow puppet theater. Your kid would love to have his own puppet theater.

10. shield. It goes with the pipe sword.