When I was a kid, I remember the absolute most fun part of Valentine’s Day was being able to play mailman and deliver handwritten valentines to all my friends on the big day. In the few years I’ve watched my own children go through this ritual on Valentine’s Day, I can say that their excitement proves that things haven’t changed. Slipping a handmade card into each classmate’s valentine mailbox is still tons of fun!
Keeping that little bit of childhood joy in mind, I came up with this DIY doghouse-shaped valentine mailbox, inspired by the Puppy Love party I shared a few weeks ago. It would take an adult just a few minutes to assemble, or you could make it a family project and get some help from your kids. My kids loved decorating their mailboxes with lots of glitter and drawings—all part of the fun!
I’m sharing some Valentine’s Day love with the Project Nursery community by offering the template for this valentine mailbox as a free printable. Download the files, and have a doggone good time!
Gable box (9 x 6 x 6″)
Glue
Scissors
Exacto knife
Assembly is super easy. Print out all the files, and then cut them out—no stress there! Using your favorite glue stick or other adhesive, glue the door to the front and the long rectangular strips to the sides.
Use an exacto knife to cut out the white rectangle on the side of the box—you’ll need a place to deliver all those valentines! Fold the roof piece in half, and glue it to the top of the box. When you’re applying the glue, the roof will stick best if you apply it to the folded edges of the top of the gable box. It’s important to cut the hole in the side of the box before gluing the roof on—trust me, it doesn’t work half as easily the other way around.
With that, you’re ready to start accepting deliveries to your valentine mailbox! Happy Valentine’s Day!
