Toy boxes come in many different shapes and are made of many different colors but the most popular are the wooden toy boxes that have a lid on hinges or a commercial molded plastic type some of which have lids and some that don't. The plastic type come in a variety of shapes and colors from pirate ships to sheep. Both tend to be a bit pricey and most families can only afford to have one. What if your child has more toys than will fit in that toy box? Where do you put those toys?
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
There are several ways to decorate a plastic storage tub to make it look like a toy box. You can use stickers, decals, craft foam, wooden ornaments, paint, felt, or fabric. Use anything that is creative and eye appealing for your child. They can even help you make the new toy box in most cases. With some care these toy boxes will stay fresh and appealing for a long time where as the wooden type tend to get scratched and dinged by the toys they contain.
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.
Fabric can be used to cover the plastic tub. You will have to take measurements and cut the fabric to fit. You can do this in a large one piece or in sections. Just remember that fabric frays so you will either need to cut with pinking shears or use a no fray fluid on the edges. The tub should be sprayed with adhesive and carefully roll the fabric onto the tub. Make sure to do the top too but only put fabric on the center of the lid. If you cover the edges the top will not snap shut.
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. - 31409
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
There are several ways to decorate a plastic storage tub to make it look like a toy box. You can use stickers, decals, craft foam, wooden ornaments, paint, felt, or fabric. Use anything that is creative and eye appealing for your child. They can even help you make the new toy box in most cases. With some care these toy boxes will stay fresh and appealing for a long time where as the wooden type tend to get scratched and dinged by the toys they contain.
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.
Fabric can be used to cover the plastic tub. You will have to take measurements and cut the fabric to fit. You can do this in a large one piece or in sections. Just remember that fabric frays so you will either need to cut with pinking shears or use a no fray fluid on the edges. The tub should be sprayed with adhesive and carefully roll the fabric onto the tub. Make sure to do the top too but only put fabric on the center of the lid. If you cover the edges the top will not snap shut.
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. - 31409
