Turn a shoebox into a play bunny hutch kids can make, decorate, and fill with cute recycled accessories, then use for dramatic pet play.
Hop over this way to see the latest addition to our pretend pet family… it’s Sock Hop, the no-sew sock bunny, and an upcycled handmade hutch!
Save your shoeboxes, because this is the most adorable little play pet setup and a fun DIY for kids to make (with only a little adult help!).
In addition to being an imagination-building alternative to the real thing (temporarily scratching that “I need a pet!” itch), this provides a wonderful opportunity to discuss animal habitats like…
- What kinds of environments do rabbits live in?
- What do they eat?
- What accessories will you need to take care of your “bunny”?
Watch a sneak peek of our bunny hutch ready for play!
There are also countless opportunities for creative making. This little cardboard hutch can be personalized, decorated, and decked out with anything your little caretakers can think of.
The doors of our bunny hutch swing out on simple hinges, adding a bit of basic engineering to the build. And your kids can even make their own play pet bunnies (from a sock!)
Little animal lovers can create habitats for a whole menagerie of pets with a play reptile aquarium or DIY bug box (both made from a recycled cardboard box). Visit the full collection of DIY kids’ pet play ideas!
To make your own play bunny hutch you’ll need:
Note: We prefer to shop locally or use what we have at home, but this list contains Woodpeckers Crafts, Etsy, Blick Art Materials, Bookshop.org and/or Amazon affiliate links for reference. As affiliates (and Amazon Associates), we make a small commission on qualifying purchases.*
BASIC SUPPLIES:
- A Shoebox or cardboard box
- A Ruler
- An X-Acto knife, cardboard scissors (these are the kind I use), or similar
- A hot glue gun or craft glue
- 2 straws
- 2 craft dowels, wooden skewers, or straight sticks
FOR THE ACCESSORIES:
- A darling DIY no-sew sock bunny
- Shredded paper, raffia, or straw
- A piece of scrap cardboard and sticks
- Misc. recycled items to make into a food bowl, water drip, etc.
OPTIONAL:
- 2-4 Wooden blocks
- Acrylic or tempera paints and a foam brush
How to Make a Cardboard Pretend Play Bunny Hutch – DIY Instructions:
Draw the hutch doors on your shoebox lid.
Grab the lid of your shoebox and use a ruler to make the outlines of your 2 hutch doors.
Cut out the hutch doors using a utility knife.
Using an X-Acto knife, cut out your hutch doors.
Paint (optional).
This is an optional step, but it adds a bit of bright color. Using a foam brush and tempera or acrylic paint, paint both sides of your hutch doors. Let dry or dry with a hairdryer.
Trim and glue the straws to the hutch doors.
We used straws and skewer “pins” to create simple hinged doors. Lay your doors down flat with the side that will face the inside of the box facing up towards you.
Trim two paper or plastic straws to the height of your doors, then use a hot glue gun or craft glue to attach them to the inner edge of each door.
Make four small holes in the shoebox for the door hinges.
We will be inserting wooden dowels through the straws and box to make our hinges functional. With the open side of your shoebox facing you, prep for this by making two small holes on each of the outer edges of your box (four holes total).
Push the wooden skewers through the box and straws.
Line up the straw “hinge” on the door with the holes on the box, then slide the wooden dowel or skewer through. Voila! A hinged door!
Repeat the same process for the other door.
Add accessories to your bunny hutch.
Once you have all your elements ready, it’s time to set up your environment in your box. Arrange the items to create a nice home for your play pet to inhabit.
We put some shredded paper (our ”timothy hay”) in the hutch to make a nice cozy lining our bunny can be comfy in. There’s also a ramp made out of cardboard, a water bottle made from a clear bottle, straw, and paperclip hanger, and a bowl of rabbit “pellets” (just an orange juice bottle lid filled with dry pinto beans).
Add the (pretend) bunnies!
Well, what would a rabbit hutch be without the rabbit, right? You can use the DIY for our no-sew stuffed bunnies to make your own hoppy hare, or use a stuffed animal you already have.
You can decorate the outside of your bunny hutch by making a sign with your bunny’s name, coloring patterns on the outside, or adding other cute details to personalize your cardboard rabbit home.
6 More Ways to Play with Your Cardboard Rabbit Hutch
1. Use your toy bunny hutch for storytelling prompts.
What’s the name of the bunny that lives in your hutch? Did you adopt your bunny or did they move into the hutch on their own? Do they have any animal friends or relatives who like to stop by for carrots and tea?
- Name of the Bunny: Start by naming your bunny. This could be something whimsical like “Mr. Fluffles” or “Bella Hoppington.” Let the name inspire the character of your bunny.
- Bunny’s Origin Story: Decide if your bunny was adopted from a shelter, given by a friend, or if it magically found its way to the hutch one day. This backstory adds depth to your storytelling.
- Animal Friends and Relatives: Create a circle of friends and family for your bunny. Perhaps there’s a wise old turtle that offers advice, a cheeky squirrel that drops by to share nuts, or a cousin bunny that visits on weekends. These characters can come over for adventures, share meals of carrots and tea, and partake in the bunny’s daily life.
2. Set up an animal rescue or vet dramatic play activity.
Create a play area that mimics an animal rescue center or veterinarian’s office. Use toy medical tools, create patient charts, and have children take turns being the vet or the pet owner.
The bunny hutch can serve as a recovery area for “sick” or “injured” toy animals. Kids can learn about caring for animals, empathy, and the responsibilities involved in pet ownership.
3. Use as a classroom “pet.”
The bunny hutch can be a central part of the classroom, offering a focus for lessons on responsibility, animal care, and empathy. Even though it’s a pretend pet, children can take turns feeding, cleaning, and caring for the bunny, learning valuable life skills in the process.
4. Use for practice before getting a real pet.
For families considering a pet, the bunny hutch can be a great way to gauge a child’s readiness for pet ownership. Assign daily tasks related to the care of the bunny, including feeding, cleaning the hutch, and ensuring the bunny gets “exercise.” This can help teach children the commitment involved in caring for a living creature.
5. Use it as Inspiration to learn more about rabbits.
Begin this project by gaining a bit of bunny knowledge through kids’ rabbit facts or an overview of bunny life – in the wild and in our homes.
Use children’s books, educational websites, and documentaries to make learning fun and engaging. Discuss what you learn and compare the “life” of your pretend bunny to real rabbits.
6. Make more shoebox bunny hutch accessories.
Out bunny hutch is fairly simple, but if you have a little rabbit-lover, they might want to go all out for their pretend pet and make a double-decker bunny hutch with all sorts of bells and whistles! You could also make a set of clay or paper mache carrots for your bunny, a little garden for it to forage, some stick tunnels for it to hop through, or a bunny burrow.
- Double-Decker Hutch: Design a more complex hutch with multiple levels for the bunny to explore.
- Dietary Delights: Craft clay or paper mache carrots, create a small pretend garden for the bunny to “forage” in, and maybe even a little dish set for serving meals.
- Exercise and Exploration: Make tunnels from cardboard tubes or sticks for the bunny to hop through. Construct a burrow out of boxes or fabric for it to hide in, mimicking a rabbit’s natural environment.
Want to set up your own animal-filled meadow? Make a play pond complete with floating egg carton ducks, a cardboard fawn, “jumping” paper frogs, and a recycled juice carton birdhouse with newly hatched egg carton chicks!
*A note about affiliate links: We strive to use simple, earth-friendly supplies that can be purchased locally whenever we can, but sometimes we find the best universally available options, a rare eco-friendly find, or a niche product only available on Blick Art Materials, Amazon, Etsy, or Woodpeckers Crafts. When included in our supply list, these products are affiliate links, and if you click through to make a purchase we receive a small commission that helps us re-order these supplies!
