Simple ways to snazzy up a lunch box

Lunch Box DIY

As mums, we quickly learn that in order to get those school lunches gobbled up, we need to be pretty creative in the kitchen. Now add even more lunch box appeal by snazzying up your child's container with these great DIY ideas.

girl with packed lunch

School lunch times are a battle of distractions for our kids. Not only are the monkeybars and swings calling their name, but they've also got friends to chat with and last-minute homework to finish off. Sometimes fitting in lunch can be difficult, and that highly nutritious combo you spent half an hour making gets flicked to the end of the priority list and often even thrown in the bin... So how can you bring extra appeal to the humble lunch box? By making it the coolest expression of their personality to hit the school grounds! Get crafty with your kids and try out these custom-made lunch box DIY ideas -- just don't be surprised when their classmates' requests come rolling in!

Stickers

Stickers are the easiest way to bring colour and fun to your child's lunch box. Simply collect an assortment of adhesives, such as stars, letters, animals, their favourite storybook or cartoon characters, or coloured shapes like polka dots. Your child can arrange them on their lunch box however they like -- it's their completely unique creation! Perhaps they want to cover the entire lid in colourful stars, while the sides are filled with spots and the inside is their own mini zoo. You could even buy some glow-in-the-dark solar system stickers for extra pizazz!

Magnets

If your child has a metal lunch box that attracts magnets, you could both have some great fun designing a new pattern each day! Track down a pack of alphabet magnets -- either made from individual letters, clusters of letters or whole words -- and write funny messages to each other. Pop an "I love you" underneath their sandwich for them to see when they open their lunch tin at recess (and its also a great way to check they've eaten their lunch!) and you might just receive a sweet note back when you clean their container that night. This is one way to guarantee your child will never get bored by their lunch box again!

Paint

Another fun way to custom-decorate their lunch box is by grabbing some waterproof pens or paints and getting sketchy! They can write out their favourite saying, print their name, or draw quirky patterns or pictures across the box. Alternatively, think outside the square and make potato print stamps, draw around the outside of their favourite toy soldiers or shapes like lovehearts, or even cover the container in paint handprints. If you're feeling extra adventurous, you could draw a naughts and crosses board on the inside, buy them a few magnets to play with, and keep them entertained as they munch on their sandwiches!

Picture collage

Whether your son is into animals, boats or soccer, or your daughter is into One Direction or ballet, they can make their lunch box totally unique and tailored to their own interests with this fun collage idea. Simply encourage them to scour old magazines and books or print out pictures from the web, and cut out pictures of their favourite people, places or things. (Be sure to supervise little hands when working with scissors.) Next, they can arrange their pictures any way they like, then paint a clear, durable wash-proof varnish over the top. Wait till dry, then get ready to show off your work! Keep in mind that you may need to hand-wash the lunch box separately to protect the varnish and avoid any nasty chemicals getting into the dishwater. Always read the product directions and work with care.