Total Time Needed: Afternoon Or Evening
Kids can't resist airing their family's dirty laundry in a cool appliance that's loads of fun to wear.
Materials
- Cardboard box (ours was 18 by 18 by 18 inches)
- Packing tape
- Box knife
- 1 roll of white Con-Tact paper
- 9-inch-diameter paper plate
- 2 round, clear plastic plates or container lids (ours are 12 inches in diameter), found at party stores or ask for them at your grocery store's deli counter
- 12- by 24-inch piece of clear cellophane
- 12- by 24-inch piece of blue cellophane
- Silver foil tape (available at hardware stores)
- Adhesive-backed Velcro
- Hot-glue gun
- 3 plastic bottle caps and 1 plastic lid
- Black permanent marker
- Small, empty detergent box
- 5 safety pins
- Assorted pieces of old clothing
Instructions
1. Seal one end of the box shut with packing tape. With the box knife (parents only), cut the flaps off the other end. Save 1 flap.
2. Cover the outside of the box and the reserved flap with white Con-Tact paper.
3. Trace a paper plate onto the middle of the sealed end of the box and cut out that circle. Sketch and then cut out the arch-shaped armholes.
4. To make the door, trace one of the plastic plates or lids in the center of the front of the box. Cut a hole 1/2 inch smaller than the diameter of that circle.
5. Crumple both pieces of cellophane. With the bottoms of the plates facing out, sandwich the cellophane between the plates. Seal the edges of the plates with foil tape.
6. Attach Velcro to the box on each side of the circle cutout. Put the corresponding pieces on each side of the plates. Stick the door on the washing machine. On the right-hand side of the door, cover any exposed Velcro with foil tape. On the left side, place tape over the Velcro and the door so that it acts as a hinge.
7. Use the hot-glue gun to attach the flap to the back of the box.
8. To make a dial and knobs, tape 1 plastic bottle cap to the center of the plastic lid. Cover it and the 2 other caps with foil tape. Draw details on the dial with the marker. Attach the caps and dial to the back flap with the hot-glue gun.
9. Accessorize! Velcro or tape an empty detergent box to the top of the washing machine. Pin together 5 or so socks to make a sock necklace. Put boxer shorts on your child's head or pin more socks to a hat. Tuck other laundry into the neck hole.
Crafts
