This time of year is bittersweet for moms. The kids are going back to school (yes, yes, yes!!!), but also, the kids are going back to school (waaaaahhhh!!!). While we certainly enjoy sending them off to give ourselves a much needed break, we also miss those little stinkers so much while they’re gone! And surely they miss us too. But we can stay connected while we’re away from each other in the form of good old fashioned note sending. If your children bring their lunch to school, these are super fun ways to let them know you’re thinking of them, and hopefully make their day a little brighter.
source: Samantha Okazaki/TODAY
1. Message On A Banana
Take the tip of a push pin, carve a message into your child’s banana peel and let the message slowly oxidize. By lunchtime, your message will reveal itself and your child will be super amazed. I really love this idea- so clever and SO easy!
Get more great ideas on making your child’s lunch fun from TODAY Food.
source: Just Something I Made
2. Scribbles On A Napkin
I mean, come on, this isn’t difficult to do at all. Show your child a little love while expressing yourself on a napkin. You can get really creative and write funny jokes, draw pictures or get all mushy with a lovey dovey poem. Or…you could put on your brightest red lipstick, and kiss the napkin all over. Those smooches are sure to let your child know you luv them. Plus, it might embarrass them a little, and as parents, that is part of our job description.
See how mom Cathe from Just Something I Made started a collection of lunchbox napkin notes she sent to her kids.
source: About a Mom
3. Chalkboard Messages
If your child has a metal lunchbox, this DIY project is totally cute for sending little notes to school. Just use a little bit of chalkboard paint on the inside lid and write your child messages for them to find at lunch.
Get the full tutorial over at About A Mom, where you’ll find lots of other ideas worth trying.
source: Silly Eagle Books
4. Painted Popsicle Sticks
Do your kids enjoy popsicles as much as mine do? If so, put those popsicle sticks to good use. After they have been rinsed and dried, use a little craft paint to make some colorful popsicle stick designs. Write your child a sweet note on the stick and toss it into their lunchbox. A little act of love can send a big message to your kids and make them feel good- especially on those really hard days.
Learn how to take this project one step further by creating magnetic fridge art from popsicle sticks by visiting Silly Eagle Books.
source: Thirty Handmade Days
5. Fruit Cup Printables
You can’t go wrong with printables, and there are tons of them out there! If you put fruit cups in your child’s lunch, these are a simple way to add some encouragement to their day.
Head over to Thirty Handmade Days to download these printables and maybe you’ll find a few more that you like!
source: Happy Go Lucky
6. Dry Erase Notes
I didn’t even know that dry erase paper existed. But it does, and this is an awesome way to use it! For less than $2.00 (at Michael’s), you can stick a dry erase label to your child’s lunchbox and write messages on top. They can return the favor and send you a message back- how cool is that?
Happy Go Lucky has the “how to” for this project, and you’ll also find other tutorials to check out while you’re there.