HERE'S WHAT YOU'LL NEED:

• Large cardboard box tall enough for a young birthday child to comfortably stand inside. (An appliance box from your local hardware or appliance store or a wardrobe box from a moving company work well.)
• Scissors or utility knife (adults only)
• Pencil
• Fast drying poster paint and paintbrushes
• Craft paper or brown packaging paper
• Fabric scraps, wallpaper remnants, ribbon, old clothing, etc.
• Tape or sticky gum (used to hang posters)
• Camera

LET'S GET STARTED:

Creating a cardboard box photo booth gets the whole family involved in the party preparations.   Here's how:

1. Cut off the four flaps from one end of the box for the bottom of the photo booth.
2. On one side of the box cut out a large door 5-inches from the top of the box and 3-inches from each side.
3. Have your child stand next to another side of the box and make a small mark at the height of her face with a pencil. Using that mark as a guide and cut out a hole big enough for her face to poke through. Cut similar holes on remaining two sides. You will now have three sides with face holes and one side with a large door.
4. Everyone in the family may now paint different background scenes on the sides with holes. (For example: a prehistoric scene, a beach scene, a mountain scene, a desert scene...use your imagination!)
5. Trace your child's body from the neck down on a large sheet of craft paper. Cut out the body shape. Using this as a pattern, make enough of these paper cutouts for each birthday party guest.
6. On the big day of the party, guests decorate their cutouts to create the person or creature they want to be in a scene they choose.   Have plenty of glue, fabric scraps, ribbons, old jewelry, scarves and fast drying poster paint on hand.
7. When glue and paint are dry, each guest may tape the cutout under the face hole of a scene.
8. Enter the box and pose for a photo as a new personality. Guests may take the photo home as a party favor.

OTHER ACTIVITIES FROM THIS EPISODE:

Burger & Fries Surprise
Recycle Your Party