How to Build Paper Valentine Boxes

This Valentine box is just the right size to hold a special gift.

Paper Valentine boxes help create a festive air for classrooms, or even for your home. They can have a slot for dropping in Valentine cards, and should have a removable lid to make it easy to look at the cards. Tissue paper, construction paper and even little candy hearts make attractive decorations. The box can have a them---besides the holiday one---that centers around the child's favorite kind of toy or play activity.

Things You'll Need

• Two sheets medium weight art paper or tag board, 36 inches by 36 inches
• Red construction paper
• White construction paper
• White wrapping paper
• Glue
• Red and white tissue paper
• Candies, glitter or other small ornaments

Instructions

1. Draw a rectangle 8 inches by 5 1/2 inches in the middle of the large paper. Measure out 8 inches from the edges of the rectangle, and draw congruent lines that create a larger rectangle around the first one.

2. Draw lines from the corners of the inner rectangle to the corresponding corners of the outer rectangle.

3. Cut along the outer lines of the rectangle all the way around the drawing. Then cut along the diagonal lines from outer corner to the inner corner.

4. Fold over the paper, creasing it along the inner line, one side at a time. Unfold each side as you go; this is just to make a good crease.

5. Fold the top edge of the short sides down to the creased line at the short ends of the rectangle. Smooth the fold to make a sharp crease. Keeping the end folded, fold in the diagonal cuts to make tabs on each end of the piece. Fold the sides in the same way.

6. Cut off the diagonal tab on each end of the short side pieces. Fold the diagonal end pieces on the long edge inside the mark on the ends. Pull the short ends up and over the diagonal tabs. Glue, staple or tape to hold the box together.

7. Place the box you just made in the middle of the second piece of paper. Draw around it with a pencil. This will create a piece just slightly larger than the first. Repeat all the steps used for the first box.

8. Cut a 6-inch-by-1-inch slot in the second box to allow cards to be slipped inside. Place the second box over this first to serve as a lid.

9. Cut out paper hearts, braid strips of tissue paper or cut out favorite cartoon characters to glue to the outside of the box. Glue on sparkles, little candies or shaped cereal, sequins or other small decorations.

References

• Family Fun: Folded Paper Box
• Enchanted Learning: Paper Box Craft

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish