Build a disappearing box
Build a disappearing box to hide a small toy using cardboard, tape, and a trapdoor or mirror illusion, then test and decorate your creation.
Step-by-step guide to build a disappearing box
HOW TO MAKE A PAPER BLIND BOX! | free printable | *easy tutorial* | paper diy | applefrog
Step 1
Gather all the materials and pick the small toy you want to hide inside your disappearing box
Step 2
Decide whether you will build a trapdoor hiding spot or a mirror illusion inside your box
Step 3
Use the ruler and pencil to draw the whole box shape on the cardboard including the base the four walls and a lid
Step 4
With adult supervision cut out the cardboard box shape you just drew
Step 5
Fold the cardboard along the pencil lines to make the base the walls and the lid
Step 6
Tape the outside corners to hold the walls upright and make the box strong
Step 7
Tape the lid to the back wall so it opens and closes like a hinge
Step 8
If you chose the trapdoor option cut a small rectangle in the base where the toy will disappear with adult supervision
Step 9
If you chose the trapdoor option tape a flap under the base so the toy can drop into a hidden compartment
Step 10
If you chose the mirror option tape the small mirror or a piece of shiny aluminium foil at an angle inside one side of the box so it reflects empty space
Step 11
Put your small toy into the hiding spot you made inside the box
Step 12
Close the lid of your box so the front looks normal
Step 13
Peek from the front of the closed box to test if the toy really appears to disappear
Step 14
Decorate the outside of your disappearing box with colouring materials and make it look magical
Step 15
Share your finished disappearing box on DIY.org
Final steps
You're almost there! Complete all the steps, bring your creation to life, post it, and conquer the challenge!
Help!?
What can I use if I don't have a small mirror or cardboard?
Use shiny aluminium foil or an old CD as the mirror and substitute cardboard with a cereal box or thin poster board to draw and fold the base, walls, and lid.
My trapdoor flap won't let the toy drop or the mirror doesn't hide the toy—what should I check?
For the trapdoor option, make sure the rectangle cut in the base is the right size and the taped flap underneath can move freely, and for the mirror option, adjust the angle of the mirror or foil so it reflects empty space and reinforce taped corners if walls wobble.
How can I change the activity for different ages?
For younger children have an adult do the cutting and tape the lid hinge and trapdoor while the child folds, inserts the toy, and decorates, and for older kids let them measure, cut the cardboard shape, precisely tape the mirror, and design more complex hidden compartments.
How can we enhance or personalize our disappearing box after we build it?
Along with decorating the outside as instructed, try lining the hidden compartment with felt, adding LED tea lights for a magical reveal, or installing a magnet or pull-tab to trigger the trapdoor so the toy disappears on command.
Watch videos on how to build a disappearing box
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Facts about magic tricks and illusion techniques for kids
🪞 A half-silvered or angled mirror can make a toy vanish from view when lights and angles are just right — perfect for a disappearing-box illusion.
📦 Cardboard is lightweight but strong, which is why builders and shipppers use it for making sturdy DIY boxes and props.
🎩 Magicians often combine trapdoors, mirrors, and misdirection to create surprises — Houdini and other performers loved clever stage mechanics.
🪄 Pepper's ghost is a 19th-century stage trick that uses glass or plastic to make things appear, disappear, or seem ghostly.
🧸 Small toys like action figures, LEGO minifigures, or tiny plushies are ideal for testing disappearing boxes while you tweak your trapdoor or mirror setup.
How do you build a disappearing box to hide a small toy?
What materials do I need to build a disappearing box?
What ages is the disappearing box activity suitable for?
What safety tips should I follow when building and testing a disappearing box?
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