Ever since we were kids, we’ve loved the Valentine’s Day tradition of giving everyone in the class a little card to let them know they’re appreciated. Each year, we used to spend hours writing the names of all the kids in our class on cute, gimmicky little cards filled with hearts and silly love puns.
Now that we’re adults, we help our kids do it, but you can probably guess the difference between the ones we handed out then and the ones we help our kids with now: elevated crafting skills.
Check out these absolutely adorable DIY Valentine’s Day cards that are perfect for creating with your kids and probably a little more unique than the rest of the cards the kids in their classes will find on their desks on the morning of February 14th.
1. Tootsie pop butterflies
We love how many different kinds of candy are available in bulk around Valentine’s Day, even though Halloween still takes the cake when it comes to sweet seasons. That’s part of the reason we love the idea of actually make a kids’ Valentine out of candy! Eat, Craft, Parent guides you through the process of transforming a Tootsie Roll lollypop into a butterfly thanks to a couple of paper wings.
2. Curly paper hearts
These curly little paper hearts look adorable as a garland like How About Orange has them here, but you can also use that same technique to make just the hearts themselves and then glue them to the front of cute construction paper Valentine’s Day cards! The kids they give them to will love how textured and 3D their cards are.
3. Tootsie pop roses
Did you love the idea of making a Valentine out of Tootsie Pops but your kids gave out butterfly themed cards last year? Then here’s an alternative idea from Skip to My Lou! Grab some brightly coloured cupcake liners covered in cute patterns and layer them just like the tutorial says to make them into flowers! The Tootsie Pops will be the delicious centre.
4. Picture pop Valentines
Oh, are you still stuck on the Tootsie Pop idea but you still haven’t seen the one that just quite takes the cake for you? Then grab your camera and your kids and take some silly pictures! Juggling With kids suggests doing a mini photo shoot where your kids are holding one fist out, making little cuts above and below their fist, and sliding a lollipop through so it looks like the picture is holding the treat out to whoever they give the Valentine to.
5. Crayon heart Valentines
As if the fun of making a Valentine’s Day card wasn’t enough, this awesome hands-on crafts from Chef Messy shows you how to make a little rainbow crayon that each person getting a card can actually draw with! The tutorial shows you how to break and melt down old pieces of crayon and mould them into a cute heart shape.
6. Celery stamp flower Valentines
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Have you ever done vegetable stamping crafts with your kids before? Whether your answer is yes or not, we think you’ll want to try it after seeing these cute little flower-shaped paint prints by Woo Home! The way the celery stalks curve when you cut the leafy end off looks like a pretty flower if you dip them in paint and print them flat on a page and the design looks great on big Valentine’s Day cards in scenarios where you can’t give everyone a big bouquet of flowers!
7. This Much Valentine
Have you and your kids ever folded paper accordions? We used to make those for all kinds of crafts when we were little, but we hadn’t thought of using them in Valentine’s until we saw this cute idea on A Day in My Life! Glue a traced paper hand on each end of your paper accordion so your kids can show each person in their class just how much they care for one another.
8. Crayon shaving hearts
Perhaps your kids want to make a Valentine for their teacher that’s a little different than the lovely construction paper creations they made for all their classmates? Then try making something decorative that can be hung up instead! These crayon shaving hearts look almost like a piece of stained glass, letting the light shine through ever so slightly if you hang them in the window. Check out how they’re made on Skip to My Lou.
9. Yarn wrapped hearts
Whether you use them as embellishments for your Valentine’s Day cards or make them into cute little brooch pins like 2 Little Hooligans did, these little yarn wrapped hearts are practically too cute to pass on making. If you’re a knitter or you’ve built up a stash trying to teach your kids to crochet over the last couple years, they’re also a great excuse to use up any red or pink yarn ends you might have lying around.
10. Heart puppet Valentines
Kids love to play with things no matter the season, even when they’re in school. Their awesome imaginations can turn just about anything into a toy, including a Valentine’s Day card! That’s why we thought these heart-shaped little finger puppet Valentine’s by Disney Family were such a cute idea. Simply cuttong two holes near the bottom instantly makes the heart a character, especially if you add googly eyes and a smile.
11. Puzzle piece picture frame
We love the idea of giving everyone in the class a Valentine’s Day card because it’s good to spread joy equally and make everyone feel included, but there’s no harm in spoiling your very best friends a little. Your kids might want to make something a little extra special for the friend they’ve known the longest or spend the most time with. Try something fun like this little puzzle piece picture frame by All Kids Network that would make great locker decor.
12. Heart shaped pipe cleaner pencil toppers
Are you looking for something very quick and simple to tape to each child’s Valentine without having to break the bank or buy lots of supplies? Try making these super simple but totally fun little pencil toppers featured on Pinterest! Simply bend and fold the pipe cleaners into a heart shape and then spiral the tails down the end of the pencil so the hearts wave around in the air when the kids write.
13. Decorated paper bag Valentines
Perhaps your kids’ class is pretty small and you know that none of the children have food allergies so you’re safe to send wrapped treats to class? Buy a set of miniature brown paper bags and let your kids decorate them with drawings, stickers, and whatever else they like and then fill each bag with some candy. Woo Home‘s baggy Valentines turned out adorable and yours will too!
14. Cupcake liner heart ribbons
We talked about cupcake liner roses already, but that’s not the only kind of cupcake liner Valentine’s Day craft you can make with your kids! If that doesn’t appeal to you, try making each child in the class a little achievement ribbon instead. They’ll get to wear the sparkly hearts with pride all day knowing that someone though of them. See the idea in more detail on Urban Comfort.
15. Cupid’s arrow Valentines
Did you like the idea of giving each child a fun pencil to write with in class but you don’t have any pipe cleaners left? Then try dressing the pencils up like little Cupid’s arrows instead Mommy Enterprises shows you how to attach a pointed end and a little feather-shaped tail, and they even have a free printout for you in case you’re not comfortable free-handing shapes!
Have you made other Valentine’s Day cards with your kids that they loved creating and giving to their family and friends? Tell us how you did it or link us to pictures of your work in the comments section!
