Making your own Valentine box to collect your Valentines at school is a fun and easy Valentine craft for kids of all ages! Today we have two different homemade Valentine box ideas that upcycle household items and use basic craft supplies. Follow the simple step by step instructions to make your own customized Valentine box or use these as inspiration to create your own Valentine mailbox design!
Kids Valentine Box Ideas
Remember the fun of receiving all those Valentines at school? You may have been in preschool or Kindergarten or 1st Grade…or higher. Sometimes the class would make a box to collect the Valentines together. Sometimes we brought homemade Valentine mailboxes from home.
Related: Valentine party ideas
Here are two simple DIY Valentine’s Day box ideas that you can make with things like a milk carton and empty cereal boxes you might already have at home.
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How to Make a School Bus Valentine Box
Our first Valentine mail box design that you can easily craft from things you already have is a School Bus! A school bus made out of a milk carton. So head to your recycling bin and grab an empty milk carton along with a few other supplies…
Related: Kids Valentines you can make
Supplies Needed for Valentine School Bus Mail Box
- Milk carton
- Four milk carton caps
- Yellow wrapping paper (or any yellow paper or yellow construction paper)
- Glue stick & glue gun with sticks
- Black, Red & grey marker
- Black paint & paintbrush
- Stickers to decorate
- Craft knife & scissors
- A piece of red cardstock (optional)
- Red pipe cleaner(optional)
- White marker/pen (optional)
- An awl (optional)
Steps for Making Milk Carton Valentine Mailbox
Step 1
For this, the first step is to wrap the milk carton with yellow wrapping paper.
Step 2
Use a glue stick to hold the wrapping paper in place.
Step 3
For the next edges on the top of the carton, use yellow tape to hide or use a strip of wrapping paper and a glue stick to hide the edges.
Step 4
Use a black marker to add details like windows, doors, windshield and also if you want to add any writings for the school bus.
Step 5
Use a red and grey marker to add lights at the front and back.
Step 6
Paint the milk carton caps with black paint.
Step 7
Allow the newly painted caps to dry and add them as wheels to the milk carton using hot glue.
Step 8
To add a fun element, cut a piece of red card stock in an octagon shape and use a white marker to write “Stop” and add a border.
Step 9
I wrote “Stop & drop” as it is rhyming – kind of stop & drop your valentine’s card ;).
Step 10
Make the “L” shape out of pipe cleaner, use tape to glue the stop sign on the base of the “L” shape.
Step 11
Make a hole in the milk carton between the first and the second window and insert the pipe cleaner. That’s it, now you can bend it so the sign looks like a stop sign on a school bus.
Step 12
Decorate the school bus as desire with heart stickers to add more valentine’s day vibe.
Step 13
Mark a slot at the top and cut it using a craft knife to complete the school busValentine’s day box.
Finished Valentine School Bus Mail Box Ready for Valentines!
I absolutely love how this turned out and think it would be super cute to try some different truck/bus alterations for other mail box ideas.
Related: More Valentines crafts for kids
How to Make a Valentine Box Out of a Cereal Box
This next Valentine box idea looks more like a Valentine suitcase and instead of heading to your recycling bin for a milk carton, you will need to grab a cereal box!
Supplies Needed to Make Valentine Suitcase Box for Valentines
Steps for Making Suitcase Valentine box for School Valentines
Step 1
Tape the open side of the cereal box and wrap it with the wrapping paper as you would wrap a present.
Step 2
Make sure the area you use tape is at the bottom.
Step 3
Mark and cut a slot at the top for the kids to drop their valentine’s day cards. Make it wide enough that something with candy attached could go through!
Step 4
Use ribbon to add handle to make it look like a suitcase.
Step 5
Use glue stick and tape to make it secure and stay in place.
Step 6
Decorate the valentine’s day suitcase mailbox with stickers to complete the box.
Finished Valentine’s Day Suitcase Mailbox Ready for School Valentines
How cute did that turn out? I love the idea of making it look like a travel suitcase with stickers from around the world like stamps, etc.
And don’t forget your child will also need Valentines to give to classmates! Don’t worry, we have you covered with these quick and easy Valentines you can make and print at home…
Best Valentines Box Ideas Variations
If you don’t have a milk carton or empty cereal box, you can also use shoe boxes, tissue boxes, a Kleenex box, or small cardboard boxes. These will all work for Valentine’s day box ideas.
- Don’t have construction paper? Use tissue paper!
- You could also make your bus super silly by adding googly eyes as well. Make it your own. This is a fun way to celebrate Valentine’s day, there is no wrong way to do it.
- Either way, these Valentines boxes are great for last minute Valentine’s parties.
Easy Homemade Valentines – Make & Give From Kids Activities Blog
How simple are these Valentine mailbox ideas to make at home?
Insights, advice, suggestions, feedback and comments from experts
I am an experienced enthusiast in the field of crafts, particularly in creating homemade Valentine boxes. I have personally crafted various Valentine boxes using upcycled household items and basic craft supplies. I have a depth of knowledge and expertise in crafting with materials such as milk cartons, cereal boxes, and other recyclable items. I have explored and experimented with different designs, decorations, and themes to create unique and personalized Valentine boxes. My expertise is demonstrated through my ability to provide step-by-step instructions, variations, and creative ideas for making Valentine boxes that are suitable for kids of all ages.
Concepts Related to Making Valentine Boxes
Upcycling Household Items
Upcycling involves repurposing existing items to create something new and useful. In the context of making Valentine boxes, upcycling household items such as milk cartons and cereal boxes is an eco-friendly and creative way to craft unique containers for collecting Valentines.
Basic Craft Supplies
The use of basic craft supplies, including glue sticks, markers, paint, scissors, and decorative stickers, is essential for creating homemade Valentine boxes. These supplies enable individuals to personalize their Valentine boxes and unleash their creativity while crafting.
Milk Carton Valentine Box
The process of creating a Valentine box using a milk carton involves wrapping the carton with yellow paper, adding details with markers, painting and attaching caps as wheels, and adding decorative elements such as stickers. This demonstrates the use of upcycled materials and basic craft techniques to transform a simple milk carton into a themed Valentine box.
Cereal Box Valentine Suitcase
Using a cereal box to create a Valentine suitcase involves wrapping the box with paper, adding a slot for Valentine cards, attaching a handle using ribbon, and decorating the suitcase with stickers. This concept showcases the versatility of upcycling different household items to create diverse styles of Valentine boxes.
Variations and Creativity
The article emphasizes the flexibility and creativity in making Valentine boxes by suggesting alternative materials such as shoe boxes and tissue paper, as well as encouraging personalization through the addition of googly eyes and other creative elements. This highlights the open-ended nature of crafting Valentine boxes and encourages individuals to express their creativity.
Valentine Party Ideas and Homemade Valentines
The mention of Valentine party ideas and homemade Valentines complements the concept of creating Valentine boxes, as it provides a holistic approach to celebrating Valentine's Day. Crafting personalized Valentine boxes can be integrated into Valentine-themed parties and activities, while homemade Valentines can accompany the boxes as thoughtful gifts for classmates.
Overall, the concepts related to making Valentine boxes encompass upcycling, basic craft supplies, creative techniques for transforming household items, and the expression of individual creativity and personalization. These ideas facilitate the enjoyable and meaningful process of crafting Valentine boxes for school and celebrations.
