Make a DIY Pirate Treasure Chest

Build your treasure chest. Using a recycled cereal box, make a flap on one of the large sides of the box by cutting three sides off so the flap is hinged by one side.

Decorate your treasure chest. Cover the whole surface of the box with construction paper. Draw straight lines on all the outer sides with a brown or black marker (and a ruler if you have one). Then, make thin wiggly lines between the straight lines to create the wood texture of your chest.

Make a latch. Using a hole puncher, make two holes: one on the long side of the flap and one on the short side of the box directly connected to the flap.

Cut a pipe cleaner in half and use one half to make a loop. Insert the extremities of the loop in the hole on the flap and secure it with tape. You should now have a loop protruding from the flap. Make sure to have a loop long enough to reach the second hole.

Take the second half of the pipe cleaner and pass it through the hole of the button. Insert the extremities of the pipe cleaner in the hole on the short side of the box and attach them to the cereal box with tape. You should now have a button protruding from the side. Try to close your chest! The flap loop should tie around the button!

Make number cards. Write numerals 1-5 along with the corresponding number word on pieces of paper or flashcards. E.g., 1 One, 2 Two, 3 Three, 4 Four, 5 Five. Put the numbers in a hat or bowl. Bonus: Want a bilingual treasure box? Write the number words in Spanish! (Uno, Dos, Tres, Cuatro, Cinco)

Time for a number treasure hunt! Take one of the number cards and read the number written on it. Now, ask your child to get that number of objects that are the same and put them in your treasure chest! If you finish all the numbers, keep hunting for more treasures! Challenge your little one to find six, seven, eight, nine, and 10!