Project: Mailbox

Yesterday morning Cordelia was asking about the mail. You know, why they keep raising the rates for postage, what this temporary postage hike is all about, are forever stamps really forever, will the US Mail stop delivering on Saturdays? Oh, wait, no those weren't her questions. She just asked how mail was delivered. So I decided a little hands on action was necessary. We decided to write our Christmas thank you cards together so she could see that end of the deal. We also decided to make a pretend mail system for our house.

Here is how we made our pretend mail:
Supplies
old box
something to wrap it with, we re-used packing paper
scissors
tape
colors, marker, etc.
paper for writing letters (we used old copy paper so as not to create more waste)


Our empty box


Elise was insane, something about crumpled paper really set her on a track to destruction. She did manage to break a lens on the camera and write on the table with crayon while shouting "NO!"as this was going on.



First I left one side of the box open so our mail wouldn't be trapped. I wrapped the rest in our leftover packing paper, much like a present.



Next I cut a little slot on top for the mail.



I wrote "Mail" on the side and thought we were done. Cordelia said, "So, it's just brown mom? Really?" So, out came the colors and she decorated it a bit.



Finally I cut scrap paper to a size that would fit the slot and let her practice her writing and illustrating.




Elise and Cordelia are both really into it!