Random Things to Mail

One press gives one small thing to mail a friend, with a note on how it travels.

A secret message in white crayonIn an envelope. Add a note: brush watercolor over the page to read it.

Next step Draw a text to send while it travels

How it works

Random things to mail a friend: 150 small surprises, from a pressed leaf to a wanted poster with their face on it. Each fits an ordinary envelope or a small box.

Read the full guide

Envelope or small box

Fits an envelope holds 126 flat things: paper, photos, a sheet of stickers, a pressed flower. Needs a small box holds 24 that are round, hard or easy to crush, such as a seashell or a yo-yo. The line under each idea says which, with one tip for making or sending it.

Five kinds of thing

Made by hand holds things of paper, thread and paint. Games and puzzles holds things to solve or send back. From outdoors holds leaves, shells and sketches of the sky. Found at home holds photos, ticket stubs and small treats. Just silly holds things that need no reason.

Send a silly thing with one line or none. A drawing of a potato is funnier without a letter explaining it.
Tape a small thing to a piece of card so it does not slide to a corner of the envelope.

Questions and answers

What are random things to send in the mail?

Flat, light surprises: a postcard cut into a jigsaw, a tea bag with a note that says to call you, or one sock with a note promising the other next month. All three fit an ordinary envelope.

What are random things to ship to friends in a box?

Things too round or too easy to crush for an envelope: a painted rock, a kazoo, a plastic dinosaur with a name tag or a really good stick. Choose Needs a small box to draw only those.

What can you mail to a friend who lives far away?

Something that has to come back: the first move of a chess game by mail, a half-finished drawing for them to complete, or a letter with blanks to fill in. Each needs a reply, so the mail goes both ways.

Is everything on the list allowed in the mail?

The list leaves out liquids, food that spoils, sharp things and money, but it states no postal rule, because rules differ by country and service. Ask your post office before mailing anything unusual, anything with seeds or plants, or anything going abroad.

All 150 ideas

Fits an envelope 126

A balloon with a message written on it In an envelope. Blow it up, write, let the air out. They blow it up to read it.
A bark rubbing from a tree you both know In an envelope. Write where the tree stands on the back.
A bingo card for their week In an envelope. Squares such as "saw a dog in a coat" and "lost a pen".
A birthday card on a day that is not their birthday In an envelope. Write "early" or "late" on it. Either will be true.
A blank postcard with your address already on it In an envelope. Add the stamp too, and they have no excuse.
A book of coupons to trade in In an envelope. Good for one movie pick, one snack run, one long phone call.
A bus or train ticket from a trip you took together In an envelope. Glue it to a card and add the name of the trip.
A business card for a job you made up In an envelope. Director of Naps. Head of Toast.
A certificate for an award you invented In an envelope. Sign it, date it and stick on a gold star.

Show all 150 ideas (141 more)

Fits an envelope, continued

A close-up photo for them to guess In an envelope. Put the answer on the back, under a paper flap.
A collage cut from old magazines In an envelope. Glue the edges down well so nothing catches.
A comic strip about your week In an envelope. Four panels is plenty, and stick figures count.
A comic strip cut from the newspaper In an envelope. Write "this is us" beside one of the characters.
A copy of a drawing you made as a child In an envelope. Send a copy and keep the original. Add your age at the time.
A crossword only they could solve In an envelope. Take the clues from your shared history: "Where we got lost".
A deck of question cards for your next call In an envelope. Cut index cards in half and number them.
A dot-to-dot you drew In an envelope. Number the dots clearly and do not say what it becomes.
A drawing of a potato, labeled "potato" In an envelope. Send no other note. Explain nothing.
A drawing of the moon on the night you wrote In an envelope. Date it, so they know which moon it was.
A drawing of the two of you as vegetables In an envelope. Label which one is which, to avoid arguments.
A drawing of their house from memory In an envelope. Get one detail wrong on purpose and see if they notice.
A fan letter, to them In an envelope. Ask for a signed photo in return.
A flip book drawn on sticky notes In an envelope. Number the corner of each page in case it comes apart.
A folded paper football and a drawn set of goalposts In an envelope. Flick it across a table. First to five wins.
A formal invitation to stay home on Saturday In an envelope. Add a dress code: slippers.
A friendship bracelet In an envelope. Tape it to a card so the envelope stays flat.
A guitar pick In an envelope. Tape it to a card so it does not slide to a corner.
A hair tie or a length of ribbon In an envelope. Tie it in a bow round your folded letter.
A half-finished drawing for them to complete In an envelope. Leave the interesting half blank.
A hand-drawn map of your street In an envelope. Mark the spots with stories: the loud dog, the good bakery.
A hand-stitched patch In an envelope. Leave a long tail of thread so they can sew it on.
A handwritten playlist with a reason beside each song In an envelope. Titles are enough. They can find the songs themselves.
A knitted or crocheted square In an envelope. Say what it is the start of, even if you do not know yet.
A leaf rubbing in crayon In an envelope. Leaf under the paper, crayon on its side, rub gently.
A leaf with a face drawn on it In an envelope. Press the leaf flat first and use a soft pen.
A letter cut into strips to tape back together In an envelope. Cut between the lines, never through the words.
A letter from your pet In an envelope. Written in the pet's voice and signed with a smudge.
A letter in code, with the key sent a day later In an envelope. A simple swap of letters is enough.
A letter in picture code, with drawings for some words In an envelope. An eye for "I", a bee for "be". Keep it easy.
A letter that is one word long In an envelope. Choose the word with care. "Hello" is acceptable.
A letter to open on a certain day In an envelope. Write the day on an inner envelope: "Open when it rains".
A letter with blanks to fill in and send back In an envelope. Leave gaps for a noun, a color and an animal.
A letter written in a spiral In an envelope. Start in the middle so they have to turn the page to read it.
A list of everything you heard from one park bench In an envelope. Write the sounds in the order they came.
A list of names for a band you two will never start In an envelope. Underline your favorite and ask for theirs.
A list of ten things that made you think of them In an envelope. Leave number eleven blank for them to fill in.
A list of ten things to spot on their own street In an envelope. A red door, a cat in a window, a bicycle with a basket.
A list of the birds you saw this week In an envelope. Draw each one beside its name, however rough.
A list of this-or-that choices to circle and return In an envelope. Put your own answers in a sealed corner to compare.
A luggage tag with your address filled in In an envelope. A way of saying "come and visit".
A made-up weather forecast for their week In an envelope. "Wednesday: light confetti, clearing by noon."
A map of an island you invented and named after them In an envelope. Include a bay, a mountain and one place to avoid.
A map of your favorite walk In an envelope. Mark where to stop for the view.
A map with a meeting place circled In an envelope. Write a date beside the circle, or a question mark.
A maze you drew In an envelope. Draw a tiny prize at the finish.
A menu of dishes that do not exist In an envelope. To start: cloud on toast.
A message written backwards, to read in a mirror In an envelope. Practice on scrap paper first.
A mini magazine about the two of you In an envelope. Fold one sheet into a booklet and fill every page.
A newspaper clipping that made you think of them In an envelope. Circle the line that did it.
A newspaper crossword, half done In an envelope. Leave the hard corner for them.
A one-page story with them as the hero In an envelope. Give them a sidekick: you.
A packet of flower seeds In an envelope. Ask the post office first if it is leaving the country.
A packet of hot chocolate In an envelope. Name an evening and drink it together on a call.
A page of thumbprint animals In an envelope. One print each, then legs, ears and a tail in pen.
A paint sample card in a color with a funny name In an envelope. Underline the name and add "this is you".
A pair of googly eyes In an envelope. Tape them to a card with a suggestion: "for the fruit bowl".
A paper airplane with a message on the wings In an envelope. Fold the wings flat. They open again at the other end.
A paper chain with one link for each day until you meet In an envelope. Send the strips flat with a note on how to loop them.
A paper die to fold and glue, with a game to go with it In an envelope. Send it flat with the tabs marked.
A paper doll with a change of clothes In an envelope. Cut the tabs wide so the outfits stay on.
A paper fortune teller with eight fortunes inside In an envelope. Flatten it along its folds and write "pick a color" on top.
A paper garland that spells their name In an envelope. Fold it like a fan, one letter to a fold.
A paper hat folded from newspaper In an envelope. Send it folded flat and ask for a photo of it being worn.
A paper medal on a ribbon In an envelope. Give the reason: "For bravery in the face of Monday".
A paper menu from a place you used to eat together In an envelope. Circle what you always ordered.
A paper snowflake In an envelope. Send it folded and let them open it out.
A photo of a place they miss In an envelope. Take it from where the two of you used to stand.
A photo of your pet In an envelope. Sign it with a drawn paw print.
A pop-up card In an envelope. Put a sheet of card on each side so the pop-up is not crushed.
A portrait of their pet In an envelope. Work from a photo and admit it if the ears went wrong.
A portrait of them drawn with your eyes closed In an envelope. Sign it as if it were worth a great deal.
A postage stamp, so they can write back In an envelope. Tuck it into the fold of your letter where it cannot slip out.
A postcard cut into a jigsaw In an envelope. Write the message first, then cut. Ten pieces is plenty.
A postcard of your own town In an envelope. Mark your window, or roughly where it would be.
A postcard written by your houseplant In an envelope. It has complaints about the window.
A pressed clover In an envelope. Three leaves is fine. Say it is lucky anyway.
A pressed flower In an envelope. Lay it between two sheets of paper inside a folded card.
A pressed leaf In an envelope. Press it in a heavy book until it is flat and dry.
A pressed-flower bookmark In an envelope. Seal it under clear tape so the petals stay put.
A print made by pressing a painted leaf on paper In an envelope. Let it dry before it goes in the envelope.
A printed photo of the two of you In an envelope. Write the date and the place on the back.
A quiz about you, with the answers folded under In an envelope. Let them mark it themselves and mail you the score.
A recipe card in your handwriting In an envelope. Write who taught it to you at the bottom.
A report card for them as a friend In an envelope. Top marks all round, and one comment from the teacher.
A riddle with the answer in a second, smaller envelope In an envelope. Write "no peeking" on the small one.
A sealed envelope marked "Do not open until I say" In an envelope. Put it inside your letter, then wait a few days before you say.
A secret message in white crayon In an envelope. Add a note: brush watercolor over the page to read it.
A sheet of stickers In an envelope. Slide it between two pieces of card so it does not bend.
A sketch of the view from your window In an envelope. Write the time of day in the corner.
A sprig of dried lavender In an envelope. Fold it into a sheet of paper so the buds stay together.
A strip of compliments, cut apart to draw from a jar In an envelope. Send the paper strips. They supply the jar.
A tea bag In an envelope. Leave it in its paper wrapper and add: "Put the kettle on, then call me."
A temporary tattoo In an envelope. Keep it in its backing paper and suggest where it should go.
A thank-you note for something tiny from long ago In an envelope. "For the pen you lent me, years back."
A ticket stub from something you saw together In an envelope. Add one line about the best part of that day.
A tiny painting on a card In an envelope. Let it dry fully and lay a sheet of plain paper over it.
A tracing of your hand, for a high five by mail In an envelope. Cut it out and write "press here" on the palm.
A treasure map of a place you both know In an envelope. Put the X somewhere you can go together.
A wanted poster with their face on it In an envelope. Wanted for: taking the last cookie.
A week of cloud sketches In an envelope. One small square a day, with the best cloud labeled.
A word search made of words only you two know In an envelope. Hide both your names in it and do not mention them.
A written review of their last text message In an envelope. Three stars: "strong opening, needed more detail".
An application form to stay your friend In an envelope. With boxes to tick and a line for a signature.
An envelope inside an envelope inside an envelope In an envelope. The smallest one holds a single word.
An hour-by-hour drawing of how you imagine their day In an envelope. Ask them to send back a corrected copy.
An IOU for one ice cream In an envelope. Payable the next time you are in the same town.
An iron-on patch In an envelope. Add a note saying which bag it belongs on.
An origami frog that jumps In an envelope. Draw an arrow that shows where to press.
Embroidery thread in their favorite colors In an envelope. Wind it round a piece of card.
The first move of a chess game by mail In an envelope. Draw the board, or write the move and trust them to set it up.
The first move of a game of tic-tac-toe In an envelope. They add a move and mail it back. A very slow game.
The first paragraph of a story for them to continue In an envelope. Stop in the middle of a sentence.
Half of a photo-booth strip In an envelope. Cut it across the middle and keep the other half.
One piece of a jigsaw, with the rest to follow In an envelope. Send a few more pieces with each letter.
One sock, with a note promising the other next month In an envelope. Mail the second one when they have stopped expecting it.
Two drawings with five differences to spot In an envelope. Make one difference so small it is nearly unfair.

Needs a small box 24

A beaded keyring In a small box. Pad it with paper so it lies still.
A bouncy ball In a small box. Fill the box with paper, or it will rattle the whole way.
A cookie cutter in an odd shape In a small box. Add a note asking for a photo of the first batch.
A crayon in their favorite color In a small box. One crayon, and a note saying you thought of them.
A few marbles In a small box. Wrap them tight so the box does not rattle.
A kazoo In a small box. Include sheet music: one line of "doo doo doo".
A painted rock In a small box. Let the paint dry fully, then wrap the rock in tissue.
A pair of dice and a game you made up In a small box. Write the rules on a card small enough for the box.
A pair of silly socks In a small box. Soft things also fit a padded envelope.
A paperback you have finished In a small box. Write a note inside the cover and mark one page.
A piece of sea glass In a small box. Wrap it once in tissue and say which beach it came from.
A pine cone In a small box. Choose a dry one and give it room in the box.
A plastic dinosaur with a name tag In a small box. Explain that it needs a new home and asks for very little.
A pom-pom made from leftover yarn In a small box. It springs back into shape, so pack it loosely.
A really good stick In a small box. Pick one short enough for the box. Say where you found it.
A rubber duck In a small box. Add a note with its name and its one rule.
A seashell In a small box. Cushion it in tissue. Thin shells chip.
A small notebook In a small box. Write on the first page so it is not blank.
A small piece of driftwood In a small box. Brush off the sand and let it dry out first.
A smooth pebble In a small box. Wrap it in paper so it cannot knock about.
A tiny toy animal In a small box. Give it a name tag and a short life story.
A very long letter on a roll of paper In a small box. Roll it tight and tie it with string.
A yo-yo In a small box. Wind the string and tuck the loop under so it does not unspool.
Five odd buttons from the button jar In a small box. No two the same. Suggest a use for each.

How this list was compiled: Written for this page on 2026-10-09: all 150 ideas and the line under each are our own wording, and no list, book or site was copied. Every idea fits an ordinary envelope or a small box, and the line under it says which and gives one tip for making or sending it. The other five groups are our own sorting by kind: Made by hand, Games and puzzles, From outdoors, Found at home and Just silly. Left out on purpose: liquids, food that spoils, anything sharp, and money. Compared on 2026-10-09 with every other list on this site: seven plain names of objects (a tea bag, a rubber duck and the like) also stand in a list of objects, and no longer idea repeats one. Licence: Own work.