At Butler Diaries, we’re passionate about sustainability. That’s why we reuse all the packaging we receive from our suppliers to send out your orders. We also use biodegradable labels! So by the time your Butler Diaries parcel arrives, those boxes have already been reused at least twice and are perfect for recycling!
But we don’t want the journey to stop there. Both the cardboard boxes and the air pillows used to protect your diaries can be repurposed in your service to spark creativity, play, and learning. Instead of heading to landfill, they can become the foundation for hours of open-ended exploration — all while helping you meet the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) v2.0 outcomes.
Here are some fun and creative ideas to get you started:
♻️ Reusing Cardboard Boxes
1. Box City Construction
Activity: Provide boxes of different sizes, tape, markers, and paint. Children can build a city with buildings, cars, or roads.
EYLF Link:
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Outcome 4.1: Curiosity, creativity, and problem-solving.
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Outcome 5.1: Communication and collaboration.
2. Imaginative Role Play
Activity: Transform a large box into a car, bus, rocket, house, or shop. Decorate and role play!
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Outcome 1.2: Sense of identity through play.
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Outcome 5.3: Expressing ideas through pretend scenarios.
3. Sensory Exploration
Activity: Cut holes in a large box, add textures like bubble wrap, fabric, or sandpaper. Create a sensory tunnel to crawl through.
EYLF Link:
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Outcome 3.2: Physical and sensory wellbeing.
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Outcome 4.2: Active exploration.
4. Art Studio
Activity: Use flattened boxes as giant canvases or transform them into 3D sculptures.
EYLF Link:
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Outcome 4.1: Creativity and innovation.
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Outcome 5.3: Making meaning through art.
5. Box Puppet Theatre
Activity: Cut a “stage” from a box and make sock or stick puppets for performances.
EYLF Link:
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Outcome 1.1: Feeling safe and supported.
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Outcome 5.1: Storytelling and communication.
6. STEM Exploration
Activity: Build marble runs, ramps, or balancing structures using boxes.
EYLF Link:
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Outcome 4.2: Construction and engineering skills.
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Outcome 5.4: Exploring motion and design.
7. Obstacle Course
Activity: Use boxes as tunnels, stepping stones, or barriers.
EYLF Link:
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Outcome 3.2: Coordination and movement.
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Outcome 4.1: Problem-solving through challenges.
8. Literacy Activity – Post Office
Activity: Turn a box into a mailbox for children to write or draw “letters.”
EYLF Link:
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Outcome 5.2: Literacy and communication.
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Outcome 1.4: Building community connections.
9. Nature Exploration
Activity: Turn boxes into planters or use them as bases for nature art projects.
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Outcome 2.4: Respect for the environment.
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Outcome 4.4: Investigating natural processes.
10. Box Maze
Activity: Arrange large boxes into a maze to crawl through and solve.
EYLF Link:
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Outcome 4.3: Persistence and problem-solving.
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Outcome 3.1: Safe, active navigation.
🎈 Reusing Air Pillows
1. Sensory Exploration
Activity: Pop, squish, and stomp air pillows for sound and texture fun.
EYLF Link:
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Outcome 3.2: Exploring sensory wellbeing.
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Outcome 5.1: Expanding vocabulary and communication.
2. STEM Building
Activity: Use air pillows with blocks to build lightweight towers or bridges.
EYLF Link:
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Outcome 4.2: Experimenting with balance and engineering.
3. Painting Tools
Activity: Dip flattened air pillows in paint and use them as stamps.
EYLF Link:
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Outcome 4.1: Creativity through experimentation.
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Outcome 5.3: Expression through art.
4. Obstacle Courses
Activity: Add pillows as stepping stones or hurdles in a gross motor course.
EYLF Link:
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Outcome 3.2: Physical development and coordination.
5. Music & Movement
Activity: Clap or stomp air pillows to make percussion sounds during group music.
EYLF Link:
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Outcome 5.3: Exploring rhythm and beat.
6. Dramatic Play Props
Activity: Use them as pretend parcels, groceries, or doll pillows.
EYLF Link:
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Outcome 1.2: Developing sense of identity through role play.
7. Science Experiment – What’s Inside?
Activity: Carefully puncture one to explore how air escapes, starting a discussion about gases and pressure.
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Outcome 4.4: Inquiry and scientific investigation.
8. Counting & Sorting Games
Activity: Write numbers, letters, or shapes on pillows and use them for active matching.
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Outcome 5.2: Literacy and numeracy skills.
9. Outdoor Play
Activity: Use pillows in water play as “boats” or in garden building projects.
EYLF Link:
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Outcome 2.1: Connecting with nature.
10. Upcycled Crafts
Activity: Use deflated pillows as stuffing for DIY cushions, puppets, or beanbags.
EYLF Link:
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Outcome 4.1: Creativity through making.
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Outcome 2.4: Sustainable practices.
🌱 Tips to Enhance Packaging Play
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Involve Families: Invite families to donate extra boxes or packaging for activities.
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Plan for Open-Ended Play: Offer tools, not instructions, so children lead the exploration.
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Link to Sustainability: Use packaging play to discuss recycling, reusing, and caring for the planet.
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Rotate Materials: Keep things fresh by adding new textures or props each week.
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Document the Journey: Record children’s creations and discussions in your Programming & Reflection Diary to capture learning outcomes.
Why It Matters
By reusing packaging in your service, you’re not only saving resources but also:
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Modelling sustainable practices for children.
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Supporting EYLF outcomes across all five learning areas.
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Providing endless opportunities for creativity, problem-solving, and collaboration.
Next time your Butler Diaries order arrives, don’t see packaging as waste — see it as a world of play, learning, and sustainability waiting to happen.
