If you went to public school like me, you remember Valentine’s Day fairly well. Everyone has to bring a box or bag and prepare to receive 30 or so Valentine’s addressed to you by each of your classmates! Sometimes they’re cute sayings, and sometimes it’s little snacks, but it’s almost never something homemade! I know someday my girls will want to partake in the traditional Valentine’s Day exchange with preprinted cards where you print the recipients name. But until then, we are making our Valentines homemade style! Why? I’ll share more below! Keep reading to see my ideas for easy homemade valentines for kids.
Ideas for Easy Homemade Valentines For Kids
Why Homemade Valentine’s?
Homemade Valentine’s are not only more personal. They’re less expensive, and they don’t require any additional resources… which leads to reduction of waste! I’m all about recycling materials when possible! Here are a few ideas for your young kids to make easy homemade valentines!
Ideas for Easy Homemade Valentines for Kids
01. Construction Paper + Scissors + Glue
Never underestimate paint and construction paper and scissors! I grabbed some colored construction paper (white, purple, red, pink) and let my preschool-aged daughter cut out some heart shapes. We then glued smaller hearts onto bigger hearts! After, she colored the names of the special recipients and made little designs with her markers. Simple and thoughtful!
02. Modeling Clay Valentines
I have modeling clay on hand always. It’s inexpensive (I keep this 2.5 pound tub with our art supplies) and easy to grab in a pinch. I had my 4-year-old make some modeling clay valentine’s for her friends! Bonus: you can let the clay dry and have your child paint it the next day!
03. Recycled Cardboard, Beans/legumes + Glue
These are the cutest little recycled valentines ever! I saw this idea on Pinterest and had to recreate! My 4-year-old used glitter glue and stuck on the beans in a pattern. I love that we were able to do this project solely with materials lying around our house! Recycled materials for the win!
04. Recycled Cardboard + Paint
The day after we made our recycled cardboard and bean valentines we had some of the cardboard hearts left over! I ended up pulling out our acrylic paints one rainy afternoon and my daughter got to paint the hearts! I love how creative she got. She made a “ladybug heart” and then mixed white and red paint to make the color pink for a pink heart! Sometimes, simple is best.
05. Baked Heart-Shaped Valentine’s Treats
This vegan peanut butter oat ball recipe is a perfect “make ahead and share with friends and family” recipe. You can make them into heart shapes or just roll them into balls. It’s also kid-friendly, meaning, they can make it while you supervise! So much learning goes into baking with your kids. (Be sure to ask the people you plan to make it for about oat/nut allergies first!)
Valentine’s Day is a special day, but it doesn’t have to break the bank. You can easily show the people you care about that you love them through recycle valentine’s day gifts or yummy baked goods. Either way, these projects are a great opportunity to connect with your children and put in a labor of love for those you care for most!
I hope this post about easy homemade valentines for kids was helpful to you! Thank you so much for reading!
