The gift of chocolates and flowers is the classic go-to for Valentine’s Day gifts. But this year, find an opportunity to get your kids involved to create special, meaningful gifts that you can share with friends, family and loved ones. Your kids will be proud to give away their creations and you teach them that thoughtful gifts are better than any old box of chocolates.
Crayon Valentine’s Day Gift
Have a lot of old crayons lying around? If not, you can easily buy a few packs of crayons for this craft. All you need is a heart shaped baking tin. Place pieces of crayons in the baking tin, filling each cup about halfway up. Let your kids decide whether they want to keep color groups together are go full rainbow and totally randomize each cup with different colors.
Place the tray in the oven and bake at 230 degrees for 15 minutes. Make sure you let the Valentines cool before the kids touch them! Crayon valentines can be placed in gift bags or glued on top of heart-shaped construction paper so the kids can write personalized notes. If they needs inspiration try using “You color my world”, “You color me happy” or “For Crayon out loud, be my Valentine!”
Heartbreaker Valentine’s Day Candy Cards
Go ahead, let your kids be heartbreakers this year. For this craft, first let your kids choose the construction paper of their choice. You will also need scissors and a stapler because you are about to tear up some hearts!
Draw two heart shapes on the construction paper in sharpie, use a stencil if you can to ensure they are the same size. Cut out your hearts with scissors, trying to keep the sharpie outline visible. Another option is to use white paper and let your kids color in the hearts themselves.
Write (you or your kids) “You’re tearing up my heart” or “Go ahead, be a Heartbreaker” on one of the hearts, this will be the front of the card. Then write “Tear me open” on another heart to serve as the backside. Staple the hearts back to back so the writing on each faces outwards and staple around the outside edges, leaving an opening at the top for inserting candy. Then stuff them with the valentine candy of your choice! Smaller candies work best so try hershey’s kisses, jelly beans, jolly ranchers, or chocolate truffles.
Keep pushing the candy around so you can fit as much as possible, then staple the opening up with the stapler. And there you go, Heartbreaker Valentine Cards!
A Valentine’s Day Candy Bouquet
Have your kids create a special Valentine’s candy bouquet instead of getting the typical bouquet of flowers. Have your kids paint a small clay flower pot however they wish. If they are too young to use paint, markers will also work. Encourage them to use heart stencils and red and pink colors for a festive design!
Once the pots are dry, fill them with the candy of your choice. We suggest chocolate sunflower seeds to go with the gardening theme. Then create your flowers!
Use popsicle sticks and construction paper and have your kids design the flowers however they wish. If they are too young to draw and cut flowers themselves you may have to lend a helping hand. Have them decorate or color the flowers but leave room to write a message as well, “Everyday my love grows for you” is a great backup. Glue your flower to the popsicle stick and once it dries stick it into your pot full of valentines candy.
Now you have a creative AND delicious Valentine’s bouquet of candy. For another twist, and depending on the age and skill level of your kids, try having them craft the flowers from pens.
This year, have your kids craft something they will love sharing with their loved ones. These crafty gifts will make someone feel very special and give your kids an opportunity to get creative!