I vote the cardboard box, especially if it is a large appliance box, Unfortunately you can't really give someone a large cardboard box, but oh boy are they fun.
Cardboard box demolition ideas for kids [1] I like where this video is going, letting kids explore the structural capabilities of different geometries.
Thank you for writing about parenting. Today was a tough day with the kids, and reading your blog after they’ve gone to sleep helped things feel a little better.