Camp K Backpack

Camp K backpack pattern is available by downloading the pdf version of this project (see below).

Materials ††

• Small corrugated cardboard pizza box, 1 per child ††
• Black 4mm nylon craft cord, 6 ft. per child ††
• Paper fasteners, 2 per child ††
• Small hair rubber bands, 1 per child ††
• Camp K Backpack pattern ††
• White cardstock, 1 sheet per child

Tools and Basic Supplies ††

• Hand drill with 1/8-in. and 3/16-in. drill bits ††
• Office paper cutter ††
• Scissors ††
• Glue sticks ††
• Highlighters in 4-5 colors ††
• Colored markers

Pre-Prep

1. Cut the craft cord into 6 ft. lengths, one per child. Then double knot one end of each length of cord.
2. Photocopy the Camp K Backpack pattern onto white cardstock, one per child. Then use an office paper cutter to remove the white border from each pattern.
3. Drill a 3/16-in. hole in each corner of the bottom of every box. You can drill several at a time by stacking unassembled (flat) boxes on top of each other and binding with large rubber bands. Just make sure you’re drilling through the bottom of each box and not the lid!
4. Assemble the boxes, one per child.
5. Drill a 1/8-in. hole near the front edge of the lid (at the center). Then open the lid a couple inches and drill a second 1/8-in. hole through the front of the box near the top edge, directly below the hole in the lid.
6. Place a Camp K Backpack pattern, a length of cord, 2 paper fasteners, and a small hair rubber band inside each box.

Class Time Directions

1. Open your box and remove the contents.
2. Insert a paper fastener through the hole in the lid and bend the prongs to secure. Insert the other paper fastener into the hole below the lid, but before you bend the prongs this time, loop the rubber band around the second fastener. By stretching the rubber band from the second fastener to the first, you’ll use it as a latch to keep the lid closed.
3. To create shoulder straps, take the end of the black cord that isn’t knotted and thread it from the inside of the box out through the top left hole and pull until the knot reaches the hole.
4. Next, thread the cord back in through the bottom left hole, across the inside of the box, out through the bottom right hole, and in through the top right hole. Then, tie a double knot in the end so it doesn’t pull out. Then adjust the straps so they’re even on both sides.
5. Use highlighters and markers to color the Camp K Backpack pattern, then close the box and attach it to the lid with glue stick.
6. To keep your “backpack” closed, stretch the rubber band and loop the head of the paper fastener on the lid.

Tip Corner

• For easier threading and to prevent fraying, consider fusing the ends of the craft cord with a candle or candle lighter during Pre-Prep.
• Black-and-white-striped nylon craft cord is an attractive alternative to solid black cord.