Junk Mail Mania and Envelope Excitement!

If your household is like ours, we get lots of junk mail. 

Before you throw the undesired mail away, why not stop to play? 

Below are several ways to extend the life of unwanted mail

and give it a purpose before meeting the land fill.

 

1.  Kids love to lick envelopes!  Save all the return envelopes for days when kids want to "write" notes to loved ones.  Provide colored pencils, crayons and or markers.  Let them draw pictures on unwanted pieces of mail or scraps of paper.  Then they can put their notes and letters in envelopes and seal.  Square stickers can be used as stamps to further expand this creative play. For the older child this would be a great opportunity to teach and practice writing their name and address.

 

2.  Extend the above play by playing "postal carrier".  Use an old purse or fabric shopping bag as the letter carrier's bag. Large ride in toy cars or tricycles can be used as the mail car.

 

      Children can "deliver" the mail to each family member by slipping the envelopes under bedroom doors or leaving them in places for parents and siblings to find. 

 

     Small cardboard boxes could also be converted into mailboxes for children to mail their letters. 

 

3.  Make Envelope Puppets! 

      Envelopes convert easily into a puppet.  First fold in the flap or cut it off.  Place our thumb in one corner and your middle finger in the opposite bottom corner of the envelope.  Then squeeze folding the envelope in half.  You are ready to decorate with markers, crayons, colored pencils, felt, yarn, stickers, or anything else you can imagine.  Then it is time to put on a puppet show!

 

 

 

This Blog Post is inspired from the book:

Miraculous, Magical Moments in Minutes:

Over 500 Quick, Easy Activities for Adults and Children to Share

by Becky B. Baxa

If you would like more fun ideas to share with your children

(that do not require batteries or electronics )

you can purchase this 180 page book,

full of color photos,

for $21.95

from Amazon.com or Etsy.com

Or

from the gift shop at Shaw Nature Reserve in Gray Summit, MO,

Silver Dollar City General Store in Branson, MO.

 

This book can also be checked out of the following libraries:

Scenic Regional Library - Pacific, MO

First Christian Church - Washington, MO

Hawaii State Library - Honolulu, HI

Story City Public Library - Story City, IA
Ellsworth Public Library - Ellsworth, ME

Ludington Public Library - Ludington, MI