Valentine Mailbox

Sometimes I am surprised by how much my kids will like certain crafts.  For example, the paper roll owl family {found here} I thought was cute but didn't think the kids would play with them for very long.  It turned out the owl family was a big hit and continues to get play time!

Then I saw these mailboxes.  Again, I thought it was a cute craft but did not expect how much the kids would love them!  They were so excited to decorate their mailboxes and started writing out and mailing Valentine's to each other as soon as the paint dried.

Here is how you make them......

Look through your cupboards and get some heavy weight cereal or cracker boxes.

First you will make the bottom of you mailbox {this will make more sense as you keep reading}.
Trace out the bottom of your box onto another piece of cardboard.
Add rectangles for 'tabs'.
Cut out, fold up the tabs and set this piece aside.

Then, carefully take the boxes apart at the seams and cut off the bottom flaps so that when put back together the bottom will be open.

Turn them 'inside out' and reglue them together.  This way you can paint them. {I used a glue gun which quickly and strongly held them together with no wait time}

Cut out your mailbox slot.

You could leave the box as is or you can cut out some mailbox legs as seen in the picture below.  The pic below also shows how the bottom of the mailbox will look once inserted.

Then paint and decorate your mailbox. 

Poke some small holes into the mailbox door and add a pipecleaner handle.

All done!

Have fun mailing all those Valentine's!