Cardboard Fire Engine Craft Project

Project Summary:

This cardboard fire engine craft project can be time consuming, however, it is a great project for younger children as they will love to help out with all of the steps from design through to construction. The best part is that at the end of the project they will have their very own fire engine for all their teddies to enjoy driving!

Project Details: Cardboard Fire Engine Craft Project

Amazon have a great range of hot glue guns which can be used in a wide variety of craft projects, click on the links below to view details.

Latest Products: Hot Glue Guns

Step 1 – Gather the materials

The main items required for this project are two cardboard boxes with lids: a rectangular cardboard box will make the back of the fire engine and a square cardboard box will make the drivers cabin. You will also need two paper towel toilet rolls, plenty of red poster paint and high visibility tape to decorate!

Step 2 – Paint the cardboard boxes

Children will love to help with this step; poster paint can easily be applied using sponges and with the assistance of helping hands the job will be done in no time! Depending on the cardboard box, you may choose to let the paint dry and cover with a second coat to ensure that any print on the cardboard box has been completely covered.

Step 3 – Cut out windows and doors

Use a pencil and ruler to mark out the frame of doors on the rectangular cardboard box. An adult can then cut the frame using a paper blade. We used a pipe cleaner to create two little handles for the doors. When the fire engine is finished, children will have lots of fun as they can store all of the items they need for their fire rescue missions in the back their fire engine. The lid of the rectangular cardboard box should be left in such a way that it can be opened and closed in order to store items in the back of the fire engine.

When the rectangular box has been completed, using a pencil and ruler mark out windows and a small door on the square cardboard box; this square will act as the drivers cabin. For this box, you can cut two sides off the lid and then tilt the lid upwards to form the roof of the driver’s cabin.

The two cardboard boxes will then need to be attached together to complete the fire engine. A glue gun works really well for cardboard, or alternatively you may opt to use sellotape.

Step 4 – Add high visibility tape

We had some high visibility tape which we cut into stickers and the children enjoyed creating their own fire engine designs on the cardboard boxes. We also used some tinfoil to add a shiny backdrop behind the drivers seat.

Step 5 – Make a ladder

We took an extra piece of cardboard, painted it red, and then marked out the shape of a ladder using a pencil and ruler. An adult can then cut out in between the steps of the ladder using a paper blade. We created two matching ladders and placed small bits of hook and loop tape at the end of each ladder which meant that the two ladders could be joined together to make one large ladder to use on rescue missions!

Step 6 – Make a fire hose container

You can easily create a container for the fire hose by taking two paper towel rolls, painting them red and attaching them together with tape. The fire hose container can then be attached to the top of the fire engine using a glue gun or strong craft glue. We had a toy fire hose that we could then store within the fire hose container and the children had great fun using it on their fire missions.

Step 7 – Attach a walkie talkie

We found a plastic walkie talkie that we were able to attach to the top of the fire engine roof using hook and loop tape. The children could then detach it and easily attach it it back on again.

Step 8 – Find a driver and time to play!

When all of the hard work has been completed children will have endless fun bringing their new fire engine on lots of adventures. They can form a fire fighting team with their teddies and toys and the crew can travel in the back of the fire engine; now it is time for those fire fighting missions!