Making Treasure Boxes

Our mailbox activity yesterday was so much fun, I thought I’d share how we did it. I chose this craft because we’d done it before to make treasure boxes so I still had the supplies (budget friendly!) and I knew it would be a great big hit with the kids!

Supplies:

• shoebox, oatmeal cannister, or other box with built-in lid, saltine cracker boxes make great (indoor) mailboxes! ;O)
• craft paint (yesterday we used leftover Kilz from a home decor project!)
• stickers, recycled cards, pics cut from magazines, real pictures of pets or family members, lace, rickrack or other edging for pics if desired
• Mod-podge (my most FAVORITE craft supply ever!!! Well, one of them!) and paint brush

This is messy so spread out the newspapers and fill yourself with enthusiasm (or if you’re like me–coffee!) (Really, your kids are gonna love it!)

Spend some time tossing ideas around so your child can decide on a theme, contrasting paints, etc. My oldest decided on greens and browns, knowing they’d look great with all the horse pics she’d cut off last year’s desk calendar. She painted the box green and sponge painted a dark brown border on the flap. 6 yo had a bunch of foam-craft stickers so she went that route.

After the painted box dries, arrange photos/stickers/etc however you want them and glue them on. Final step is coating the whole thing with mod-podge! It seals it and gives it a wonderfully finished look.

And since ours are mailboxes (hoping this will motivate hand-writing AND family ties) we used one of those brassy looking brads to insert a flag on the side. Mom and dad’s mailbox has two flags…whichever one is up tells the right parent that they’ve got mail!!!

And once again we’ve got a super busy day ahead…I’m calling it a field trip since we’re going with another homeschool family…library, picnic at zoo, plus errands=an all around educational experience!