2013 Global Cardboard Challenge Reaches 70,000 Participants Worldwide

by | Oct 1, 2013 | Announcements

Cardboard Challenge in Queensland, Australia
Cardboard Challenge in Queensland, Australia

Cardboard Challenge in Queensland, Australia. Photo by Kym Prestwood.

We are excited to announce that we now have over 70,000 participants from 39 countries – including Finland, Israel, South Africa and Kenya – registered for our 2013 Global Cardboard Challenge. The Challenge will culminate on Saturday, October 5th  when communities around the world come together in a global day of play to celebrate the creativity and imagination of children everywhere. Kids are busy building elaborate arcades (of course!) along with cardboard cities, robots, shadow puppets theaters, subterranean Cardboard tunnels in their libraries and more.

Highlights include:

  • a Challenge in Dubai at one of the greenest commercial buildings in the world
  • a Challenge at Hill Air Force Base in Utah hosted by a 13-year old Boy Scout for children whose parents are actively deployed or serving in the armed forces
  • a space-themed Challenge hosted by a South African NGO at Capetown Science Center
  • a Challenge for 600 children in Northern Israel working together to build a giant Rube Goldberg Machine
  • and a Challenge in Nairobi, Kenya hosted by volunteers working with children from local orphanages.

In addition to donating free cardboard and supplies to local Cardboard Challenge events around the country, our 2013 ‘Challenge America’ sponsor, Mattress Firm, will be hosting events in Matthews, NC, Miami, FL, Mobile, AL, Muncie, IN, Aberdeen, NC, and Houston, TX.

Other key sponsors and partners of the Global Cardboard Challenge include the Goldhirsh Foundation and California Community Foundation, as well as Australian toy company, Makedo who have designed special Cardboard Challenge kits featuring reusable tools to support cardboard creativity (15% of the proceeds from the kits will benefit the Foundation), and DIY.org, a community created for young makers and do-it-yourselfers to gain skills and share what they build.

The Imagination Foundation (along with City Year and Partnership for Los Angeles Schools) will be hosting a flagship Cardboard Challenge day of play at Hollenbeck Middle School in Boyle Heights. If you’re in LA on October 5th, RSVP via the Facebook Event Page and come play!