BY SHELLY GABLE FEB 2017
FUN VALENTINE’S DAY CRAFTS YOU CAN DO WITH YOUR KIDS
One of the easiest things to do with your child as a way to celebrate Valentine’s Day this month is put together some simple craft projects to brighten up your home. As my family has recently downsized to a much smaller space, my daughter and I have found that we truly enjoy taking on decorating for each upcoming holiday or season. We are limited as to what we can do, but we are learning what works well. Changing out the décor takes very little time in our humble abode, and of course, you can choose to do as much or as little as you like.
Regular glue will work fine for a lot of the craft projects below, but using a glue gun helps secure things a little better. Try a low-temp glue gun while working with the kids, or let them place pieces with a safer glue, then secure with a glue gun (which is what I did). The items below can be made with young children, and they will add some cheer and fun to your family memories!
Valentine’s Trees
When I found these online, it was suggested to use foam cones for the base. As I browsed the craft section, I discovered small megaphones that were less expensive and a little bigger, which makes a better impact. Or if you have time, you might like to make your own cones from posterboard. For the hearts, you can cut them out yourself from red and/or pink craft paper—or cheat—which is what I did. Plenty of stores had either foam stickers or non-adhesive cutouts for little cost. And when you’ve got little ones running around, cutting corners instead of tons of tiny hearts is a sanity-saver.
Supplies:
- 1-3 foam cones (or small megaphones)
- School glue and/or glue gun
- Small hearts
- Garland, if desired
- Tree topper, if desired
Instructions:
Starting at the bottom of the cone, begin gluing each heart in place. As you move up, overlap the layers. Make sure the hearts are upside down, which will create a pretty, flowery effect. If desired, create a garland to place around each tree. We decided to add cute toppers as well!
Beautiful Vase
As much as we love taking nature walks, this item was perfect for us. As an added bonus, it’s an opportunity to get out as a family and find some cool things. We chose to go with several types of branches to get a variation in the colors.
Supplies:
- A handful of dry branches
- A vase or other cute container
- Filler for the bottom of vase (we went with colorful gems and shapes)
- Raffia or ribbon
- Heart shapes or stickers
- Garden clippers
- Glue and/or glue gun
Instructions:
Place stones, foam, or gems in the bottom of the vase. Arrange branches in vase, trimming with clippers for size and desired shape. Using adhesive on the back of stickers, glue, or even short strands of yarn or ribbon, attach hearts to branches at regular intervals. Tie a few pieces of raffia or ribbon around the vase into a bow for that little extra something.
Valentine’s Critters
My daughter, who is now four, begged to make these—she is in love with dolls, stuffed animals, and any other critters she sees. So, we gathered our pom-poms, chenille straws, and some leftover hearts, and we set to work. You can stick with only Valentine’s colors, or mix it up with whatever you have on-hand.
Supplies:
- Pom-poms
- Chenille straws
- Googly eyes
- Heart shapes or stickers
Instructions:
Use hearts for the feet, gluing the point of the heart to the pom-pom so that the rounded parts are showing. Try making different size critters with one pom-pom, stacking two or more pom-poms, or looking for packs that have large and small pom-poms. Use chenille straws to make arms, legs, antennae, and anything else your creativity sparks. Add googly eyes and hearts where you like. The wonderful thing about these critters is that anything goes!
My daughter and I had a blast putting these crafts together, and I’m sure you will, too. We also made a door cover using a plastic tablecloth and attaching larger hearts, cutout letters, and pictures my daughter drew. Whatever you choose to do with it, be prepared for the mess and the smiles!
A Well-Stocked Craft Closet for Creating with the Kiddos
Having the proper items already in your craft closet or space makes putting together an art project fun and easy. It’s a huge help to choose a few things, and turn the kids loose. On rainy days or when she needs a quiet activity, my daughter loves to ask, “Mommy, can I do a project?”
Supplies:
- Paper in multiple weights and colors
- Kid-friendly scissors
- Glue
- Glitter
- Yarn
- Chenille straws
- Assorted stickers
- Pom-poms
- Beads
- String or thin elastic
- Markers
- Stamps and ink pads
Happy Crafting! #