Celebrate Valentine’s Day with free and cheap craft projects that you can do with kids. Here are 12 ideas for using everyday household items in DIY projects that are extra sweet.
3-D Valentine’s Day Card – Take a photo of your child with their hand outstretched. Print the photo, and attach a Valentine’s Day lollipop to the outstretched hand. You’ve just created a 3-D card! Alternatively, you can have your child draw a self-portrait and attach the candy to the drawing.
Valentine Placemats – Start with a poster size piece of paper, and decorate it with crayons, markers and colored pencils. Laminate the poster, or take it to a nearby office supply store to have it laminated instantly. These creations make great placemats for the entire family to have at dinner time.
Butterfly Candy Holder Card – Cut out two identically shaped hearts. Turn them so that their pointed ends are facing each other. These will be the wings for your butterfly. Attach a rectangular piece of chocolate or other candy for the body. Then draw a face on top. Attach everything to a sheet of paper. You now have a sweet butterfly Valentine’s Day card.
Heart Shaped Paper Clips – Find the open-ended half of a paperclip. Fold it outward at the half-way point. Notice that the shape looks similar to a heart. The paper clip still works, but when you slip it over a sheet of paper, it becomes a great heart for Valentine’s Day.
Heart Shaped Picture Frame – Get a heart shaped box (a good way to find one is to use a heart-shaped box of chocolates). Create a stencil by tracing the heart over a spare piece of paper. Then, using the stencil, trace a heart over an existing photo and cut it in the shape of the Valentine. Carefully place the picture inside the heart shaped box. You now have a picture frame along with the photo.
Felt Valentine Hair Clips – Take a sheet of felt and cut out a small heart. Sew it to the back of a metal hair clip using embroidery floss and a needle. Decorate it by gluing on buttons, sequins and other embellishments. You can also sew on these items.
Thumb Print Hearts – This craft involves dipping your child’s thumb in ink and having him or her make a thumbprint on paper that’s slanted toward the left. Then, have them make another thumbprint over the first one that’s slanted toward the right, so the image forms the shape of a heart. These Thumb Print Hearts can be used to add a personal, decorative touch to their artwork.
Heart-shaped Cookies – Simply prepare any type of cookie dough. Create a flat sheet of cookies, then use a heart shaped cookie cutter. If you don’t have a cookie cutter, create a stencil from a sturdy, clean piece of paper, and use it to cut a heart shape into the cookie.
Grilled Cheese Hearts – Make a classic grilled cheese sandwich and then cut it into a valentine using the cookie cutter or stencil you created with the heart shaped cookies.
Valentine’s Day Wreath – Start with a disposable paper or plastic plate. Cut out the middle part, leaving only the outer ring. Decorate this outer ring with cut out hearts, buttons and other embellishments. Attach a small hook to the back, and you have a Valentine’s Day wreath!
Valentine Border – Cut out several heart shapes from construction paper. Assemble them side by side glue or tape them together. You have now created a border of valentines that can be used as a border to decorate a desk, door or window sill.
Shoebox Candy & Card Holder – Take an ordinary shoebox and cover it with red, white or pink paper. Then decorate with color valentine’s related crafts. Label your child’s name and use it to collect cards and candy received from classmates, family and friends.
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