By Anna Ayotte, Education Director, Museum of Visual Materials

Castle Valentine’s Day Box

Materials

• 3 boxes - small, medium, large sizes
• 5 paper towel rolls
• 5 toilet paper rolls
• Wrapping paper
• Construction paper
• Optional- white tissue paper for snow
• Hot glue gun w/glue sticks
• Scissors
• Tape
• Knife (to cut door open)

 Directions

Start by wrapping your three boxes. After wrapping the boxes, cut a rectangle in the large box to create your castle’s doorway. Then using your hot glue gun, glue boxes together. Wrap your toilet paper rolls in wrapping paper. You can use wrapping paper of your favorite color, characters or whatever fun wrapping paper to create your desired theme castle. To create the cones for the top of the toilet paper rolls, cut off a triangle about 5 inches long with rounded bottom of construction paper and roll construction paper until it looks like a cone. Tape and maybe snip off a few pieces until you have your desired look. Glue paper cone onto your wrapped toilet paper roll and then hot glue the roll onto your castle. Continue adding toilet paper rolls to the different layers of your castle to fit your style of castle. My inspiration for this box was the castle from Frozen. You can add your favorite princess to your castle to better illustrate the theme you are trying to represent.

 

Alligator Valentine’s Day Box

Materials

• 1 rectangle box – 12 pk soda box
• 1 smaller square box
• 4 toilet paper rolls
• 2 egg cartons –(bottom only)
• Scraps from egg carton for eyes
• 2 “googly” eyes – or create your own with paper
• red construction paper
• green & white foam paper

Directions

Body

Cut one of the small walls off the soda box. Cut two opposite walls off of the other box (box for head). Using a hot glue gun, attach two boxes together – *kids can place V-Day Cards into the alligator’s mouth and through the box for more space for cards

Legs

Cut out green foam paper for claws using a zigzag pattern and glue onto the bottom of toilet paper rolls. Attach with glue gun 4 toilet paper rolls to the soda box to look like legs

Details

Place the egg carton onto top of rectangle box for the look of scales. Attach egg carton onto end of rectangle box for a tail. Cut two individual egg carton pieces onto smaller box for eyes. Glue on eyes bought from a craft store or create your own onto the egg carton piece for eyes. Create a zigzag pattern for teeth and attach to top and bottom of small box on the inside with hot glue gun. Using red construction paper, create a tongue. Paste tongue inside of mouth

 

What to do with your creations when Valentine’s Day is over? Save them! You can use your box for a household suggestion box, a chore of the day/week grab box or an affirmation box.

 

Do you need materials for you Valentine’s Day box? 

The Museum of Visual Materials is the first LEED Platinum Green building in the state of South Dakota. The organization focuses on re-using materials to create something new. Check out the free Craft Corner, which is stocked with recyclable materials to create your special project!

Craft Corner

M-W; 9a.m. - 4p.m.

Free