Imaginations were on full display at Cardboard Kingdom Monday, Dec. 29, at Lisbon’s Heritage Hall, as children toddler to 10 worked with one another to create items out of cardboard boxes. Sounds of cardboard sawing and “Celebration” by Kool & The Gang bounced off the walls.
In an effort to bring new events to the hall, children’s librarian Meredith Nehring hosted the special event. Boxes for the event filled the entire stage, having come primarily from donations. With Christmas having just ended, many families were ready to get rid of extra cardboard boxes. Southeast Linn Community Center contributed to the event as well, donating leftover boxes from a Toys 4 Tots drive that had just been completed.
Although the age of children involved was broad, not one of the more than 30 children was left out. Hinrichsen sisters Adeline and Alice, aged 7 and 3, made a boat out of their cardboard, and put their baby sister Hazel in as the sailor.
Many children, like 9-year-old Madison Coppess or 8-year-old Amelie Nehring, had the same idea of creating elaborate houses out of their boxes. Fortunately for Amelie, Izyk Kladivo, a 10-year-old who was making a bridge for cars, had brought multiple large boxes that would fit the children within them, so house-making was no difficult task.
Other kids, like 10-year-old Rowan Schroeder or 7-year-old Henry Nehring, were figuring it out as they went along, leaving nothing off limits.
Although there were volunteers available to help kids when needed, independent creation was encouraged for the kids with child-safe cardboard saws and scissors provided to them at each table, accompanied by other supplies like tape, crayons, markers, pencils, and paint sticks.
Upon arrival, some children were hesitant, but with the warm welcome given by the other kids, it took no time for them to join in on the fun, both independently and collaboratively.
Historically, Heritage Hall had been the home of various artistic acts, such as writers and singers performing their works on the stage; however, Heritage Hall is now the host to many Lisbon Public Library events, such as summer story times for children to attend, or new events held during winter break like Cardboard Kingdom or Noon Year’s Eve.