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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$5.6823% 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
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
As an expert and enthusiast, I have personal experiences or beliefs, but I can provide you with information on the concepts mentioned in this article. Let's go through each concept and discuss them:
Valentine's Day Crafts for Kids
Valentine's Day crafts for kids are a popular way to celebrate the holiday and engage children in creative activities. These crafts are usually easy to do and can be made with simple materials. They are designed to be age-appropriate and enjoyable for children. This article provides several craft ideas for kids to try, including fingerprint hearts, beginner string art, heart-hand tree, construction paper critters, and an upcycled bee craft. These crafts can be personalized and make great gifts or decorations for Valentine's Day.
Fingerprint Hearts
The fingerprint hearts craft involves using washable ink pads, scissors, glue, and paper to create heart-shaped designs using fingerprints. This craft is messy but fun for kids, and the resulting artwork can be given as a gift to grandparents or loved ones. The article suggests using card stock paper for a more durable finished product.
Beginner String Art
Beginner string art is a craft project suitable for older children. It involves using a piece of wood, a heart-shaped template, nails, and colored string. Kids can hammer nails into the wood following the outline of the heart, and then wrap string around the nails to create a heart-shaped design. This craft helps children develop their fine motor skills and creativity.
Heart-Hand Tree
The heart-hand tree craft uses an outline of a child's hand to create a tree shape. Kids can trace their hand on cardboard and cut it out to form the tree trunk. Construction paper hearts and leaves can be added to the tree, and children can write a message on the trunk. This craft is suitable for younger children and allows them to create a personalized artwork using their own handprints.
Construction Paper Critters
Construction paper critters are Valentine's-themed crafts that allow children to create various animal shapes using construction paper. Kids can choose their favorite animals and cut out the shapes from different colored paper. The shapes can then be glued together, and googly eyes can be added for a fun touch. This craft not only encourages creativity but also provides an opportunity for children to learn about different animals.
Upcycled Bee
The upcycled bee craft is an eco-friendly project that repurposes a used toilet paper tube. Kids can paint the tube yellow and cut out bee parts from construction paper. The parts can be glued or taped onto the tube to create a colorful bee. This craft is suitable for all ages and allows children to create a cute and environmentally friendly Valentine's Day critter.
Valentine Carryall
The Valentine carryall craft involves using paper plates to create a heart-shaped purse. Children can punch holes along the edges of the plates and thread yarn through them to create a strap. The plates can be decorated with stickers, cutouts, or other embellishments. This craft allows for personalization and provides a fun way for kids to store their Valentine's Day cards or treats. I hope this information helps you understand the concepts mentioned in the article. If you have any more questions, feel free to ask!
