Making and crafts

Decorate a keepsake box

Cover a shoebox with paper or fabric, then choose a few small things to keep inside.

Who might enjoy it: People who like keeping small treasures such as shells, ribbons and cherished photo copies, or who enjoy sorting and choosing. Good for someone who likes handling things with their hands.

Setup: About 10 minutes
Activity: 30–60 minutes
Cost: Low cost
Mess: Little mess
Where: At a table, seated-friendly
Help: Someone nearby

Materials: 5 everyday things, listed below

Start activity

What you need

An empty shoebox or small cardboard box with a lid
Wrapping paper, wallpaper scraps or light fabric, cut a little larger than each side of the box
A glue stick or double-sided tape
Scissors for the helper
A few small items chosen by the person, such as a ribbon, a shell or a copy of a photo

No need to buy anything special

No shoebox? Use a tea tin, a cereal box cut down, or a sturdy gift box.
No wrapping paper? Use old greeting cards or the pages of a calendar.

What to do

Set the box on the table with the lid off, and lay out the paper, the glue and the small items.
Choose the paper or fabric together. Any choice is fine.
Lay the paper on one side of the box, and ask the helper to trim it to a little larger than that side.
Glue the back of the paper and press it onto the side of the box, then fold the extra paper over the edges and smooth it flat with the hand.
Turn the box and repeat on each side, then cover the lid the same way.
Set the box aside for a few minutes so the glue holds.
Look through the small items together and choose a few to keep inside.
Place the chosen items in the box and put the lid on.
Agree on a place to keep the box, such as a shelf or the bedside table.

It is okay to stop or change it

It is fine to stop after one side. Put the box and its paper aside, and carry on another day, or simply enjoy a few of the items together.

Make it easier or different

Make it easier: Start with a box that is already covered or painted, and add only a ribbon and a few small items.
In bed or an armchair: Use a small box on a lap tray and cover only one side, with the items chosen to go on top.
For low vision: Choose bold, high-contrast paper, and place the items where they are easy to see.
Less to see, hear or touch: Use one large sheet of paper to wrap the whole box, so there are fewer pieces to handle.
More of a shared effort: Two or three people each decorate one side of the same box.
With children: A child smooths the paper onto each side while the grandparent chooses the paper and the things to keep inside, and says why each one matters.

Safety

Scissors are for the helper only, and keep the glue away from the mouth.
Use a glue stick or double-sided tape rather than spray glue.
Choose items too large to swallow, and leave out pins, buttons or anything sharp.
Use copies of photos or papers, and keep the originals somewhere safe.

These are practical suggestions, not medical advice. You know the person best.

A keepsake box gives small, meaningful things a home. The covering is a steady, satisfying task, and choosing what goes inside often leads to stories without anyone having to ask a direct question.