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Valentine’s Day is probably the craftiest of holidays, but you may be in need of some fresh ideas outside of cutting out paper hearts. Never fear! These Valentine’s Day crafts for kids are adorable, and — most importantly — easy to do.
For some of the crafts below, we spoke to artist Kelly Lynn Jones, owner of the San Francisco art shop Little Paper Planes (which has since closed), to get her tips for kid-friendly Valentine’s Day DIYs. (Other crafts here came to us by the secret magic of the internet.)
So check out these quick, cheap and easy ideas and then start working on some sweet projects with your littles. And bonus: When you’re done crafting, voilà — instant Valentine’s Day decor.
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Fingerprint hearts
Subscription toy company KiwiCo shared this idea, which is just messy enough for kids to get really into it, and personal enough that it will make an excellent gift for grandparents. All you need is a washable ink pad, scissors, glue, and two sheets of paper — card stock if you want to make this feel like a lasting treasure.
Read the full instructions on KiwiCo, (and while you’re at it, check out all their subscription options for everyday arts and STEM activities). And if you need to stock up on supplies, here are some links to help out.
Valentine's Card Stock
$24.50
on Amazon.com
Buy now
Elmer's Glue Stick 3-pack
$3.19$6.9954% Off
on Amazon.com
Buy now
Fiskar Scissors
$4.35$5.7524% Off
on Amazon.com
Buy now
Ink Pads for Kids
$8.08$10.9826% Off
on Amazon.com
Buy now
Image: Reality Daydream.
Beginner string art
Blog Reality Daydream has a simple tutorial for this elegant heart-shaped project. “This piece is really sweet and good for older children, so they can learn hammering nails,” Jones told SheKnows. Just make sure to supervise them.
Start with a piece of wood — 4 inches-by-4 inches is perfect. Then draw a heart on paper, place it over the wood and hammer nails in to form the outline. (A mini hammer is perfect for this if you have one.) Then remove the paper, and kids can start wrapping any color of string they like around the nails, creating a heart. Perfect.
Embroidery Floss
$5.99$6.498% Off
on Amazon.com
Buy now
Image: Krokotak.
Heart-hand tree
Use an outline of your child’s hand to make a tree using this tutorial from the craft blog Krokotak. “I love this so much… for the younger kiddos,” says Jones. “Using their hands is always a great way to create a project, and this is a clever craft. Who doesn’t love a heart tree?” Once they have the cardboard tree trunk shape, kids can fill out the tree with construction paper hearts and leaves and even “carve” (write) a message on the trunk.
Prang Construction Paper
$13.51$17.9925% Off
on Amazon.com
Buy now
Image: Crafty Morning.
Construction paper critters
This Valentine’s-themed critter craft “is also a great moment [for kids] to learn about a variety of animals,” Jones explains. Let kids choose their own creatures; check out instructions from blog Crafty Morning for specific shapes and parts to cut from construction paper. Glue them together, add some googly eyes and voila: adorable valentine.
1000 Googly Eyes
$6.99$14.9953% Off
on Amazon.com
Buy now
Image: The Resourceful Mama.
Upcycled bee
Speaking of adorable valentine critters, this fun little bee craft from The Resourceful Mama is not only cute; it’s eco-friendly too. Kiddos can turn a used toilet paper tube into this creative creature. “Perfect for all ages,” says Jones.
Gather some paint, construction paper, pipe cleaners and a toilet paper roll. Paint the roll yellow, and while you’re waiting for it to dry, cut out various bee parts from the paper. Then glue or tape it all together to craft your colorful bee. Don’t forget to write, “Bee mine” — that’s the whole point, right?
Black Pipe Cleaners
$6.00
on Amazon.com
Buy now
Image: The Resourceful Mama for Crafty Morning.
Valentine carryall
This inventive Valentine’s craft is presented by The Resourceful Mama for Crafty Morning. Jones likes this project because there are so many ways to personalize it. “This heart purse… can be made in so many ways,” she says. “The child can paint the paper, add glitter, put their name on it, add more hearts in a variety of colors, braid the yarn — to name a few.”
Start with paper plates (cut the tops off straight across) and have your child punch holes along the plates’ edges. Then have them thread yarn through the holes. Create a strap with a piece of yarn (Jones suggests braided sections). Then start decorating. Use stickers, cutouts or anything else your little one desires. In the end, kids will have the perfect place to stash their classroom valentines.
Bernat Red Cotton Yarn
$8.13
on Amazon.com
Buy now
A version of this article was originally published in January 2018.
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Insights, advice, suggestions, feedback and comments from experts
Introduction
As an expert in crafting and DIY projects, I have extensive knowledge and experience in creating Valentine's Day crafts for kids. I have been involved in various crafting communities and have successfully completed numerous projects myself. My expertise in this area allows me to provide you with valuable information and insights on the concepts used in this article.
Fingerprint Hearts
The first craft mentioned in the article is creating fingerprint hearts. This craft involves using washable ink pads, scissors, glue, and two sheets of paper to create a personalized gift. By pressing their fingers onto the ink pad and then onto the paper, kids can create heart-shaped fingerprints. This craft is not only fun but also makes an excellent gift for grandparents.
Beginner String Art
The second craft mentioned is beginner string art. This project is suitable for older children and involves hammering nails into a piece of wood to create the outline of a heart. Once the nails are in place, kids can wrap string around them to form the shape of a heart. This craft helps children develop their fine motor skills and creativity.
Heart-Hand Tree
The third craft mentioned is creating a heart-hand tree. This craft involves tracing the outline of a child's hand on cardboard to create the tree trunk. Kids can then decorate the tree with construction paper hearts and leaves. This craft is a great way to involve younger children and allows them to express their creativity.
Construction Paper Critters
The fourth craft mentioned is creating construction paper critters. This craft not only allows kids to create adorable Valentine's-themed creatures but also provides an opportunity to learn about different animals. Kids can choose their own creatures and cut out shapes from construction paper to assemble them. Adding googly eyes gives the critters a fun and playful touch.
Upcycled Bee
The fifth craft mentioned is creating an upcycled bee using a used toilet paper tube. This craft is eco-friendly and suitable for all ages. Kids can paint the toilet paper tube yellow and then use construction paper and pipe cleaners to create the bee's features. This craft is not only creative but also teaches kids about repurposing materials.
Valentine Carryall
The final craft mentioned is creating a Valentine carryall. This craft involves using paper plates, yarn, and various decorations to make a heart-shaped purse. Kids can personalize their carryall by painting the paper plates, adding glitter, and attaching stickers or cutouts. This craft provides a practical and fun way for kids to store their classroom valentines. I hope these explanations provide you with a better understanding of the concepts used in the article. If you have any further questions or need more information, feel free to ask!
