Simple Valentine’s Crafts for Kids

Crafts are so fun! I like them, my three-year-old daughter likes them, and even my one-year-old son likes them too. I enjoy that a craft is something we can all do together, and that when we complete it, we have something that we can hang up or use. My daughter loves getting to be creative and make things with her hands. My son likes to be such a big boy, trying his own version alongside us.

Crafting with kids doesn’t have to be complicated.

Crafting with kids is not the easiest thing. Sometimes it feels like there are too many details involved, like picking up the materials, getting things set up, and then the mess (oh the mess) that can be involved with actually doing the craft. Well, it doesn’t have to be like that. My favorite crafts are the simple ones. And for this Love Season, I’ve put together a few, simple Valentine’s crafts for Kids to share here with you.

You may actually be open to the idea of glitter, but it’s banned in our household. We don’t even buy glittery wrapping paper or birthday cards.

Before we get started, let’s talk supplies.

When we bought our home here in Tampa, one of my first layout goals was to create a dedicated kid crafting space. We have a small, round coffee table from Ikea and four kid chairs. We picked up some open, white cabinets from Ikea, and attached them to the wall. Then we hung a strip on the wall for small containers. Now we have a space where we can store basic supplies that is close to the space where we actually craft. It’s a bit of a mess in this picture, but it still makes me happy.

The basic supplies that I always try to keep on hand are white paper, construction paper, washable markers, crayons, paint, paint brushes, safe scissors, glue sticks, white paper plates, colorful yarn, and colorful tissue paper. That sounds like a lot, but it’s really not, and there are so many different things that can be done with these basic supplies. I also usually have stickers, googly eyes, and pipe cleaners.

If you have these basics, you’ll be mostly ready to go for our simple Valentine’s crafts for kids. The few additional items I needed I picked up all in one place (because duh, that’s easiest) at the Lakeshore Learning Store. I picked up small-sized heart cutouts, medium-sized heart cutouts, blank colorful bookmarks, valentine-themed black and white bookmarks, colorful paper bags, tissue paper squares, and stickers. One stop shopping is the best!

Once you have your supplies, you’re ready to go.  Here are some simple Valentine’s crafts for kids you may want to try at home.

Decorate Hearts

Supplies: 

1) pre-cut hearts (or construction paper)

2) glue stick

3) tissue paper squares (or tissue paper)

4) other options: washable markers, crayons, stickers

This is a super simple Valentine’s craft for kids. Each kid gets a heart. They get to put the glue on, pick out the tissue squares, and then glue them on. Older children can pinch the squares and place them close together for a fluffy effect. Toddlers can do still squish them a little. Babies can just place as best they can. If you don’t have tissue paper on-hand, the kids are just as happy coloring or placing stickers on these hearts.

Other options: You can cut out your own hearts from construction paper. You can cut out your own tissue paper.

Color Valentine’s Bookmarks

Supplies: 

1) valentine-themed black and white bookmarks

2) washable markers

This is another super simple Valentine’s craft for kids. The bookmarks are ready to color. Washable markers are a must because they will get all over your table, the kids’ hands, they’ll fall on the floor, and find their way to your couch. This craft doubles nicely as a Valentine that your kid could pass out to their friends.

Other option: You can cut out your own bookmark from construction paper and draw with a black marker something for your kids to color.

Make Valentine’s Bookmarks

Supplies: 

1) colorful, pre-made bookmarks

2) washable markers

3) stickers

4) colorful yarn

5) scissors

My daughter loved this simple Valentine’s craft for kids because it was easy, but she could still totally decorate the bookmark however she wanted. Also, her favorite thing in the world is books. So with this craft she now has some bookmarks to hold her place in her big girl books. Similar to the other bookmark craft, this makes a nice Valentine that could be given to friends.

Other option: You can cut out your own bookmark shape from construction paper.

Decorate Valentine’s Bags

Supplies: 

1) colorful paper bags

2) washable markers

3) stickers

4) heart cutouts

5) glue stick

As you can see from the picture, there’s a version for every age level with this simple Valentine’s craft for kids. I wrote each kid’s name on their bag, and then let them decorate as they wanted to. My son went to town, coloring with the marker while my daughter carefully picked out each sticker she wanted to use. She also decided to glue a heart on the bag. This craft is fun because the finished product can be used to hold things. It could be a bag to gather Valentine’s from friends, or for the every day, random collectibles of childhood, like leaves, hair bands, and bugs.

Heart on a Valentine’s Bag

Supplies: 

1) heart cutout

2) colorful bag

3) washable markers

4) stickers

5) glue stick

This simple Valentine’s craft for kids is so cute. I let each kid pick out the colorful paper bag of their choice. Then each kid got their own heart to decorate. My daughter asked me to write the word love on hers, and then she put stickers on it. When we did this particular craft she was a little done with crafting which is why hers is more tastefully simple than normal. Ha! I helped them fold the bag down twice, apply glue to the bag and put the heart on the bag. Again, this bag could be used to collect Valentine’s from friends.

Make a Heart Wreath

Supplies: 

1) white paper plate

2) colorful construction paper

3) heart cutout

4) scissors (real ones for mama)

5) colorful yarn

6) glue stick

7) tape

Last is the most complicated of our simple Valentine’s crafts for kids. I feel like this simple Valentine’s craft for kids is so much better with a variety of heart colors. So, I started with the heart cutout that came pre-cut, and used it as my stencil to make other hearts. I also taped together two sheets of construction paper so that I could get more colors without cutting so many individual hearts. I also cut the center circle out of the white paper plate by myself. Then my daughter helped put glue and place the hearts on the plate. It’s more of a big kid craft, but she still enjoyed it, and love the final product the we can hang around the house.

If you’re looking for a simple Valentine’s craft to do with your kids, I hope you’ll enjoy trying one of these. If you do try one, please share a picture in the comments. I’d love to see what you and your sweet kiddos make!