Valentines Day Craft Ideas

A fancy restaurant, a bouquet of roses, and endless hours to revel in your love for each other. This is what Valentine’s Day looks like before kids. Macaroni and cheese for dinner, a glass of spilled milk, and in bed by 9. This is what Valentine’s Day looks like after kids.

Even if having kids has changed your plans for Valentine’s Day, that doesn’t mean celebrating this day of love has to be any less special. With the holiday rush over, and the weather still bitterly cold, this is the perfect time to spend time creating Valentine’s crafts with your kids.

With three kids, ranging in age from 8 to 2-years-old, I am always on the lookout for easy, fun crafts we can all do together. Here are four crafts that we have enjoyed making.

Valentine Sun Catcher

With a heart-shaped template, glue sticks, and tissue paper, your children can create a Valentine Sun Catcher that looks amazing hanging in a sunny window. With a little help, even the youngest in your family can get involved. Template and full instructions can be found here.

Heart Crystals

My boys, especially my five-year-old, love anything that includes science. Part craft and part science, growing your own crystals will impress the whole family.

Supplies:

Borax
Water
Pipe Cleaner
Paper Clip
Chopstick or skewer
Glass or plastic container large enough to hold pipe cleaner creation

1. Bend pipe cleaner into heart shape.

2. Bend a large paper clip to form hooks. Hang the pipe cleaner shape on a chopstick or skewer. Suspend it from the rim or your chosen container, making sure that it will hang without touching the bottom or sides. Remove pipe cleaner and set aside.

3. Fill your container with a solution made from 3 tablespoons of borax per cup of very hot water. Stir to dissolve. (NOTE: While borax is generally considered safe, exercise caution when using around kids.)

4. Rest the chopstick across the top of the container so that your pipe cleaner creation is fully submerged. Leave alone for 6-8 hours or overnight. Remove the shape and discard solution down the drain.

Crazy Straw Toppers

An easy, inexpensive alternative to store-bought Valentine cards. These would also be very cute to use during a Valentine themed party. Perfect for crazy straws or pencils.

1. Cut two circle or heart shapes, one larger and one smaller, from card stock. Use a glue stick to adhere the two pieces together.

2. Add desired message, then punch out a hole near the bottom and a hole near the top. Place top end of pencil or straw through the holes.

Heart Mobile

Sometimes the simplest of crafts can be the most fun! This craft allows you to get many kids involved at once decorating their own paper heart. Plus, the colors really brighten up these snow filled days.

1. Cut out heart shapes from construction paper or card stock.

2. Have your children decorate each shape as desired. Use crayons, markers, torn pieces of paper, paint, get creative!

3. Glue decorated hearts to a piece of yarn and hang in desired location.

I hope these ideas have inspired you to create with your children this Valentine’s Day!