5 Valentine’s Day Crafts for Kids
Really? A craft blog from a sleep consultant?
As a holistic, gentle sleep coach, I know that connection filled days are a KEY player for more restful nights and, as an avid crafter myself, offering opportunity to connect and express your creativity together with your child is a wonderful way to connect!
Working as a care giver for over a decade, I have learned a thing or two about kid friendly crafting and with Valentine’s Day just around the corner, I thought I would share 5 of my favorite holiday crafts! As a caregiver, I make sure I offer plenty of time for the kiddos I care for to express their creativity and am much more inclined to offer the supplies to let them create something that comes to them naturally over a more structured “color inside the lines” type of project.
But it can be helpful to have some ideas and material to get started on a project!
Not only are these ideas fun and creative, they are also done with mostly common household objects! So, without further ado, 5 of my favorite crafts for babies, toddlers and preschoolers:
Bubble Wrap Heart Prints
What a fun way to reuse that bubble wrap package you have laying around from your last online order! Bubble wrap printing is one of my favorite ways to reuse materials from around the house and to introduce different textures and shapes in your child’s art experience! Toddlers and younger kiddos may need some adult assistance with this one, but it is a great way to practice cutting, painting, and printing for toddlers and preschoolers!
Materials:
Paper
Bubble wrap
Water based paint
Paintbrush
Paint tray
STEP 1:
Grab some bubble wrap (I’m reusing this bubble package from a recent online purchase), fold in half and draw your half heart shape
STEP 2:
Cut along the line
STEP 3:
Open the fold and you will end up with a heart shape for your print!
STEP 4:
Using a paintbrush, paint directly on top of the textured side of the bubble wrap (you may want to lay down some newspaper for this part)
STEP 5:
Firmly press your heart print onto your card or paper, giving a firm press/pat all over to make sure all the paint transfers
STEP 6:
Lift your print and repeat as many times as you’d like! I can usually get 2 good prints with one pass of the paintbrush, but you can reapply as needed
VOILA!
Allow to dry and make it your own! Add a special note or other decoration and you have a multimedia valentine 💗
White Crayon and Watercolor Card
This one can be so fun for preschoolers and older children as well! If you are drawing on white paper, you may need to assist your child with the writing since it can be hard to see the crayon before you paint, but that’s also the magic of this project! If you are helping a younger kiddo, you may opt to draw/write on all the cards and let them go to town with the painting and reveal the different pictures and sweet messages! It’s a really fun activity to do together.
Materials:
Paper
White crayons
Watercolor paints
Paintbrush
Cup of water
Masking tape (optional
STEP 1:
On a flat surface, tape down your page(s) of paper with masking tap to create a border and hold the paper in place. You can even line up multiple cars and tape them all at once if you have lot’s of cards to send out! (this step is optional, but I find it easier for younger kiddos to navigate)
STEP 2:
Using a white crayon, draw your shape or message on your card (this is the part where your assistance may be required)
STEP 3:
Paint over the whole card with your watercolor paints to reveal the image!
THERE YOU HAVE IT!
Allow to dry and add your message inside the card!
Toilet Paper Roll Prints
Another up cycled art project! Can you tell I have a thing for low maintenance crafts from common household objects? This is another great project that allows your kiddos to practice their painting and printing skills, while finding creative ways to reuse and up cycle!
Materials:
Paper
Toilet paper roll
Water based paint
Paint tray
Pens, markers, crayons or pencils (optional)
STEP 1:
Bend and crease your toilet paper roll into a heart shape (You may need to assist your child with this step)
STEP 2:
Dip your toilet paper roll print into the paint on your paint tray
STEP 3:
Firmly press your toilet paper roll with the paint side down on top of your paper/card
HOW CUTE!
Allow to dry fully and leave as is or add some balloon strings with your drawing material and you have the sweetest Valentine’s card!
Marble Painted Heart Card
This might be my favorite one yet! This crazy fun design is as exciting to make as it is to look at! It is a more active art activity and prepare for some messy fingers (but that’s part of the fun right?)!
SAFTEY TIP: This project uses marbles which can be a choking hazard. I suggest counting the amount of marbles you start with and make sure you end up with that same amount when you’re done. Of course, be cautious with younger kiddos with this one and just make sure you are supervising the process.
Materials:
Paper
Marbles
Water based paint
Paint tray
Shoe box or container (that you don’t mind getting paint in)
STEP 1:
Start by folding your paper in half, draw a “half heart” shape and cut along the line
STEP 2:
Place your heart card inside your box (I had this old shoe box laying around, but you could also use any container or baking dish that you don’t mind getting paint on)
STEP 3:
This is where we get messy! Roll your marbles around in the paint on your tray (you might want to have a wet rag/wipe handy or just be ready to embrace the colorful mess!)
STEP 4:
Drop your marbles in the box and here comes the fun part…
STEP 5:
Shift, shake and rotate your box and watch the marbles go wild!
WHAT A CUTIE!
Allow to fully dry and enjoy in your window, on your fridge or fold in half and add a message for a sweet Valentine’s card!
Salt Dough Thumb Print Heart Ornament
This is an absolutely precious keepsake and a great gift for friends or family! There are a lot of options for this one, but my two favorite are: thumb print hearts ornament and heart shaped ornament with a hand or foot print. If you have a really young babe or newborn this can be a great way to commemorate their first Valentine’s day! Make one every year and add to a mobile for a sweet commemorative wall hanging.
Materials:
2 cups flour
1 cup salt
1 cup water
Cookie cutters or mason jar ring
Toothpick
Baking tray
Parchment paper
Paint (I used acrylic)
Paint tray
Paint brush
String
STEP 1:
Mix your flour, salt and water together to form your dough (you can adjust the recipe based on how many ornaments you want to make. I made 1/4 of this recipe to make just 2 ornaments)
STEP 2:
You will end up with a dry dough that looks something like this:
STEP 3:
Form your dough into a ball and roll flat. You can decide on the thickness, but know that thicker dough will take longer to bake
STEP 4:
Cut out your shape! You can use a heart shaped cookie cutter if you are doing a foot or hand print or a mason jar ring for a thumb print heart
STEP 5:
Use a toothpick to poke out a hole (this is where you with thread string to hang your ornament) and add your print! Make a heart shape with 2 thumb prints or add a hand/foot print in the middle of your heart shape ornament
STEP 5:
Bake for 1-2 hours (depending on thickness) at 200° until solid. Once cool, paint the print you made and add a bit of string so you can hang your ornament!
ABSOLUTELY DARLING!
A wonderful keepsake you will have for years to come! If you have small letter stamps, you could get creative and add a little note on the front or back of your ornament like “baby’s first Valentine’s”
(a big thank you to our volunteer, Betty for her participation in this demonstration🐶)
There you have it! 5 of my favorite kid friendly Valentine’s Day crafts that everyone can enjoy!
Whether you've worked with me before, or you have been following along for a while now, you know that connection is at the center of my philosophy as a caregiver AND sleep consultant. A Valentine's Day craft isn't just for the cutie little keepsake (although that is a significant bonus), it is an opportunity to offer intentional connection and variety during the day. Remember, restful nights start with connection filled days 💞
Comment below which one was your fav! ⬇️
