Cardboard Boxes & Curiosity: Why Less is Actually More in Early Childhood

By Elise Bradbery, Educator, Mum of Four, Professional Toy De-escalator

After 17 years in early childhood education and four children of my own (yes, I’m exhausted—but let’s push on), I’ve had the unique experience of working across all kinds of early learning environments—from the glitzy corporate centres with custom-branded toys and laminated everything, to the humble family-run daycares where cardboard boxes, nature walks and a decent sense of humour are the core curriculum.

And you know what? The difference is wild.

In the corporate world, I watched children surrounded by every possible resource—shelves bursting with toys, dramatic play corners that looked like they’d been sponsored by IKEA, and enough wooden food to open a second Woolies. But oddly, when faced with all that stuff, the children struggled. They asked, “What do I do with this?” They needed constant direction. They lacked the ability to just… play. And honestly? So did the educators. Stressed. Tired. Constantly “resetting” rooms that looked like they’d been attacked by a rainbow.

Now contrast that with the family-owned centre I work with today. Resource orders are rare, not because they aren’t investing in the centre or the children but because they understand what’s important. The shelves aren’t overflowing. But you know what is abundant? Imagination. Curiosity. Resilience. Communication. Emotional regulation. Educators who laugh more than they sigh. Children who turn sticks into wands and rocks into dragons. And the team? Collaborative, calm, creative.

The old saying “money can’t buy happiness” really shines here. Turns out it also can’t buy imagination.

I’ve worked in the resource-rich and the resource-restrained—and hands down, the magic lives in the latter. Why? Because limitations breed creativity. And there’s research to back it up:

Research from the University of Colorado shows that children who engage in more unstructured play (hello, cardboard boxes and garden rocks) develop stronger executive functioning skills—things like problem-solving, emotional control and flexible thinking.

A study published in the journal Child Development found that open-ended, imaginative play builds stronger language development and empathy in children than structured, toy-led activities.

In fact, some of the best play I’ve ever witnessed involved a stick, a blanket, and a group of kids negotiating who got to be the “dragon” and who had to be the “tree.” No batteries required.

So what are we doing when we flood our rooms with “educational” toys that beep, light up and do the thinking for children? We’re unintentionally dulling the very skills we say we want to foster.

And educators feel this too. More toys = more chaos. More tidying. More cleaning. Less joy. Less connection.

Here’s the part I’m proud of: In my current role, I’m lucky to work alongside a team of educators who are shifting the narrative. We’re growing our own skills, backing ourselves as professionals, and learning to step back and let children lead. We’re reclaiming the lost art of imagination—one loose part and one thoughtful provocation at a time. We are fostering a centre of collaborative learning – no,not just between ourselves as professionals but between educator & child, we are on a learning journey together – with our little friends leading the way.

Because when you stop doing the play for children and start trusting them to create it themselves, something incredible happens: They rise. They shine. They imagine.

Let’s bring back the cardboard boxes. Let’s bring back curiosity.

Let’s remember—less isn’t lacking. It’s liberating.