How Can I Turn Toy Capsules into Real Acorns? Answered

I'm working with a theatre company for a Christmas event, and they need an absolutely massive amount of acorns that they can hand out to kids. Natural acorns are too small, as are most of the faux ones on store shelves. The only thing available in bulk that I could find were the capsules in those toy machines at department stores, which I thought I could make work with a nice paint job. What exactly could I do to make them look natural? Or is there something else I'd have better luck using?

Tags:acorn christmas fall autumn thanksgiving toy kids paint capsule

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Quadrifoglio

4 years ago

If you don’t mind them clear with colored lids and they come in 1” and 2” acorns.

https://www.amazon.com/Empty-Acorn-Capsules-2AEC-100/dp/B004X29Q7E

https://www.amazon.com/EMPTY-Mixed-Acorn-Capsules-count/dp/B000QV4IQ0

Check out acorn capsules for other suppliers.

https://www.google.com/search?q=acorn+toy+capsules&oq=acorn+toy+capsules&aqs=chrome..69i57j0j69i60.10439j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#q=acorn+capsules

If they don’t need to contain anything,

Flat cut wood

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ACORN-LaserWoody-Unfinished-Flat-Wood-Shapes-2A908C-/360164449791?hash=item53db795dff:m:mkK5DOVEZihPuwBh2XjADcA

Wade through the wooden acorn listings to see if any are larger than 1-3/8”.

Buy Burr Oak acorns, per Wikipedia “the largest of any North American oak” (up to 1-1/2” wide).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quercus_macrocarpa

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odkw=%28Wood%2Cwooden%29+Acorns&_osacat=0&_from=R40&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.Xburr+oak+Acorns.TRS0&_nkw=burr+oak+Acorns&_sacat=0

You can also check large acorns.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odkw=burr+oak+Acorns&_osacat=0&_from=R40&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.Xlarge+Acorns.TRS0&_nkw=large+Acorns&_sacat=0

Make fabric acorns.

https://www.google.com/search?q=toys+in+acorns&biw=1152&bih=620&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjhz6Gru5TPAhVKNT4KHZP7D04QsAQIKQ#tbm=isch&q=fabric+acorns

Good hunting!

Quadrifoglio

Answer 4 years ago

...or mesh bags filled with real, smaller acorns.

Kiteman

4 years ago

If you're making gazzillions, "natural" is too much work. Symbolic works well with kids.

Spray paint them all a sort of "acorn green", dry, then dip one end in a mixture of brown paint and sawdust o make the "cup" - you could dry them upside down in egg cartons.