Easy Valentine Crafts for Kids

Whether you call it a Hallmark holiday or decorate  your house in pink hearts from floor to ceiling, Valentine’s Day is around the corner, and this year I’m challenging you to view it as more than the pressure of a Pinterest-y goodie for your kid’s class. There are so many fun crafts, activities, and recipes out there that you can do as a family, and with a little preparation, they make great ways to spend time with the people you love.

Sharing love with the people you love – that’s what this day is all about!

Easy Valentine Crafts for Kids

Easy Valentine Crafts for Kids

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<<Family Fingerprint Heart Art>>

We sat down as a family one night after dinner with a construction paper heart taped down on a canvas, read a quick prayer about love, and went to town dipping fingers, mixing colors, and smudging around the construction paper. Once you’re finished, pull up the paper quickly so the paint doesn’t seep under too much. The kids loved that Daddy got in on this one as a change of pace from Momma’s typical crafts.

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<<Dancing Conversation Hearts Science>>

My kids love what I {and my Pinterest board} call “Science at Home.” And really, what’s not to love about mixing things together and observing how they react! There’s always an added bonus when candy is involved, and you just might have the ingredients on hand. You simply add Alka Seltzer tablets, water, and candy conversation hearts for a cool lesson in chemical reactions, aka dancing hearts.

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<<Valentine Poem Writing Practice>>

I saw a similar Valentine’s Day writing project on Pinterest and knew that I could recreate my own on Picmonkey. A few clicks under “Design your own” during nap time, and I had a couple of printables ready for putting on the table for a surprise snack activity. I don’t know what it is, but my kids are more likely to complete activities {especially educational} if they find them on a clean table around meal times.  As it turns out, they {shockingly} kept it Star Wars themed: “Lightsabers are red; lightsabers are blue.” Fair enough, young Jedis.

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<<Valentine Conversation Heart Preschool Letter Practice>>

And while we are learning {and hanging out together eating candy}, why not work on letters with our preschoolers? Check out these free Valentine’s Day learning printables for a simple activity to spend time learning with your little ones.

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<<Library Book Love Activity>>

Take a special library trip for books about love.  Love Monster by Rachel Bright is one of those gems that you find at the library and discover how simply adorable it is. When the kids are really connecting with a book, I’m guilty of a good Pinterest search for activities that make the story come to life. Puppets are always a hit in our house, so we ripped tissues and glued it down for our very own Love Monster.

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<<Love Our Earth>>

Since Kindergarten started, our afternoons after school vacillate between fitting in those things we don’t get to do during the day anymore and catching up on much needed relaxation with a show {or three!}. We spent a few minutes one afternoon mixing and molding birdseed into feeders to spread our love to some of Earth’s other inhabitants. We followed this guide, but I would recommend searching for a more definite recipe. Ours were pretty crumbly and definitely hard for little hands to manage.

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<<Simple Hearts Painting>>

You can’t get much simpler than paint, toilet paper rolls, and paper. I’m pretty sure this craft has been floating around since the dawn of the mom blog, but it’s a good one! Simply bend the toilet paper roll into a heart shape, dip in paint, and stamp away. Not a toilet paper roll hoarder? Grab a stalk of celery instead for a similar effect.IMG_6217

<<Love Heart Rock Backyard Race>>

On one of those after school, activity-based afternoons, I planned my own take on this heart race and dug out some Dollar Tree heart rocks I had from years past. I wrote clues on each rock — Love, God, Love, Others — and we ran back and forth gathering rocks and matching to the words written on a piece of construction paper across the yard. Boy moms, you want to do learning activities? Add racing!

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<<Handprint Cards for Grandparents>>

This easy painting project is a great way to keep in touch with grandparents, especially those that might not live close by.  Paint a quick handprint and ask kiddos for five things they love about each grandparent. This is so simple that we completed it after breakfast…on a school day! Word it however you like: “5 Things I Love About…,” “5 Reasons I Love…,” or even “5 Ways I Love …” Their responses are a fun way to capture their personalities and age!IMG_5937

<<Be Present>>

This family activity is the easiest one yet. You don’t need craft supplies or extra free time; you won’t have to clean up after it or make sure it’s age appropriate. Just spend time with your people. Be present for something they love, and let them teach you something about their world. Sit with them while they play iPad instead of tackling a sink full of dishes. Watch their favorite afternoon show with them and ask questions. Listen to them talk about Minecraft or sit beside their stuffed animal tea party. Connecting on their level holds treasures for you both!

You’ve got the whole month to spread and share love together. Choose an activity or two and add them to your family Valentine’s Day celebrations

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Jenn L
Jenn is an English teacher turned stay at home mom to boys Wyatt {2010}, John {2013}, and Abram {2014}. South Louisiana born and raised, North Louisiana educated, and Texas “polished,” she has found Houston to be home with her husband for the past ten years. After infertility struggles, in 2010 she traded in A Tale of Two Cities for Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site and has since been busy discovering ways to learn while playing, maintaining a semi-scheduled family life, and integrating both Texas and Louisiana culture into her family. Besides making memories with her boys full time, she enjoys reading, running, crafting, cooking, and football. Y’all stop by When In Doubt, Add More Salt to read more about family adventures with the boys and Jenn’s thoughts on hot summers and Pinterest pin attempts, and her love/hate relationship with March Madness brackets.

1 COMMENT

  1. Love these! So so cute! Will be doing the 5 things I love about Grandma/Grandpa this afternoon. So creative and easy! Thank you!

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