Just as our blood sugar levels have recovered from Christmas cookies and sweets, Valentine’s Day candy has hit the shelves. They are all so pretty, aren’t they? I am not a candy hater, but in previous years when my children have come home from their school’s card exchange with gobs of unhealthy treats, I sigh heavily. They just don’t need it.
What happened to the card exchanges from when I was a kid? The ones you agonized over for hours to make sure that the printed messages of Won’t You Be Mine and You’re So Sweet didn’t end up in the wrong hands. At best, we would throw in a heart-shaped sucker or several of those conversation hearts.
Valentine’s day can be a fun time to teach kids how to care for others and be inclusive as they make cards for everyone in their classrooms. Think beyond the classroom, too. This is a special time where they can create special cards for grandmas, grandpas, aunts, uncles, cousins, or the elderly neighbor next door. So below are a couple of ideas to get the creative juices flowing.
Old Fashioned Paper Hearts
This is such a great activity to develop fine motor skills. All you need is some fabulous paper or card stock. I found scrapbooking paper works best. Fold the paper in half and cut out those heart shapes. Big and Small. Choose the best ones. Add a “Happy Valentine’s Day”, then if you have heart-shaped stickers, decorate, or have them cut smaller hearts and glue them on. Sign it and send it to Grandma or Grandpa to have their hearts melting.
Monster Valentines
For DIY Monster Valentines you’ll need cardstock, big googly eyes, heart stickers, and markers or crayons. Download and print out the below attachment on cardstock. Have your child create their own monsters for each classmate or put card, eye and two heart stickers in a ziplock bag and they can have fun creating their own monster.
Download your Monster Valentine Template here!
Origami Folded Hearts
For an older child or a child who loves folding- these origami hearts are just the thing. Follow step by step and at the end use the pocket created in the back to tape in a non-candy treat. Fruit strips, stickers, fun pencil or bookmark are a couple of ideas.
Flip over for your completed heart! Use the pocket in the back to add a fruit strip, pencil, stickers, or bookmark.
