The Global Cardboard Challenge is an annual initiative of the Imagination Foundation. Inspired by the short film, "Caine's Arcade," the Cardboard Challenge is a worldwide celebration of child creativity and the role communities can play in fostering it. This year's Challenge aims to engage 1 million kids in 70 countries in creative play!

In the month of September, kids will design and build something out of cardboard, recycled materials and imagination. Then on October 5th, 2013, the anniversary of the flash mob that came out to make Caine’s day in the "Caine's Arcade" short film, friends, family, and community members will come out to local events to celebrate the creativity and imagination of kids everywhere.

The Cardboard Challenge started in 2012 with over 270 Challenge events organized in 41 countries; kids used their events to raise tens-of-thousands of dollars for various causes, including local food banks, community gardens, library and school programs, childhood cancer research, and the Imagination Foundation.

Get inspired! Watch videos from last year's Cardboard Challenge here: http://www.imagination.is/gcc_videos

Because creativity and creative thinking are critical skills for the future. And because it's fun! By hosting a Cardboard Challenge, you are joining our global community of parents, teachers, business and nonprofit leaders who are helping us realize our mission of fostering creativity and entrepreneurship in kids.

Other outcomes of the Global Cardboard Challenge include:

• fosters ingenuity, resourcefulness, creativity, expressiveness and teamwork in children
• exemplifies learner-centered and project-based learning, through play and creating for others
• encourages repurposing and recycling of "trash"
• builds community, locally and globally and gives adults an opportunity to collaborate, lead and mentor
• can be used to introduce social entrepreneurship at a young age, connecting a child's creativity to having impact
• increases global happiness and makes for a happier, more playful world!

The Global Cardboard Challenge kicks off in September and culminates in a Global Day of Play on October 5th, 2013, the anniversary of the flash mob that came out to make Caine's day. You can plan your Challenge to take place over the entire month of September - with multiple days for kids to design and build (and explore different parts of the creative process!) - or as a one-day event on Oct 5th, the Global Day of Play - it's up to you.

Hosting a Cardboard Challenge is simple and fun! All you need is a location (e.g. a classroom, local park, backyard, driveway, community center), kids (show them "Caine’s Arcade" to get them inspired), cardboard and recycled materials, and some imagination.

A Cardboard Challenge can happen in school or out of school. If you're a parent, host one in your backyard with friends and family, or team up with a local school, business, nonprofit or other community organization. If you're an Educator, organize a Cardboard Challenge with your class, or get the entire school school involved. You can also host a Challenge for the kids in your after-school club or youth organization or through your company. 

To learn more, read our 5 Simple Steps for Hosting a Cardboard Challenge. Ready to get started? Click the 'HOST A CHALLENGE' button to Sign Up and get an Organizer Kit:

Any school, organization, or individual can host and organize a Cardboard Challenge, simply register to "Get Involved" here: http://imagination.is/get_involved

Resources to Share:

Share the Cardboard Challenge with your school, teacher, principles, superintendant, and/or other parents so they can bring this creativity challenge to kids in your community. Get the Cardboard Challenge on the Fall Calendar before school lets out!

• Print/download and distribute the Global Cardboard Challenge Info Sheet 
• Share links to the short films 'Caine's Arcade' and 'Caine's Arcade 2: From a Movie to a Movement':
  Caine's Arcade: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=faIFNkdq96U
  Caine's Arcade 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ul9c-4dX4Hk 
• For more inspiration, show some of these Video snippets from our 2012 Global Cardboard Challenge:  www.imagination.is/gcc_videos

The Imagination Foundation was inspired by the global response to the Caine's Arcade short film. We're a non-profit with a mission to find, foster and fund creativity and entrepreneurship in children around the world. Our goal is to raise a new generation of innovators and problem solvers who have the tools they need to build the world they imagine.

Read more about us and our story.