Mayflower Matchbox Diorama

It is November, and Thanksgiving is approaching! 

Here is a clever gift to share for the holidays: a matchbox diorama of the 

Mayflower voyage with a ship you can move around through the waves like it is sailing to the New World.

Materials

• Large "kitchen" Matchbox (I bought mine at a grocery store.)
• Coffee stirrer cut in half
• Cardstock
• water colors and colored pencil for the art
• Masking tape or duct tape
• Glue stick to assemble everything

Steps

1. Decorate the inside bottom of the box with some swirly water colors
2. Use watercolor and color pencil to create waves and cut them out. I made two rows of waves.
3. Glue the waves inside the box.
4. Draw the boat and cut it out. It is easy to find simple images of the Mayflower online or in books to inspire you.
5. Make a slit along the bottom center of the inside box and stick the coffee stirrer up through the hole. This slit is the sailing course your ship will be able to move along.
6. Place the Mayflower in the box and stick the stirrer up through the slit. Tape the stirrer to the back of the boat.  The ship will also store inside the box when it closes, just gently remove it from the slot and lay inside.
7. For the exterior I used a paper covering, hand drawn leaves, and some words about the Pilgrims. You could follow my example or decorate it any way you want.
8. Slide the inside box into your top and you are ready to take the Mayflower out to give as a fun gift for a child learning about Thanksgiving or for the hostess at your Thanksgiving meal.