I love crafting with my little girl. Even if what we make isn’t as intricate as the store-bought toys, she seems to love them way more. Maybe it’s because Mommy made them, or maybe it’s because she had a hand in creating them (like her bright red police car). Either way, in this house, we love making our own toys.

Our latest DIY addition is a parking garage for all her cars. I’m a newbie when it comes to DIY crafts and this one is perfect since it doesn’t require any precise measurements. It took way less time than I had expected and watching my toddler come up with all sorts of different ways to play with it makes it time well spent.

This craft takes approximately 40 minutes.

Here’s what you’ll need:
One large cardboard box
Small cardboard pieces
Hot glue gun
Exacto knife & ruler
Tape

Step 1: Cut out a big piece of cardboard.

Step 2: Since your big cardboard piece will most likely have folds, cut out a smaller piece and tape it to the back to reinforce your base piece.

Step 3: Take one long piece of cardboard and split it into four smaller pieces. Roll them into pillars and use tape to secure them.

Step 4: Find a smaller box with sides if you can to make the top part of your parking structure. Cut open half of one side to use for the ramp.

Step 5: Use a pencil to mark where you’ll be putting your pillars and secure them to your base with a hot glue gun.

Step 6: Find a long piece of cardboard and connect it to the top part of your parking structure and to the base. This will be your ramp.

Step 7: Use smaller pieces to add sides to your ramp. Trust me, you’ll need these when your kid starts pushing all their cars down at the same time.

Step 8: Smooth out the bottom of your ramp and secure it to your base with tape. This will help the cars from skipping when they get to the bottom.

Step 9: Then add sides around the entire base to keep the cars from falling off. And voilà, you’re done! Add in some parking space and decorate it however you like.

Pro Tip:
Flatten out those nice kuaidi boxes and keep a stack handy. They’re made from such durable cardboard material and are perfect for DIY crafts at home.

Did you enjoy making this with your kids? Search #jingkidsCrafts for more kitchen table crafting ideas.

Images: Mina Yan

I love Chinese New Year in Beijing, there’s a quietness that takes over the city as thousands make the journey to different corners of the country to spend time with family and loved ones during the biggest occasion on the Chinese Lunar Calendar.

By next week, School’s out and the Lunar New Year will be upon us. Use this opportunity to explore Beijing further without heavy crowds or traffic and partake in some of the cool activities made available for families throughout the city. Your first stop should be The SLab!

Whatever itinerary you have planned for the kids this Chinese New Year, make a stop at The SLab to enjoy Afternoon Tea with the family.  The creative hub that hosts all kinds of cool camps and activities throughout the year will be hosting an afternoon of crafting, sweet and savory snakes and an opportunity to take away a keepsake of the day.

One ticket for the whole family will get you a set of Afternoon Tea, for up to five people, lantern crafting and ninhua painting, a family makeover with an onsite makeup artist who will prepare you and the kids for a professional photo shoot, and three retouched studio family portrait photographs. Yes, all this fun and festive joy for the whole family. Pre-booking is required, so secure your ticket while you can! WeChat: JenPoland.RMB 1,118. 2pm-6pm. January 27. The SLab, 2/F, Building 2, 7 Xinzhong Street, Dongcheng District

It is known that Beijing has no shortage of family-friendly spaces where one can entertain the kiddies while enjoying a delicious, cold pint of craft beer. But it isn’t very often when one of these venues creates a day tailor-made for these little people in our lives.

Following the success of Slow Boat’s first Family Day in December where Beijing’s youth were invited to decorate holiday-themed cookies and do a variety of arts and crafts, the event returns on February 3 (12-3pm) complete with bilingual story time, book crafts, free kids’ brunch, and more!

The best part of all is that this event is free for all to enjoy. It goes without saying that the beverages and eats on offer for adults will cost you, but having your child entertained with story time and crafts while you enjoy what will no doubt be a liquid brunch is priceless. We probably don’t need to tell you to exercise restraint and don’t go too crazy as children will be present, but you probably know that already.

Register in advance of the event via the Yoopay link here so that they know just how many kids they should expect and how many books and crafting supplies to prepare. Families are also welcome to bring books from home to share with others in attendance.

Photos: Courtesy of Slow Boat Brewery