Kids will have a blast playing checkers or chess on a giant-sized game board.
Storage cubes lend themselves to a variety of uses, such as planters for your deck or porch. Turn a couple of cubes open-side up, line them with heavy-duty plastic and plant some flowers. Think beyond simple storage and you'll come up with some surprising new ways to put the cubes to work for you.
Shadow Boxes
Mount storage cubes on a wall for use as shadow boxes. Create a monochromatic display with boxes of one color, adding decorative items of the same color. Make a bright display for a child's room with cubes in primary colors, adding toys such as rubber ducks, dolls and cars in the same colors. Create a shabby-chic look with vintage or reproduction doilies tucked into a cube, providing a background for a teacup and saucer or a pair of figurines.
Alphabet Blocks
Transform three storage cubes into decorative alphabet blocks. Purchase large adhesive foam letters or pre-cut wooden letters, and attach them to the closed sides of the cube. With the open sides facing downward, make a pyramid with two cubes on the bottom and the third centered on top of them. Use this arrangement as a baby shower centerpiece or as decoration for a baby's room. For an older child's birthday party centerpiece, use one cube for each letter of his name.
Game Board
Make a giant game board for checkers or chess using 64 storage cubes. You'll need 32 white cubes and 32 black cubes. Arrange the cubes in eight rows of eight, beginning the first row with a black cube and alternating colors in each row. Fasten the cubes together with metal clips for a temporary arrangement, or use screws for a permanent game board. Purchase giant checkers or chess pieces to complete the game (see Resources).
Play House
Stack two dozen cubes in a U-shape to make a play house measuring 3 feet by 4 feet. Begin with a straight row of four cubes. Make one leg of the U with two cubes, butting the first one against the end cube in the straight row. Make the second leg in the same way. Stack two more rows of cubes all around the U. Keep the open sides of the cubes to the inside so the kids can use them to store toys and other valuables. Make it a temporary house that the kids can build or tear down, or fasten the cubes together with metal clips and screws. Drape a blanket over the top to serve as a roof on a temporary house, or fasten a piece of plywood to the tops of the cubes for a permanent one.
Tags: checkers chess, with cubes, cubes together, cubes together with, game board, metal clips
