This Valentine card mailbox starts life as an empty tissue box. Paint it pink, add a cardboard flag that swings up and down, and glue a big white heart with your child's name on the front. The idea comes from the Happy Crafty channel, where a mom and her daughter make one together for school. It is cheap, it uses things you already have, and little hands can do most of it.
A Valentine's Day box for the class party
Many schools ask each child to bring a box for the Valentine card swap. The tissue box opening becomes the mail slot, so there is nothing to cut on top. Classmates drop their cards in, and your child carries the whole thing home on the bus. It makes a sweet project for a grandparent and grandchild on a weekend afternoon, too.
Materials and swaps from around the house
- The box. Any rectangular tissue box works. A cereal box or shoebox gives more room for a big class. Cut a slot in the top with a craft knife.
- Paint. Mix red and white acrylic to get pink, or buy pink. Kids' washable paint works but may need a third coat.
- Cardboard. Cut the flag and heart from a shipping box or the back of a cereal box.
- The fastener. One brass brad lets the flag move. No brad? Glue the flag on so it stands up.
Sizes, measurements and time
A standard tissue box is about 9 inches long, 4.5 inches wide and 3.5 inches tall. Make the flag an L shape about 1 inch wide, with a tall arm of 4 to 5 inches. Draw the heart close to the length of the box front, about 7 inches across, so the name can be written big.
Plan on about an hour of hands-on time. Most of the afternoon is waiting for paint to dry. Do the painting in the morning and the decorating after lunch.
Valentine mailbox variations
- Red or white box. Paint the box red with a pink heart, or white with red hearts.
- Monster mailbox. Turn the slot into a mouth. Add googly eyes and paper teeth.
- Bigger box. A cereal box stands upright like a real mailbox post.
- Extra hearts. Fold an origami heart for the top, or hang a crochet heart from the flag.
Troubleshooting
- The tissue box print shows through. Let the first coat dry fully, then add a second. Pale pink needs two coats over a busy pattern.
- The flag flops down. Push the brad legs out flat inside the box and squeeze the hole closed a little.
- The heart curls. Paint both sides of the cardboard, or press it under a book while it dries.
Storing it and using it again
After the party, the box makes a keepsake. Leave the cards inside and tape a date to the bottom. It stores flat-ish on a closet shelf. Next year, glue a new heart over the old one or let your child paint a fresh coat. For more Valentine making, try a pop up card to drop in a friend's box, or a heart friendship bracelet to tuck inside.
