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Valentine Crafts & Activities
by Lesley Barker
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Overview
When you make your own Valentine's cards and gifts, you set yours apart from the 1 billion cards that Americans exchange every year on Feb. 14. Make sure you use plenty of reds, pinks and purple. Include traditional Valentine's symbols such as cupids, roses, ribbons, lace and--of course--hearts. You can cut these pictures out of the cards you got last year and save bits of ribbon, fabric and wrapping paper. Keep the bits in a labeled box so you'll have everything you need for your Valentine's crafts and activities without having to spend a lot of money.
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Cards
Start with white, red, or pink card stock to make a handmade folded card. Glue lace and ribbon on the front of the card. Cut out a construction paper heart. In the middle, paste a picture of yourself. Inside, write something silly and affectionate like, "Be mine, Valentine!" You can also make lovely Valentine's cards using rubber stamps or stickers that you buy at a craft store. If you have good computer skills, design and print your own Valentine's cards using your own digital pictures or clip art that you find online (see References below).
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Card Containers
Because celebrating Valentine's Day is a tradition at most elementary schools, many teachers plan an art activity in which each student makes a Valentine's Day card container or mailbox. Collect a shoebox and lid for each student. Let the students measure and cover both their shoebox and its lid with butcher paper or brown wrapping paper. Use paint, glued-on construction paper decorations, crayons and markers to decorate the paper. Then cut a slot out of the center of each lid so that when the students exchange their cards at the class party, the boxes function as mailboxes. This also makes an efficient container in which the students can carry home their candy and game prizes. The activity can be adapted for a Valentine's Day party craft or to decorate the office break room.
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Candy Crafts
Include Valentine's Day candy-making activities in your celebration. Cut out doughnut-shaped pieces of heavy cardboard as the base for a non-edible candy wreath. Use a hot glue gun to attach individual candy hearts so that the printed love messages are visible. Add a fancy red bow and use the wreath to decorate your door. Glue fabric with hearts and roses as well as a lace border onto the lid of a mason jar. Fill the jar with Valentine's Day candies and tie a red ribbon around the jar. If you have clay cookie molds shaped like a heart, put them in the freezer. Melt white chocolate and allow it to cool to just warmer than lukewarm. Pour the chocolate into the frozen mold. It will quickly solidify, and you'll be able to turn the mold over to release the chocolate heart. Wrap it in pink cellophane tied with a red ribbon.
