Anyone want to help me with a very specific gift request - I’m struggling!

[PumpkinSoup21]

Anyone want to help with a bit of Googling around a specific (and I’m afraid a bit dull) gift request for my (suspected neurodiverse) DS’s upcoming 6th birthday. He is very definite about this thing and obviously it doesn’t exist but I think I could work it out from a few bits and pieces if I could find them.

If anyone replies I’ll post some details!

I'm good at Google research!

I’ve got time.

Hit me

Go for it

My DS asked for 'a motorway, maybe something like the M1' for his 6th birthday. Hit us with it, we're well equipped...

I have a ND child with very specific requests so am good friends with Google. Hit me

My ds once wanted a 'teach yourself viking' book, which wasn't easy either!

One of my DC (also autistic) once asked for "history shaped balloons" for his birthday...bring it on, happy to help 🤣

Thank you all!
Brace yourselves - it really isn’t very interesting.

He wants a box to keep the action figures from a show he likes in. The box needs to be sturdy enough to withstand some play and large enough to fit quite a few toys in. So small gift boxes or boxes for storing a few bits of paper won’t work. Large adult shoebox size at least - preferably bigger. He has specified cardboard but I think we might be able to compromise on the material.

It must be black on the bottom half with a purple lid. The lid needs to come off completely. The purple lid should have black stars on it.

So, I thought I’d buy two boxes the same size - one purple, one black, swap the lids and then buy some black star stickers.

But I cannot find boxes that are sturdy, large and available in the same size in black and purple! I found one and it cost £18 for one box, which is a bit extreme!

Haven’t even started looking for black star stickers yet.

He’s not able to be flexible on stuff like this bless him so I don’t want to say we have to compromise on the important parts (size, colours) unless we really have to.

Any ideas?! Thank you!

Easy. The works 2 for a tenner I think. Sturdy cardboard, clips together

How about an archive or storage box with a removeable lid, some poster paints, and clear fablon?

Thank you for the amazing example @CMOTDibbler @SelkieSeal 😂

@AutumnNymph - thank you!

He has other very specific things on the list but this is what I’m struggling with. I send his list to family and they all look at me like what am I supposed to do with this?

Just an idea, have you thought about spray paint on the lid to change the colour? Or sticky back plastic?

I like this as a possibility…

Hard to get the time to make it myself as we’re moving house and have another little one but perhaps not impossible!

www.theworks.co.uk/p/storage-boxes/grey-white-star-collapsible-storage-box/5052089261952.html

Hmm. They had a huge range last year. Including the stars. You could order one of these, there's a reduced one at £3 and spray it

These are more expensive but are any of them the right size? I think any they do in purple also come in black (you can filter by colour)

https://huntoffice.co.uk/archive-boxes.html~box_colour=purple

Had a look in the works but couldn’t see anything in black or purple. Will need to be a DIY job it seems.

I think the cardboard box and some spray paint would work really well. If you know someone with a cricut they could cut the stars for you, or with a bit of fiddling you could make a stencil

www.theworks.co.uk/p/storage-boxes/botanical-collapsible-storage-box/5052089321908.html

This one and spray it. They're good quality. I can't understand where they have all gone! We've got so many different ones!

Yes - this is the one I found and I think would be perfect and comes in purple and black (the cube large). But they’re £18 each 😢

Might WHSmith, Ryman or Wilko have something?
Might be worth asking on freecycle or freegle if anyone has a sturdy cardboard box in black or purple.

Would a box like this work if you put star stickers on the lid, sprayed it purple then peeled the stickers off to leave black?

Buy the purple one and spray paint the base black? Add some sticky stars on the lid and you should be done for £25

Hobbycroft

could you paint this box?

different sizes available.

Large black archive box. Spray paint lid purple. Add black star stickers.

alternatively, but a wooden one and paint both pieces.

if you don’t want to paint, you could build it out of foam board, but that will take more time and if you don’t have good cutting equipment and guides doing a large one will be a bit fiddly.

ive spent my DD’s childhood figuring out how to make the very specific requests her wonderful ASD dreams up.