Box with pre-printed graphics for children

Abstract

A box for holding contents during delivery to a user contains play graphics associated with a play activity of a child, thus encouraging reuse of the box as a toy by children. In one embodiment, the box contains pre-printed play graphics on the inside of the box and is of sufficient size so as to allow a significant portion of the child to enter the box while the child performs the play activity. In this embodiment, the original logos displayed on the box are maintained. In another embodiment, the box contains at least some graphics to be used to reconfigure the box according to a predetermined configuration associated with the play activity. The box is reconfigured for play, either alone or in combination with one or more other boxes. The play graphics may supplement or supplant the original logos on the box.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A box for holding contents during delivery to a user comprising: 
 an exterior portion that includes content graphics associated with the contents of the box during delivery; and    an interior portion that includes at least one play graphic associated with a play activity of a child;    wherein the box has dimensions of sufficient sizes so as to allow a significant portion of the child to enter the box while the child performs the play activity, and the at least one play graphic is entirely useable by the child while the box is substantially assembled.    
     
     
         2 . The box of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said at least one play graphic comprises ink embedded into a section of the interior portion of the box, said embedded ink graphic being invisible during delivery of the box, the embedded ink graphic being capable of being made visible after delivery of the box by wiping said section with a liquid.  
     
     
         3 . The box of  claim 1 , wherein the contents of said box during delivery include: 
 play utensils that are associated with the play activity.    
     
     
         4 . The box of  claim 3 , wherein the play utensils are selected from the group consisting of: 
 crayons, stickers, re-useable stickers, paint, paint brushes, markers, pencils, and game pieces.    
     
     
         5 . The box of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the at least one play graphic comprises a plurality of board games, with at least one board game on one side of the box and another board game on a another side of the box;    wherein the child plays the one board game by rotating the box until the one board game is in a down position.    
     
     
         6 . The box of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one play graphic comprises a scene comprising at least a first graphic located on a first panel of the interior portion of the box and a second play graphic located on a second panel of the interior portion of the box, whereby said first and second play graphics are coordinated to form said scene.  
     
     
         7 . The box of  claim 1 , wherein at least a section of one surface of the interior portion of the box is coated with a material that allows for ink markings to be made on the interior portion which can then be erased.  
     
     
         8 . A box assembly for delivery to a user comprising: 
 a box for holding contents during delivery to the user, said box comprising: 
 an exterior portion that includes at least one logo identifying a source  
   of the contents of said box during delivery; and 
 an interior portion; and  
   contents for delivery to a user disposed within said box;    wherein at least one play graphic associated with a play activity of a child is included in a portion of the box assembly selected from the group consisting of the interior portion, the contents, the exterior portion, and combinations thereof, at least one of said at least one play graphic being capable of being attached to the exterior portion of the box after delivery of said box assembly to said user so as to alter the box according to a predetermined configuration associated with the play activity.    
     
     
         9 . The box assembly of  claim 8 , wherein said at least one of said at least one play graphic to be attached to the exterior portion is to be attached in a manner that supplements said at least one logo.  
     
     
         10 . The box assembly of  claim 8 , wherein said at least one of said at least one play graphic to be attached to the exterior portion is to be attached in a manner that replaces at least one of said at least one logo.  
     
     
         11 . The box assembly of  claim 8 , wherein at least one of said at least one play graphic to be attached to the exterior portion comprises a graphic pre-printed on the interior portion of the box prior to delivery of the box, whereby the pre-printed graphic is to be attached to the exterior portion of the box after delivery of the box by a section of the box containing the pre-printed graphic being removed from the box and reattached to the exterior portion of the box in a manner that enhances the predetermined configuration of the box.  
     
     
         12 . The box assembly of  claim 11 , wherein said pre-printed graphic comprises ink embedded into a section of the interior portion of the box, said embedded ink graphic being invisible during delivery of the box, the embedded ink graphic being capable of being made visible after delivery of the box by wiping said section with a liquid.  
     
     
         13 . The box assembly of  claim 8 , wherein at least one of said at least one play graphic to be attached to the exterior portion includes a new logo associated with the play activity.  
     
     
         14 . The box assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the contents of the box assembly include: 
 play pieces that are associated with the play activity.    
     
     
         15 . The box assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the box, after delivery of the box to the user, may be coordinated with at least one additional box for holding contents during delivery to the user according to the predetermined configuration.  
     
     
         16 . The box assembly of  claim 15 , wherein said at least one additional box includes at least one play graphic associated with the predetermined configuration that was attached to the exterior portion of the additional box after delivery of the additional box to the user to alter the additional box according to the predetermined configuration.  
     
     
         17 . A method for providing a delivery container for holding contents during delivery to a user that may, after delivery of the delivery container and removal of the contents therein, be altered according to a predetermined configuration associated with a play activity of a child, the method comprising: 
 assembling the delivery container, the delivery container having an exterior portion that includes at least one logo identifying a source of the contents of the delivery container and an interior portion; and    placing the contents for delivery to the user within the delivery container;    whereby at least one play graphic associated with a play activity of a child is included in a portion of the combined delivery container and contents, said portion selected from the group consisting of the interior portion of the delivery container, the contents, the exterior portion of the delivery container, and combinations thereof, at least one of said at least one play graphic being capable of being attached to the exterior portion of the delivery container after delivery of the delivery container to the user so as to alter the delivery container according to a predetermined configuration associated with the play activity.    
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein at least one of said at least one play graphic to be attached to the exterior portion comprises a graphic pre-printed on the interior portion of the container prior to delivery of the container, whereby the pre-printed graphic is to be attached to the exterior portion of the container after delivery of the container by a section of the container including the pre-printed graphic being removed from the container and reattached to the exterior portion of the container in a manner that enhances the predetermined configuration of the container.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said pre-printed graphic comprises ink embedded into a section of the interior portion of the container, said embedded ink graphic being invisible during delivery of the container, the embedded ink graphic being capable of being made visible after delivery of the box by wiping said section with a liquid.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein at least one of said at least one play graphic to be attached to the exterior portion includes a new logo associated with the play activity.