Friday, July 3, 2009

Birthday Treasure Box

I have 24 nieces and nephews, can you believe that? Shopping for individual and thoughtful birthday gifts could be really time consuming, so this year I decided to fill a wooden "treasure box" with inexpensive small gifts and treats and let the younger kids (up to about age 10 or 11) choose five things out of the box for their birthday. The older kids get gift cards they can use to buy something they'd like or put towards a bigger item. So far the kids seem to really enjoy this so maybe it will become a tradition.

Here are some of the things I have in the box, have had in the box, or think would be fun to put in the box:

$1 coins * small notebooks * unique pens and pencils
hair barrettes and clips * candy and gum * bubbles
matchbox cars * foreign coins * stickers
mini puzzles * fingernail polish * disposable cameras
$2 bills * art supplies * magnets
lipgloss * sidewalk chalk * yo-yos
cool rocks and shells * small travel games or cards
costume jewelry * glow sticks * small flashlights
post-it notes * bookmarks * garden seeds
pencil toppers * patterned or colored shoelaces
magic towels (the ones you soak in water to expand)
Pez machines * shark teeth * small books
pocket mirrors * finger puppets * rubber stamps
fun band-aids * Japanese erasers * silly putty

I would love to add more handmade items (I need to search Etsy to see if I can find items around this price range). If you have ideas to add, please comment!

11 comments:

LuAnn @ BackPorchervations said...

Totally cool idea!

jess said...

Thank you!

♥.Trish.♥ Drumboys said...

what a great idea even for your own kids to choose a reward for whatever.
I am startinhg a collection asap.

jess said...

Hi Trish...A reward box is a great idea. Thanks for sharing!

Anonymous said...

What a fabulous idea!! I only have 3 nieces and nephews and none of them live near-by, but i need one of these treasure chests (I promise the contents are for the children NOT me)! How about adding glitter pens, glow in the dark items, face paint, bouncy balls, origami paper, little toy (farm) animals, jacks, string (for cats cradle), really long elastic loop (I used to play elastics games at school), skipping rope.....

jess said...

Hi littleblackduckblog...Thanks for adding more ideas!

Mrs. Langeland said...

What a wonderful, and thoughtful idea! I bet your nieces and nephews love this! You must be the favorite aunt for sure.

I'm feeling bad because I don't really do anything. I have no excuse because they all live in the same city.

I think that this idea would be great for a slacker like me!

jess said...

Mrs. Langeland...thanks for the sweet comment!

EWian said...

Neat idea. Thanks for sharing!

EWian

Abby said...

What a brilliant idea! What about adding wooden tops? These are so lovely:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/UrbanTurn

jess said...

Thanks, Abby. I love those wooden tops!