My great-grandfather used to say that the best gift you can give a child is a cardboard box. He would marvel at the myriad ways a lil one could use the box — climbing in and out, coloring it, turning it into a house, and more.

Maybe that's what the folks at Paperpod Cardboard Creations had in mind when they began crafting furniture and toys out of recycled cardboard. The British company's sturdy, lightweight, and environmentally-friendly creations include rocket ships ($77), forts ($39), and teepees ($80) that are easy to assemble and fold flat for storage. The blank canvas created by the cardboard also gives your tot the opportunity to showcase his creativity, as paint, marker, crayons, stickers, and glue can all be used for decorating.

Guaranteed to provide hours of uninterrupted play, the products can be purchased in the US at Cardboarddesign.