A Simple Toy Box To Make Yourself
Toy boxes come in many different shapes and are made of many different colors but the most popular are the wooden toy boxes that have a lid on hinges or a commercial molded plastic type some of which have lids and some that don't. The plastic type come in a variety of shapes and colors from pirate ships to sheep. Both tend to be a bit pricey and most families can only afford to have one. What if your child has more toys than will fit in that toy box? Where do you put those toys?
You can create a toy box from a storage tub that is made of plastic. These tubs come in different colors and different sizes and you can even personalize them more by adding a few things here and there. Tubs can be a very safe alternative to a wooden box. They do not have pointed corners so there is no way the child can hurt themselves. There has been an issue with wooden boxes and lids that slip and smash into the child when they are using it and this will not occur because you remove the plastic lid to get inside. Kids have a tendency to climb into toy boxes and they do sometimes get shut in. This will not happen with a tub, just make sure to get the kind without locks on the lid and your child will easily be able to push themselves out
Plastic tubs can be decorated in several easy and inexpensive ways to make them more appealing to children. Many different things can be glued on them like stickers or decals. You can make figures from craft foam or felt and glue them on or you can use paint or fabric. Kids can even help you make the toy box and they will enjoy that time you spent with them. The tubs need little care and they won't scratch like wooden ones do when they run their toy truck across the top without the wheels.
Painting the tub is an option but if you spray paint the whole thing the paint will chip and peel in time causing an issue for little kids. Tubs come in all colors so there should be no reason to paint the whole thing. You can use acrylic paint to paint flowers or other fun forms on the tub. Stencils used with acrylic paint can make a fun toy box too. Paint yellow ducks on a blue tub, sheep on a purple tub and even fire trucks on a black tub. Stencils are plentiful and there are many made with children in mind. There are even alphabet letters and you can stencil the child's name on their specific tub.
To make your own fun figures to stick on your tub go to the crafting store and get craft foam in either sheets or in pre cut figures. Most foam comes with adhesive on the back and you just have to remove the paper backing and stick them on. You can adorn the figures with other foam or paint them with the pointy nozzle of fabric paint. To make a lady bug motif cut out two circles, one in black and one in red. Divide the red one in half and place it over the black on separating the two red halves to show a wedge of black in between them. This is the black body and the red wings. Cut another black circle then cut again using only a fourth of it. Stick this to the red and black circles at the top where the wings meet. This is the head. Add some black circles for dots on the wings and cut out some white circles for eyes. Once the lady bug is made your child can help you apply them to the tub.
Felt also comes with an adhesive backing and you can find regular felt that is just like cloth or the rigid variety. The rigid type is best to use. If you have a hard time finding the felt with adhesive just spray the tub with spray glue and stick the figure on it. Once the glue dries you will not see it at all. Cookie cutters come in many shapes so find one that your child will enjoy. Instead of making cookies place it on the felt and trace around then cut the figure out. Embellish the figures with fabric paint or more felt. Make a bear by cutting the figure out of several variations of brown or black and white for a panda bear. Next cut out a little circle that will be glued with fabric glue onto the middle of the head. This is the bear's muzzle. Use a tiny black pompom or small piece of black to place in this circle just north of the center. This is the bear's nose. You will need two small black dots for eyes placed above the circle and on either side.
Fabric can be used to cover the tub completely. Cut fabric to fit around all sides of the tub and make sure to push it up underneath the lip. Fabric will unravel and you can stop that from happening by using pinking shears or squirting on substance that will prevent it from unraveling called no fray. Use your spray adhesive and careful roll the fabric onto the tub. It is possible to cut the fabric in sections and stick it on. Do the lid too but never cover the edges, just the middle part. Covering the edges will not allow it to snap onto the tub.
Having a nice wooden or molded plastic toy box is probably a good idea but not many people can afford more than one. Using plastic storage tubs and decorating them might be just the thing to reduce clutter in an inexpensive manner.
Want to know how to create a really great Toy Box? Kids need Toy Boxes with bright designs and colors. Find out the easiest way to create great Toy Boxes for your children today.
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