Valentine's Day Projects To Do With Your Child

With Valentine’s Day almost here, it’s an ideal time to get creative with your child. These craft ideas can be used to decorate your home, or given to family and friends.

Heart Stamp

This heart stamp is easy and inexpensive to create, and can be used to decorate cards and letters.

Materials

  • Cardboard tube such as a toilet paper roll
  • Washable child-safe paint in red
  • Paper plate
  • Construction paper or cardstock
  • Scotch tape

Instructions

  • Flatten the roll, then press one of the creases in the other direction to create a heart shape. You can use tape to help the top of the heart hold its shape.
  • Pour out a small amount of paint onto the paper plate.
  • Dip one end of the roll into the paint, and show the child how to stamp.

Instead of a cardboard tube, a potato stamp can also be created. Parents should create the stamp, because it involves sharp tools. Cut a potato in half, gently push a heart-shaped cookie cutter into the center, and pull it out again. Then, cut away the potato outside of the outline until the heart shape is revealed. Be sure the potato is wiped dry before stamping.

Tissue Paper Heart Collage

These hearts can be displayed in the window to allow the sun to highlight the bright colors.

Materials

  • Red, pink, or white construction paper
  • Tissue paper in bright colors
  • Clear contact paper
  • Glue stick
  • Safety scissors

Instructions

  • Fold a sheet of construction paper in half and draw half of a heart. About an inch inside this, draw another line in the same shape.
  • Cut along both lines and unfold the paper to create the heart-shaped border.
  • Place the border on the sheet of clear contact paper.
  • Help your child tear or cut large strips of the tissue paper, and attach them to the contact paper inside the heart border.
  • Trim the excess contact paper.

Yarn Hearts

These hearts are quick and easy to make, and ideal to help children develop their fine motor skills.

Materials

  • Cardboard
  • Pink or red yarn
  • Scotch tape

Instructions

  • Cut out a heart shape from a piece of cardboard, ensuring it’s not too small for your child to work with.
  • Tape one end of the yarn to the back of the cardboard.
  • Show your child how to loop the yarn around and around over the cardboard heart.
  • When you’re finished, cut the other end of the yarn and tuck it in the yarn in the back.

Foam Heart Friendship Necklaces

For those who want to get a little more crafty, these necklaces give your child the opportunity to create gifts for their friends and family. The tutorial can also be used to make bracelets or keychains.

Get the tutorial for Foam Heart Friendship Necklaces here.

With these craft ideas, you and your young child can spend some quality time together while also exploring their creativity.