Play Experience
A make-believe house is not complete without a make-believe letterbox.
Learning Experience
- Role playing mail delivery
- Writing letters
- Reading letters
- Remembering address
- I came by an old letter box with a rusted off pole. (Junk)
- PVC piping, slightly larger in diameter to the rusty pole. (Junk - building waste)
- Small gauge PVC pipe for stabilising cross member. (Junk - building waste)
- Tech screw. (Junk - building waste)
- Stick on numbers. (I bought these. I could have printed and laminated some instead.)
I wanted the letterbox to be installed at a shorter height than usual as children are shorter than adults. I did not want to use concrete due to the expense and I wanted a little give in the pole in case of a child running into the pole. Plus, this way, all but the stick on numbers, is re-purposed junk.
1. Find a length of PVC pipe that just fits over the rusted pole.
2. Using a hacksaw, cut off at about 30 cm or so longer than the wanted standing height of the base of the letterbox from the ground. Remember that children are shorter that adults.
3. Fit the PVC pipe over the rusted metal pole.
4. Attach at the the top, from the direction of the back of the letterbox, with a tech screw. This will stop the letterbox from swivelling inside the PVC pipe.
5. A cross member is required to stop the letterbox pole from swivelling in the ground and to hold the letter box in the ground. Attach the cross member through the bottom section of the PVC pipe on the section that will be below ground level. I did this by drilling a tight fitting hole through the PVC.
6. Dig a tight pole hole. I like using a trenching spade.
7. Dig a cross slit to fit the cross member.
8. Stick on some house numbers that match your house number. This will help children remember their address.
Play Time
More Project Ideas
A play letterbox needs a cubby house project.
