20 fun Valentine's Day crafts for kids
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We usually equate Valentine’s Day with date nights and romantic dinners, but it’s also a fun holiday day for kids that breaks up the late-winter doldrums with pink, red and white holiday cheer. From trading Valentine cards in class to dressing up to getting gifts of holiday-themed toys and candy, Valentine’s Day has become a celebration that kids look forward to.
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Valentine’s Day is a great excuse for creative kids to make heartfelt, sentimental crafts that you’ll want to keep forever. From sweet toddler art to special DIY Valentines for the school-aged set, there’s no shortage of heart-shaped activities and crafts to get your kids’ creative juices flowing.
Whether you give these cute crafts as Valentine’s Day gifts or keep them as mementos, here are some of our favorite kid crafts that will have your home bursting with holiday cheer.
1. Balloon hearts
Nothing could be simpler than this DIY art project by The Best Ideas for Kids. It's made with easy-to-find craft supplies that you probably have at home, and it's so simple that even the tiniest hands can master it. Dress your kids up in their favorite Valentine's Day outfits and snap a photo to make this keepsake or card craft extra special.
What you need: White card stock, acrylic paint, fine-tipped markers, paper roll
Get the 19-pack of Apple Barrel Acrylic Paint at Amazon for $19.46
Get the 300-sheet pack of Neenah White Cardstock at Amazon for $12.04
Get the 4-pack of Sharpie Fine Tipped Permanent Markers at Amazon for $6.85
2. Shaving cream hearts
Shaving cream art is one of our favorite creative mediums for toddlers and preschoolers to experiment with, but it’s also satisfying for older kids, too. This craft from Hello, Wonderful keeps the mess contained in a bin or old box: Kids will enjoy the frothy, fun mess, while parents will appreciate the easy cleanup.
What you need: Water color paper, washable tempera paint, thick foam shaving cream, a plastic bin or a cardboard box
Get the Crayola Washable Tempera 12-pack at Amazon for $43.77
Get the Barbasol Soothing Thick & Rich Shaving Cream 2-pack at Amazon for $11.63
3. Handprint hearts
Toddlers love getting good and messy with salt dough. It’s so much fun for them to squeeze, knead, roll out and sink their little hands into. Plus, when you are done, you get an adorable keepsake. This recipe and tutorial by The Best Ideas for Kids gives loads of ideas for salt dough handprints and ornaments, for an all-purpose craft for the holiday.
What you need: An extra large heart-shaped cookie cutter, acrylic paint, clear glaze
Get the extra large Heart Print Cookie Cutter at Amazon for $6.99
Get the 19-pack of Apple Barrel Acrylic Paint at Amazon for $19.46
4. Fizzy fun hearts
Bring a little STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) to their art with this cool, creative craft that adds a bit of chemistry to their creation with this tutorial by The Pinterest Parent. A bit of baking soda gives this activity an interactive element and a unique texture to the finished product.
What you’ll need: Watercolor paper, pipettes or eye droppers, food coloring
5. A heart handprint tree
This sweet little craft by The Best Ideas for Kids is so easy for little ones to pull off. They’ll love adding heart-shaped “leaves” to their tree, either with shimmery paper, folded construction paper or Valentine-themed heart stickers.
What you’ll need: Brown construction paper, pink card stock, heavy-duty glue, glitter paper or heart stickers
Get the Royal Green Brand Glitter Heart Stickers at Amazon for $6.99
Get the Best Creations Red Glitter Card Stock at Amazon for $16.99
Get the Neenah Creative Card Stock in assorted colors at Amazon for $8.99
Get the Crayola Construction Paper 2-pack at Amazon for $14.88
6. Crayon hearts
Like most families, you probably have an abundance of old, broken crayons. This craft by Mom Luck is easy, satisfying and puts those broken old crayon bits to good use. Give them out as gifts, or keep them handy as easy-to-grip and non-rolling crayons.
What you’ll need: Old crayons, a silicon baking tray
Get the MarStore Heart Shape Silicone Mold at Amazon for $10.99
7. Salt dough conversation hearts
Ever find your littles nibbling through the candy hearts before the craft is even completed? These conversation hearts are unique, and they basically last forever.
These cute little keepsakes by The Best Ideas for Kids are easy to pull off and will make charming gifts for friends and grandparents.
What you’ll need: A stamp set, acrylic paint, clear glaze
Get the Estone 70-piece Alphanumeric Wooden Stamp Set at at Amazon for $14.99
Get the 19-pack of Apple Barrel Acrylic Paint at Amazon for $19.46
8. A full kit for 27 craft-tastic cards
This cute kit by Kiwi Crate makes crafting handmade Valentine's Day cards a breeze. This cool card kit has everything kids need to make 27 impressive pop-up cards from scratch that they can share with their friends or send to family.
What you need: A Kiwi Crate kit
Get the Kiwi Crate Valentine's Day Cards kit for $14.95
9. Contact paper heart stencils
These three approaches to contact paper crafts by Feeling Nifty make cool use of negative space. These are fun for older kids who want to get creative with a stencil-style approach to painting, or for little ones who still struggle to stay within the lines.
What you’ll need: Painting canvases, contact paper, acrylic paint, an old credit card
Get the 19-pack of Apple Barrel Acrylic Paint at Amazon for $19.46
Shop Monte Marte Canvas Panels multi-packs at Amazon starting at $11.95
10. Bee Mine Valentine
This adorable craft by From ABC to ACTS is so easy and teaches little ones all about shapes and patterns, and they’ll love assembling these sweet little bees. You probably have everything you need handy, so this makes for a simple, low-stress craft day with an adorable final product.
What you’ll need: Construction paper and a glue stick
Get the Crayola Construction Paper 2-pack at Amazon for $14.88
Get the Elmer’s 3-pack of Disappearing School Glue glue sticks at Amazon for $3.99
11. Valentine Confetti Heart Slime
Kids always love slime! This fun activity by Little Bins Little Hands only gets more exciting when you make it holiday-themed, filling it with festive colors and sparkling confetti.
What you’ll need: A slime-making kit, valentine-themed confetti
12. Candy heart frames
All it takes is some paint, glue and a bag of candy hearts for them to make the sweetest Valentine’s Day frame. The iconic candy conversation hearts make this craft by Happiness is Homemade so much fun—just be sure to keep an eye on the kids, lest they eat all their craft supplies! We recommend sealing this with glaze to keep the ants away.
What you’ll need: A frame, glitter paint, tacky craft glue, candy hearts
13. Pipe Cleaner rings
If they need a little bling for their holiday, how about these mess-free pipe cleaner rings by One Little Project. Nothing could be easier and they are so good for building fine motor skills in little ones or bending out frustrations in older kids.
What you need: Pipe cleaners
Get the 100-pack of Crafting Pipe Cleaners at Amazon for $6.99
14. A Valentine Lady Bug craft
All you need is card stock, a glue stick, a photo and a cute kid to pull off this adorable craft by The Best Ideas for Kids that flaunts your little lovebug. The finished product is so cute you should probably plan to make a bunch.
What you need: Card stock, glue sticks, photos
Get the 300-sheet pack of Neenah White Cardstock at Amazon for $12.04
Get the Elmer’s 3-pack of Disappearing School Glue glue sticks at Amazon for $3.99
15. 3D Optical Illusion Heart Drawing Craft
Kids will love this cool craft that will have their hearts popping off the page. This perspective-drawing tutorial by Pink Stripey Socks simplifies the 3D-drawing process, making it so easy a preschooler can pull it off.
What you need: Lined paper, markers
16. Mosaic art heart
Got some magazines and catalogs piling up? This is the perfect craft for using them up, while making a pretty piece of art. We love the reduce and reuse approach to this pretty mosaic heart project by Crafts by Amanda that really lets kids unleash their creativity.
What you need: Poster board, construction paper and old magazines
Get the 25-pack of 11 x 15 poster boards at Amazon for $14.21
Get the Crayola Construction Paper 2-pack at Amazon for $14.88
17. Tinfoil art heart
This craft by I Heart Crafty Things was made for doodling! Shiny, fun and colorful, even scribbles turn out beautiful on these tin foil creations.
What you need: Tin foil, permanent markers
18. DIY recycled seed cards
A cool craft that teaches kids to reduce, reuse and recycle? We're in! Use up old newspaper, construction paper scraps or magazines to make a gift that keeps on giving. Once planted in a pot or garden plot, the seeds in these cute little hearts will sprout into beautiful flowers to enjoy this spring. These make perfect Valentine's Day card decorations, gift tags or party favors.
What you’ll need: Paper, food coloring, seeds, cookie cutter, screen
19. A candy wreath
This craft by Carrie Elle is so easy for kids of all ages, and it really just looks so pretty! Have kids from toddlers to 'tweens glue candy hearts on any shape they like (though we are partial to this wreath tutorial) for pretty and festive décor that's cute enough to eat.
What you need: Candy hearts, glue, spray varnish and a mold of your choosing
20. Candy heart pencil toppers
This cute craft by Lakeshore Learning is fun to do at home and to give out as a candy-free classroom valentine.
What you need: Candy heart template, fancy pipe stems, jumbo pencils, construction paper, glue
Get the Colorful Fancy Pipe Stems at Lakeshore Learning for $14.99
Get the set of 36 Jumbo Pencils at Lakeshore Learning for $16.99
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This article originally appeared on Reviewed: Valentine's Day crafts for kids, toddlers and preschoolers
