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If you have a kid or know a kid with a birthday coming up or who just needs some encouragement for the new school year, I’ve got a great idea for you.
Not too long ago I helped spread the word about a design contest for Uncommon Goods, and they asked if I’d like to review something as a thank you (yes, that means I didn’t pay for it, FTC). I picked this mail kit, and its adorable and a lot of fun for kids and adults.
The girl loves sending mail to her grandparents and pretending to send mail to us, so I thought it would be perfect.
What’s Inside![mailbox gift box](https://www.ourdailycraft.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/mialbox-gift.jpg)
The kit comes in a sturdy box and includes
- a decorated cardboard mailbox
- 10 birthday cards
- 4 encouragement tags to stick onto small gifts
- 15 cards for grandparents and others to use
- the book The Surprise Inside
The Book
The book tells the story of Sam and the visits he gets from his treasure fairy. It’s a cute way to introduce the concept of the mailbox and to add a bit of mystery if you want. (The girl was still 3 when we got ours but she said, after reading the book, “You’re the treasure fairy.” Well, yes.)
Using the Mailbox
![mailbox gift](https://www.ourdailycraft.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/mailbox.jpg)
The mailbox has holes in the back so you can mount it to a wall if you want. We have so far kept ours on a table in the living room. Put little treats or letters inside, put the flag up when there’s something in there, and repeat.
The girl was really excited to have a mailbox and spent a lot of that first day “writing letters” (which at this stage means drawing stuff, making squiggly lines and stuffing it in an envelope) and has gone back to it regularly.
![toy mailbox](https://www.ourdailycraft.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/mailbox-play.jpg)
We stick little things in there every now and then. I recently bought her some new markers and put them in there, and when her dad went on a trip he put a couple of little presents in there when he got home.
The key word in all this is little. The mailbox itself is actually pretty small. It measures 7 inches across, 4 inches deep and 5 inches high at its highest point (the lid slants). So you can fit little cards and stationery in there, but not a full size envelope, unless you want to fold it.
That really annoyed the girl, and I can’t say I blame her. We’ve managed to fit most of the things we want in there, but sometimes the lid doesn’t close.
![mailbox gift](https://www.ourdailycraft.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/mailbox-markers.jpg)
More than a Mailbox
Of course this is a fun gift even just for playing mail. But when the girl is old enough to read, it will also be a nice way to share encouraging notes and give her little gifts just for being who she is. Kids can use it to practice writing, too, in a way that’s more exciting than school.
I think we’ll be using this mailbox for a long time to come in a lot of different ways.
It retails for $36 and is a lot less creepy than that elf on the shelf thing.