So we set up a little post office for the boys' valentine cards. Princess wore our postman accessories and was the postmaster general.
On the table: a little jar of pennies, postage stamp-sized stickers, real postage stamps, two "cancellation" stamps (one I carved - inspired by this one, and one I thrifted and had forgotten about), and inkpad. Next to the table were sorting bags: one for each boy's valentines to deliver, and one to go out to the 'real' mailbox.
We cleared off the top of the red bookcase and used that as our counter. The boys put each card in an envelope, wrote the name of a friend on it (sometimes with help - it was handy to have my mom here that afternoon!) and then went to the post office to get it stamped. Sometimes they had to wait in line - just like at the real post office!
They were told how much a stamp would cost (between 4 and 15 cents usually) and they had to count the pennies out to 'pay' for it. Then they got to pick a stamp (real or pretend depending on method of delivery) and the postmaster would 'cancel' the pretend ones, and then sort them.
I've wanted to do this again since I was in kindergarten! One of my best memories of that year was having a really cool Valentine post office set up. It was such fun.
I guess I'm getting a little more into Valentine's day this year because none of the kiddos are in school. Last year we all went to Thomas' preschool class party - and I guess I don't want them to miss out on one of the most fun Kid Holidays of the year. We usually get 'enough' valentines, too - just from family and some of their friends.
The Post Office is still set up in the playroom, and the kids have played with it a lot - even adding a teeny play mailbox that I'd forgotten about and a lot more envelopes. There are frequent mail deliveries and I am regularly called on to be a customer. What fun!
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Also on Wednesday I helped Princess finish her valentines. They're paint-chip bookmarks - I saw them here.
We had a nice stack of paint chips already, but I picked up a few more. We rounded the corners, stamped, signed and punched a hole. Then we threaded them with completely random pieces of ribbon because I forgot to pick some up and she wanted to take some to her dance class that evening.
I think I'll make some more to give to the girls in my class at church! They were very fast to make assembly line style!