DIY dinosaur valentine box
A box of love notes shaped like a little stegosaurus? Um, ADORABLE. And yes, ours is in the classic Valentine’s Day shades of pink and red, but you could totally personalize it in your child’s favorite colors.
Or, if they’re a purist when it comes to thunder lizards, you could look for some specialty paper, like scrapbooking paper in a reptilian pattern.
Inspired? Create and share by tagging @HallmarkStores.
Can you make this valentine box with kids? Of course! But if you don’t have kids, and you have a super-cool workplace that does things like have team Valentine’s Day parties, you could always make this for yourself.
What you’ll need:
- Medium-size box—tissue boxes or small shipping boxes
- Paperboard—cereal boxes or rigid cardboard
- Single-face corrugated cardboard
- Scratch paper
- Craft knife
- Cutting mat
- Colorful paint, wrapping paper or tissue paper
- Card stock or construction paper in different colors
- Markers
- Pencil
- Glue stick
- Masking tape
- Hot glue gun
How to make your DIY Dinosaur Valentine Box
- Get the free printable. Download and print the DIY Dinosaur Valentine Box template.
- Sketch the head, tail and plates on scratch paper, then trace onto paperboard. Cut them out with a craft knife. Cut long strips from the corrugated cardboard to form the sides of the head and tail.
- Build the head and tail. Tape the two sides of the dinosaur’s head to the strip of corrugated cardboard as outlined in the downloadable. Repeat for the tail.
- Make a mail slot. If you used a tissue box, you already have a mail slot! If not, cut one out (carefully) with a craft knife.
- Add color. Paint the head, tail, body and feet. Or cover them with tissue or wrapping paper. Paint or cover the back plates in a contrasting color.
- Add a face. Make eyes by cutting out two white paper circles and two smaller paper circles in a different color. Glue them on, and draw or paint on nostrils and a mouth on each side of the head.
- Decorate the body. Have fun with your dino buddy! Give him or her scales, stripes, spots or other decorations. (May we suggest hearts?) Paint toes on the feet.
- Put it together. Use hot glue to attach the feet to the body. Then add the head and tail. Finally, add the back plates, starting from the tail and working your way up to the head.
Ready to roar!
Tip: Start with a box big enough to hold lots of valentines and go from there. Our dino is built around a basic cardboard box.
Check out all of our fun DIY valentine box ideas here. Want even more ideas? You know we have ’em:
- 32 Sweet Valentine’s Day Ideas for Family Fun at Home
- Free Printable Valentine’s Day Coloring Pages You’ll Love
- 15+ Valentine’s Day Care Packages for Everyone You Know
- Valentine’s Day Party Ideas: Setup, Sips, Snacks and More
Shop Valentine's Day
See allYou may also like
See more-
Christmas What Your Tree Says About You: Star Wars Edition
If you’re a Star Wars™ fan, this is a must-watch video.
-
Friends 50+ fun things to do with friends
It’s hard to describe in only a few words how amazing I feel when I’m with my friends, but I’ll try: Inner child comf...
-
Christmas 6 festive Christmas punch recipes for a very merry crowd
Make everyone merry with these five holiday drinks
-
Drinks Fruit punch that’s perfect for a party
Who among us doesn't remember being a kid and chugging a giant glass of cold fruit punch on a warm summer day? Whe...
-
Drinks Christmas Eve eggnog punch
There are several variations to this eggnog punch, allowing you to customize it to your taste buds. We started with e...
-
Drinks Warm and comforting wassail punch
Nothing sets a warm holiday mood like wassail—a fancy mulled cider. The tang and tannins of the fresh fruit, the warm...
-
Drinks Sparkling pomegranate punch perfect for any party
We've created a spritzer-like cocktail to serve a crowd with Red Zinger tea, pomegranate juice and chilled Prosecco. ...
-
Thanksgiving 4 free printable Thanksgiving activities for the kids table
The kids’ table is the place to be at Thanksgiving: all the fun and none of the responsibility. And because sometimes...
-
4th of July Free printable 4th of July decorations
Most of our ideas for summer entertaining include the words "casual" and "easy." But on patriotic holidays, we gotta ...
-
Drinks Warm up a holiday crowd with this hot rum punch
Every guest will feel special when you serve them a steaming mug of delicious hot rum punch, topped with a grilled pi...
-
Drinks Mix up this mulled wine holiday punch for a festive gathering
Pomegranate seeds add a holly-berry touch to this mulled wine and citrus punch. Any spicy red wine can serve as the f...
-
Gifting The Office gifts and decor make WFH way more fun
From 9-5, our favorite show is The (Home) Office. 💼 📄 Add some fun to WFH with products and decor from The Office, av...
-
Baby Watch them grow: Our favorite monthly baby photo ideas
Of course you’re going to capture a gazillion photos during your baby’s first year. But there’s something about snap...
-
Summer Vegetable stamping: How to make simple, modern prints with produce
There are so many reasons to try fruit and vegetable stamping: It's surprisingly creative. It's easy. It uses stuff y...
-
Baby 40+ baby photoshoot ideas, tips and tricks from Hallmark photographers
You have the cutest baby in the world. There’s no contest. It’s not even a question. But what you might not have are ...
-
Christmas Step right up and see the Seaside Carnival Keepsake Ornament
Get ready for all the sights and sounds of Santa’s Seaside Carnival! Santa and Mrs. Claus are ready to greet visitors...
-
Friends Friendship messages: What to write in a friendship card
Whether it’s your friend’s birthday or just any old day, sending a card is a great way to bring a smile and nurture ...
-
Card Ideas 17 ideas for saving your favorite cards and letters
If you’ve got a shoe box full of old cards and letters, you’re definitely not alone. People have been stashing away m...
-
Birthday Free birthday coloring pages to add more fun to the celebration
The best birthdays are the ones filled with lots of little treats and fun activities, from sunup to sundown. If you’r...
-
Family Tips and ideas for preserving and displaying family recipes
Family recipes are a special kind of priceless heirloom—the kind that transport us back to our favorite times with ou...