When I was knee high to a grasshopper, and life was good, my father would complain I would be playing in the boxes that the expensive toys came in, opposed to the toys themselves. I distinctly remember sitting in a box in my grandmother's room for countless hours. It was a boat, as I was on the ocean with the salt in the air, seagulls flying overhead making noises and a gentle breeze, as I was fishing. Or it was my very own house. Or even a race car.
When I was in kindergarten, the classroom had a large standing box. The largest box I had ever seen. (Mind you, I was short back then.) And it was used for make believe time. I am not sure if it had other themes, but I distinctly remember it being used as a space ship. We had a few items we could wear or use. My favorite was a helmet. I am not sure what it was made of. Could have been cardboard, too. But it was wrapped in tinfoil. Each kid and there were usually three on a trip, got to use something.
We'd walk inside. The teacher would shut the door. We'd have a count down. Doors would open. And we'd be on the moon! We'd get out and even bounce or float around. It's so stupid to think I actually thought it was like that, but I swear it felt like it was... Then after a few minutes, we'd get back in the space ship, I mean box... and the door was shut and there was another count down and we'd make it safely back to the classroom.
I know I had a vivid imagination back then, but this was surreal. Like I was actually there on another planet. I remember the darkness of the ship and space. I remember the shaking of the box due to the thrusters on the ship. I think the teacher even briefly turned off the lights and we only had the light from the windows thru shutters... It felt real...
Anyway... What did you make pretend with a cardboard box, when you were younger?
