Kids Valentine Day Crafts

last year for the kindergarten class I just cut out huge hearts for 12 X 18 construction paper then let them glue stuff on them in a collage type thing - we had pom poms, feathers, foam shapes, buttons, hearts cut from various wrapping papers, etc. They LOVED it and it was quick and easy and fun and cute when done.

They did have to do them FIRST so they were dry by the end of the party. Also remind them just a drop of glue for each item.

Wow,
You've gotten a bunch of great ideas Jackie. Look at all of these craft Mommies out there. I just wanted to piggyback on the handprint idea and make it a bit less messy for all. Use a small heart (I used foam, but any material will work) and have the child place only their thumb print inside of it. You will write "Thumbody Loves You 2009" around the space where they will make the thumbprint (I did this before bringing them to school). Add a sticky magnet strip to the back and you have an instant gift.
J.

One year we did little Valentines that looked like a mouse until you open it up. Here's how: Cut out a heart, fold it in half, turn it on it's side, draw a little ear, glue on googly eyes, and add a little piece of yarn for a tail, so it looks like a mouse when it is folded. On the inside we just had the kids write something cute to their parents.
Hope that helps!

How about something like this:

http://jas.familyfun.go.com/arts-and-crafts?page=CraftDis...

It's from Family Fun magazine. It's little airplanes made out of candy. It calls for red rubberbands, but they're hard to find - buy any color works just fine, as long as they're the right size.

Check out the Family Fun website. They have TONS of crafts for the kids. Some are just adorable. Many are fast and easy, just right for what you need. Do a search for Valentine. www.familyfun.com

Go to Micheal's! That's what I did. They have all kinds of pre-packaged group
valentine's day crafts. We are doing the FOAMIE bear book mark and the monkey picture frame. (of course you will need to take pictures and have them printed ahead of time).
I am the room mom for my son's kindergarten class. P.S. We are also going to decorate
heart shaped sugar cookies. Have fun crafting! : )

Look on Oriental Trading they have TONS of easy, inexpensive crafts!

How about asking for a bunch of cereal boxes, decorate with red wrapping paper, then let the kids decorate. They can use it for their valentines.

Try getting white paper bags from Michaels or JoAnn, and getting the foamy stickers with hearts and cupids on them. Or even the ones with the alphabet. Have the kids decorate their own valentines day bags for the kids to put their valentines in.

Sher

Have them cut out a 10" heart and put their finger painted hand print on it to bring home to mom for valentines. My kids are grown and this came right to me when you asked. It was my favorite possession when they were growing up. I should have never gave them to the kids when they moved out. We all miss those days when they're gone (and they go so quickly).

Go to Michaels and you can pick up a tub of foam heart stickers and they can make Valentines for their parents. You can use construction paper or whatever is available at the school if you don't want to buy special paper. I live by a teacher supply store, Constructive Playthings, and you can buy a package of paper red heart shapes (if you have a store near you)for a couple bucks and glue conversation hearts to it and it also can be a valentine for mom and dad.
Hope this helps...
<3

Hi J.!

I also help with the parties at my kids school and Valentine's is definately the hardest. Everything for Valentine's seems so girly and you need something the boys won't mind either. This year I found some cute yet fun little crafts from Oriental Trading Co. They're simple yet cute little critters made with paper, googly eyes and hershey kisses! Hope this helps.

God Bless,
T. H.

Just google Valentines Day crafts for kindergarten and you will get numerous sites with a wealth of ideas. Valentine Heart Butterflies you make with a Pack of Gum. Valentine Heart votives made with tissue paper (could get expensive if you have to buy all the votives)....Valentine boxes for holding their cards....

You can get those conversational hearts in individual boxes. Ask the teacher for everyone's pictured from the class picture, or have them bring in a small picture of themselves or have the teacher take a picture of them individually for you. Get a roll of the self stick magnet strip. Have them put the pic inside the box facing the opening, have them put the magnet on the back (you may need two strips per child). And you have a Valentine Conversational Box Magnet picture frame.

How about stapling two 1/2 sheets of red/pink, etc construction paper together with one side open like a pocket and letting them decorate the sides for receiving valentines?
(You could also just use a hole punch around the edges and let them "sew" some yarn through to hold them together)

Or.. cut med size hearts from felt or paper and let them glue or stick on Valentine shapes- Hobby Lobby/Michaels, etc has pre-cut foam and felt stickies or you could just use stickers

Or... cut a piece of construction paper into strips and decorate them, then tape or staple to size of their head for headbands.. you can take another piece and cut into thinner strips and fold like an accordian and glue/tape/staple to headband and then hearts to the other ends and make antennae.

Or- decorate brown lunch bags for receiving Valentines

If there aren't any food allergies, you could take white frosted cupcakes and sprinkles, etc to decorate (or let them frost their own plain ones.... or do the same with cookies)

Or.. cookie cutters and clay that you can bake and harden for ornaments. There is a good recipe for applesauce/cinnamon clay that smells good on google.com if you search... poke a hole before baking for a ribbon to tie...

While my kids were younger (probably till they were ten or twelve) I subscribed to Family Fun Magazine and they always had great craft ideas as well as great treats to bring to school for the various holidays. you could probably pick up the latest copy at your local library.

Here's an easy one: purchase valentine decorated pencils (Walgreens usually has them for like six or ten for a dollar), get some red, pink, or white ribbon (thin), similarly colored beads that can be threaded with the ribbon, and some glue. Cut the ribbons into six inches or so and tie a little knot at one end of the ribbon so a bead can be loaded without falling off. Then when you bring the supplies to school all they need to do is thread a couple of beads on the ribbon and then tie the other end onto the top of the pencil. Secure with a bit of glue to dry.

You might even be able to find the directions on the Family Fun website.

Have fun and don't stress!!

If you don;t mind spending a little money or for craft ideas, Oriental Trading company has crafts on their site. These are to purchase but I have gotten ideas from what they have and then gone to Michaels for supplies.

Hi Jackie,
Don't stress over it, enjoy!! Mine are 18 and 20 now and I wish I could go back to helping with the parties!!! I did this project for both of my kids class parties and it was a good response from the kids.We made Valentines for the birds, We took paper plates and cut in heart shapes, covered them with peanut butter and then covered them with bird seeds.
I bought 2 large containers of peanut butter @ Sams Club (there was 26-28 in the class) and I put the bird seed in a 5 gallon bucket so it wouldn't be as messy for them to put in the covered plate and press to cover with the seed. For my sons class we had them cut the plates, but when we did it for my daughter 2 years later we pre cut the plates and put a hole with ribbon to hang to save time. With the peanut butter scare going on, maybe using crisco in the tub would be a better idea or something else that is same texture. I have had their classmates over the years say how cool that was and some of them have said they still do it for the birds. It's something different and helps them think of nature. We did get disposable food handling gloves from the kitchen at school to help save time with messy hands too.
Have fun!
P.

Goodmorning ,

Oriental Trading has some very cute and easy crafts for all holidays . My son's preschool loves them