There is quite a variety of toy boxes on the market that come in various sizes and shapes, but most people have the chest like wooden boxes that sport hinged lids or a molded plastic box. Plastic toy boxes may look like teddy bears of fire engines and may or may not have a lid. These toy boxes are wonderful but they can run into some money so most children only have one. Most kids have more toys that can fit in that lonely box. Where can the other toys be stored?
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.
Go to the craft shop and purchase craft foam that comes in forms or in a sheet. Most have adhesive applied to the back and peel the protective paper off and stick the foam figure on the tub. You can cut out any figure you want and place details on with marker or fabric paint that comes with a cone like nozzle. To make ladybugs cut 2 circles, one black and one slightly smaller red one. Divide the red wings in half and situate it on top of the black one but separate the half so that a black area shows between them. Cut another black circle and just use a fourth of it as the head placing it near the top where the wings meet. You can cut small black circles from the rest and stick them to the wings and then cut two spots for eyes and place them on the head. After the ladybugs are assembled the child can help you place them on the tub.
You can do the same thing with felt. You can buy felt squares in the craft store that have adhesive backing as well. Some felt squares are floppy and soft and there are some that are rigid. The rigid ones work best because they won't flop down if the adhesive on the back gives way. If the felt does not have adhesive just buy a can of adhesive spray to stick them on the tub. Spray the area in which you want to put the felt figure and the adhesive will dry and you won't even notice it is there. Use cookie cutters as guides to make your felt characters. Just place the cookie cutter down on the felt and draw around it with a marker or pencil. Use a teddy bear cookie cutter and cut out several brown or beige bears. Cut out a small round circle and place it in the center of the head area, this is the bear's muzzle. You can use fabric glue to stick this on your main felt figure. You can use a small black pompom or cut out a small black circle to glue just above the center middle of this circle for the nose. Use a marker to make a mouth. Cut out two black eyes out of felt and glue them on above and to each side of the circle.
You can also cut fabric to completely cover the tub. Measure the tub and cut fabric to fit in one large sheet around the sides and to tuck under the lip. The fabric will fray so cut with pinking shears or apply no fray liquid on the edges. Spray the tub with adhesive and carefully stick. You can do this in sections if it is easier for you. Do not forget to do the top but only do the indented part in the middle. If you do the edges too the top will not snap into place.
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.
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.
Go to the craft shop and purchase craft foam that comes in forms or in a sheet. Most have adhesive applied to the back and peel the protective paper off and stick the foam figure on the tub. You can cut out any figure you want and place details on with marker or fabric paint that comes with a cone like nozzle. To make ladybugs cut 2 circles, one black and one slightly smaller red one. Divide the red wings in half and situate it on top of the black one but separate the half so that a black area shows between them. Cut another black circle and just use a fourth of it as the head placing it near the top where the wings meet. You can cut small black circles from the rest and stick them to the wings and then cut two spots for eyes and place them on the head. After the ladybugs are assembled the child can help you place them on the tub.
You can do the same thing with felt. You can buy felt squares in the craft store that have adhesive backing as well. Some felt squares are floppy and soft and there are some that are rigid. The rigid ones work best because they won't flop down if the adhesive on the back gives way. If the felt does not have adhesive just buy a can of adhesive spray to stick them on the tub. Spray the area in which you want to put the felt figure and the adhesive will dry and you won't even notice it is there. Use cookie cutters as guides to make your felt characters. Just place the cookie cutter down on the felt and draw around it with a marker or pencil. Use a teddy bear cookie cutter and cut out several brown or beige bears. Cut out a small round circle and place it in the center of the head area, this is the bear's muzzle. You can use fabric glue to stick this on your main felt figure. You can use a small black pompom or cut out a small black circle to glue just above the center middle of this circle for the nose. Use a marker to make a mouth. Cut out two black eyes out of felt and glue them on above and to each side of the circle.
You can also cut fabric to completely cover the tub. Measure the tub and cut fabric to fit in one large sheet around the sides and to tuck under the lip. The fabric will fray so cut with pinking shears or apply no fray liquid on the edges. Spray the tub with adhesive and carefully stick. You can do this in sections if it is easier for you. Do not forget to do the top but only do the indented part in the middle. If you do the edges too the top will not snap into place.
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.
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