During this season of hearts and chocolates, here’s a fun way to spread some Valentine cheer among your kids—while encouraging a bit of writing along the way!
Make Some Valentine Mailboxes
These cute mailboxes belong to four of my grandkids. My daughter Karah found plain mailbox-shaped tins in the dollar bin at Target, which the children decorated with stickers and paint pens.
Unfortunately, by the time Karah decided Mom and Dad needed mailboxes too, Target had run out. So instead, they decorated Chinese take-out containers, available at most party supply stores—and a great alternative to the tins!
Share the Love
The six mailboxes sit on a small table, along with a stack of paper squares and a few pencils. From February 1st through Valentine’s Day, everyone has fun writing little notes to each other and hiding them in the mailboxes.
The tins shown above have an especially fun feature: you can raise the flag to announce that there’s mail waiting inside!
Get Creative
Everyone can get into the act. And the fun doesn’t have to stop at plain white notes! Try some of these ideas:
- Set out a supply of inexpensive Valentine cards—either store-bought ones or printable cards like these, these, and these.
- In addition to plain white, you can cut squares from pink and lavender paper too.
- Add stickers to some of the notes.
- Include colored pens, crayons, or fine-tip markers in the pencil cup.
- Invite grandparents or others to write notes too (I sneaked some in during a short visit today).
- From time to time, hide a little treat in the mailbox: fruit snacks, a chocolate heart, a quarter, or a trinket such as a Valentine pencil.
More Resources & Links
- More Valentine mailbox ideas
- More free printable Valentine cards
- Adorable Valentine cards to make with children
What special things do you do to encourage sibling love at Valentine’s Day?
2 comments ↓
How cute!
[...] Or, maybe I would have had the boys claim ownership by decorating the boxes themselves like the ones in the middle. [...]