(Be sure to check out ideas towards page bottom-lots of photos!)
VALENTINE STORY BOOK
♥ Cut out heart shaped paper to have each child finish the sentence "Love is_________."
♥ Kids illustrate this at the top of the paper.
♥ Bind all of the pages into a book. Parents love reading these!
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VALENTINE MARBLE PAINTING
♥ Use a heart candy box bottom; cut paper to fit inside the box.
♥ Dip marbles into pink and red paint. Drop marble into the box and have children twist and turn the box. Add snowflake glitter....really pretty when complete...
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VALENTINE GIFT SOAP
You'll need one bar of Ivory soap; 1/4 cup water; 2 drops of food coloring; and a good kitchen grater and essential oils if wanted.
♥ Have youth finely grate the soap into a big bowl.
♥ Add water.
♥ Shape the soap into balls and dry overnight.
♥ Wrap in netting and tie up with a pretty ribbon.
If you want your soaps scented, you can add a few drops of essential oil or soap scent. Most craft stores carry this. I read that you can also pack soap mixture into cookie cutters-and then dry overnight---but I've never done this. Submitted by Sarah/Oakbrook
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BAND -AID VALENTINES
♥ Kids will get a kick out of these silly valentines. Cut out medium sized red hearts. Write "I'm Stuck on You" on each heart.
♥ Set out band aids and have children stick a band aid on each valentine!
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Click here for VALENTINE JOKES. Use them to make some fun hand-made Valentine Cards!
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BLOTTO ART HEART
Materials:
Paper
Tempera paint
Paintbrushes
Containers for water
1. Fold paper in half.
2. Paint half a heart on one side of the paper.
3.Close the paper and blot.
4. Repeat the process (outlining the heart) until the paper is full of color.
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HEART GARLAND
♥ Make a heart garland for Valentine's Day.
♥ Cut heart shapes out of red and pink construction paper or craft foam.
♥ Use a hole-punch to make a hole in each side of the heart.
♥ Use pink ribbon or yarn to tie all the heart together into a garland. Hang from ceiling or down a wall.
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VALENTINE COLLAGE
1. Start with a large sheet of paper or construction paper.
2. Take old magazines and the advertisements from papers. Look for anything Valentine's Day related, such as hearts, flowers, and candies.
3. Have child create a Valentine Collage with these magazine cutouts. Use markers, crayons and stickers to further decorate it.
4. Hang the finished collages for a Valentine's Day display.
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HEART RUBBINGS
Materials: Heart-shaped paper doilies or sandpaper, Scissors, White paper, Crayon
1. Cut out a heart shape from the sandpaper or use the heart-shaped doily.
2. Tape the heart to the table, with the tape on the back side of the heart.
3. Place a piece of white paper over the heart and rub a crayon over the shape.
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THE VALENTINE GIVING BAG
♥ Invite children to brainstorm special things they can do for the recipient of their gift-such as-give a hug, tell a funny joke, sing a song, take out the garbage, vacuum a room, put away the dishes, etc.
♥ Write their responses on 3"X6" strips of paper. Help the children wrap the strips tightly around a pencil to create scrolls.
♥ Decorate a plain paper bag with festive Valentine craft items, drawings, stickers and glitter glue.
♥ After the bag is dry-- put the scrolls inside the bag. Fold down the top of the bag-punch two holes and thread ribbon through the holes. Tie and create a bow.
From Nov. /Dec. Scholastic Instructor-page 39
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VALENTINE SHAVING CREAM ART
You Need: Non-menthol shaving cream, Red food coloring, Paintbrush,
White paper, Smock or old shirts.
1. Add a drop of red food coloring to a baseball-sized pile of shaving cream.
2. Mix this with a paint brush. Wear cover over clothing as the food coloring will stain clothes and hands.
3. Paint with the shaving cream on white paper.
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FELT HEART PILLOWS
Need: Two 8" squares of red or pink felt
8" cardboard heart templates to use as pattern
Pencil
Scissors
Safety pin
Glue
Fabric paint
Polyester fiberfill...
1. Use the cardboard heart template to trace two hearts onto the felt. Cut out hearts and place one on top of the other.
2. Put a safety pin through the middle of the hearts to hold them in place while gluing.
3. Glue the two pieces of felt together along the edge leaving a 3" opening.
4. Use fabric paint to add a child's name to the top of each pillow; let dry.
5. Stuff the heart with fiberfill and glue pillow shut.
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VALENTINE WREATH
Materials: Construction paper, Scissors, Paper plates, Glue, Yarn or ribbon.
1. Cut out different sized hearts from red, purple and pink paper; you'll need many for each wreath.
2. Cut the middle out of a paper plate and glue the hearts all around the plate.
3. Make a bow with some yarn or ribbon--or tie some string to the back and hang. Photo by Miss Susan-Kansas City Public Library
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LOVE BUGS...
Need: Clip-on clothes pins, red paint, pink construction paper, black paper.
1. Have children color their clothes pin red.
2. Pre-cut small pink construction paper hearts and have kids draw faces on them
3. Glue black paper antennae on the heart faces
4. Next glue the heart faces on the top "clip-end" part of the clothespin.
Give children two larger pink paper heart shapes to decorate with crayons, markers, glitter, etc.
Have them then glue two of the hearts together to make "wings" from their clothespin body.
The heart points will be touching each other on the inside and the fullness of hearts will be on the "wing ends".
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VALENTINE PLACE MATS
1. Give each child two pre-cut place mat size ovals cut out of clear self-stick paper.
2. Remove the backing from one of the oval sheets
3. Have each child place hearts cut from red, pink, white, etc. tissue paper or construction paper
Last. sprinkle on glitter. Complete by removing the backing from the second oval and carefully placing the sticky-side down on the decorated oval.
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LACING VALENTINE HEARTS (For Pre-K-and K)
Materials:
The front of old greeting cards, yarn, tape, hole punch.
1. Punch holes around the edges of cards about half inch to one inch apart.
2. Cut yarn for approximated lengths for lacing.
3. Tape one end of a piece of yarn to the back of each card.
4. Children then lace yarn through then holes in the cards.
5. When they finish, trim the remaining yarn ends and tape them to the back of the card. (lacing will be easier if you dip one end of yarn into wax or glue---or wrap it with tape to make a "needle".
6. This can be done with any Holiday such as Easter for Easter cards, Christmas, etc.
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STAINED GLASS HEARTS
Make stained glass hearts by placing red, pink and white crayon shavings between two pieces of wax paper.
Cover the top with newspaper and press a warm (lowest setting) iron to melt the crayon chips. Allow to cool completely.
Using cardboard, tag board, or empty cereal boxes, make heart shape templates for the children to trace. Tape these over the waxed paper and trace the templates. Cut out the shape--hole-punch--attach string, ribbon or fishline! This wonderful example is from Skip to my Lou! Be sure to make a bunch!
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VALENTINE CUPCAKE PAPER FLOWERS
Cupcake papers, pipe cleaners, green construction paper.
Take a cupcake paper and pinch the bottom of it.
Take a pipe cleaner and wrap it around the pinched area.
Cut some leaves out of green paper and add them to the pipe cleaner.
Put some play dough in a baby food jar and have the children place
the flowers in the jar (like in a vase)
When the play dough dries flowers should stand nicely.
You can also decorate some tissue paper to cover the outside of the jar.
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WINDOW HEARTS
Coffee filters, Paintbrush, Red tempera paints, and water.
Water down red tempera paint in a container.
Cut a heart shape out of the coffee filter.
Then take the paintbrush and paint the coffee filter with the watered down paint.
Painting only parts of it will give a tie dyed affect. When it is dry hang them in a window.
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PENCIL MICE HEART VALENTINES
Materials
Heavy construction paper
Pipe cleaners
Decorated Pencils
Hole punch
Black Marker or Pen
Directions
From red, pink or purple paper, cut out several hearts approximately
4 inches across. On each, draw a nose and eyes.
Punch four holes above the mouse's nose.
Thread a short length of pipe cleaner through the top two holes
and another through the bottom two. Lastly, slip a pencil down
behind the whiskers, from the backside of the heart.
Source: DLK Website
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JIGSAW PUZZLE HEART
Materials :
22 pieces of an old jigsaw puzzle
Red acrylic paint
Tacky glue
Modge Podge glue & sealer, glossy finish
Sequins, red and gold
Small pearl beads
Ribbon for bow
Paintbrush
Fishing line
1. Paint the jigsaw puzzle pieces red and let them dry. Painting both sides is optional. If you want to hang the heart in a window, it would be best to paint both sides.
2. Lay them out in a heart shape. When laying out the shape, place one piece under the next overlapping the top piece each time.
3. With tacky glue, glue the pieces to one another and let dry.
4. After the heart has dried, put a coat of Modge Podge all over it and let dry. This will make the heart very shiny.
5. Glue sequins and pearls all around to decorate. Let them dry thoroughly.
6. Tie on a bow with ribbon as shown in the sample. Source: Ms. Brenda-Kansas City Library
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SHARING KISSES GIFT
1. Take a small terra cotta pot; have children sponge paint with red and white paint.
2. When dry add Hershey kisses.
3. Make and glue a large red construction paper heart to a Tongue depressor size Popsicle stick.
4. Put a message on it and then insert it in the center of kisses.
5. If it's a gift. wrap it with red or pink cellophane and add a pretty bow just below the heart.
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HEART ART!
Make some heart shaped templates. These can be used to trace in whole and parts to make some wonderful art such as this! Sample from a student of Shannon Stewart--art teacher at Stetson Hills School in Phoenix
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VALENTINE MARBLE PAINTING
Use a heart candy box bottom and cut paper to fit inside the box.
Dip marbles into pink and red paint. Drop marble into the box and have children twist and turn the box.
Add snowflake glitter....really pretty when complete...
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Have any post Christmas candy canes? Hot glue two candy canes together at the tips. They make a perfectly shaped heart!
VALENTINE CANDY CANES ...
Put out construction paper, paper doilies, the candy canes, markers, ribbons, etc. Next, challenge the children to use their imagination in creating cards! If you have small photos of the children, you could glue these in the center of the hearts. This card has been made by Ms. Jane at the Kansas City Public Library.
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CHALK AND SALT VALENTINE CARDS
Need: Salt, Sidewalk Chalk, Clear glue, Colored paper, Markers
♥ Put salt in small separate containers (one for each color)
♥ Rub the individual, different colors of chalk into each salt container to get the desired shades.
♥ Have children write their messages on the cards before they decorate them.
♥ Next, have children make designs on the paper by first making designs with glue on the cards; they then put the colored chalk or sand over the glue designs.
♥ Dry for half a day.
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VALENTINE SPAGHETTI ART
1. Cook spaghetti noodles, drain and cool.
2. Fill a gallon Ziplock bag one quarter of the way with water.
3. Add red food coloring to the water.
4. Add cooked spaghetti and mix around in the Ziplock bag until noodles change color. Drain.
5. Children can take one noodle at a time, dip it in glue and place it on a piece of paper in the shape of a heart.Submitted by Cassie/Michigan
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EASY TO MAKE LOLLIPOP ROSES
Materials:
Wrapped heart shaped lollipops/suckers
Green chenille stems/pipe cleaners
Scissors
1. Starting at the top of the sucker stick, tightly wrap a chenille stem in a coil around it.
2. Cut off remaining pieces of chenille- about 3 inches.
3. Twist the small piece of the chenille around the stem where you want the flower leaves to be.
4. Shape the leaves and twist to secure.
5. If you want to add a name tape or note, cut a piece of paper and make a hole with a hole punch.
6. Secure the note onto the smaller piece of chenille before twisting into the leaf shape
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MAKE A HEART PUZZLE
Draw a very large heart out of cardboard or card stock paper. Laminate it and cut into pieces to put back together as a puzzle. Save pieces A plastic baggie
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YOU'VE GOT MAIL! (Submitted by Tasha/California)
Create a 'group' mailbox...
♥ Starting around mid-January, I have students begin to write letters to each other in the program. (The staff also has a mailbox.)
♥ Students then Mail their letters. On Valentine's Day, students mail each other their Valentine's as well.
Tip: To make your mailboxes- you can use shoeboxes, coffee cans, tissue boxes, paper bags, cereal boxes -- anything! The kids can then decorate them up with paint, glitter, pompoms, doilies, lace, felt, wrapping paper and anything else that is available! (Credit: Getty Images/Stock Photo)
Also from Tasha...VALENTINE CARDS FOR TEACHERS
♥ During Valentine's day, the children make a Valentine's Day card for their teachers.
♥ I buy conversation hearts and the children use these in making their cards! While using the hearts, many of the students learn meanings of new words. They have really come out cute. From Tasha in California
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Have a "MAKE A VALENTINE HEART" by tearing paper contest!
♥ Have each participant hold a piece of valentine colored construction paper in your hands--behind their back.
♥ They tear the paper into a heart shape without looking at what they are doing.
♥ Who's created the most "heart-looking" heart shape!?
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DOILY CROWNS (For younger children)
♥ Give each child a heart doily.
♥ Have children decorate them with markers or heart stickers.
♥ Next glue the doily in the center of a 2"x 20" strip of red paper.
♥ Wrap each child's strip around his/her head and tape it in place to make a crown.
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WRAPPED CANDY NECKLACE...
Materials: Plastic wrap, Individually wrapped candies, Ribbon
Time needed: Under 1 Hour
1. Begin by laying out three feet of plastic wrap, cutting it in half lengthwise. Place candies or groups of candies every three inches.
2. Roll the plastic over and tie bows BETWEEN each candy -using six-inch strips of ribbon.
3. Tie the two ends of the plastic wrap together and cover the knot with another ribbon.
Wear now and eat later!
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CABBAGE PRINTS
We've all done stamp art using cut fruits and vegetables...where we dip the veggies in paint and print. That's it! Look at the wonderful creations that can be make with cut cabbage! This sample is made using stamp pads...Wonderful for Valentine's Day!
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MAKE SOME RED PAINT!
Liquid Starch Finger Paint
1/4 cup liquid laundry starch
2 drops food coloring
or 1 tsp. tempera paint
♥ Mix ingredients until blended
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VOTIVE CANDLES
Materials:
Baby food jars or jam jars
Scraps of tissue paper
Diluted paste or glue
Votive candles
♥ Clean the jars well and let dry. You can use small jars...but check the size of the votive candle to make sure it will fit.
♥ Have the children brush glue onto the jar and place different colors of tissue paper over the glue, overlapping so the entire jar is covered on the outside.
♥ When brushing the tissue with glue be sure to do so gently so it doesn't tear. If it tears, remove or leave wrinkled.
♥ The glue will appear to be white but will dry clear and when a candle is lit inside will give off a pretty color and design.
Great for gift time! ♥ Valentine's Day: Use pink & red ...
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"WALL OF LOVE" DISPLAY WALL
For Valentine's Day, the staff at Colchester Institute Library (UK) put together this "Wall of Lurve" (You can call it Wall of 'Love' 'Friendship', or '______'.)
For Valentine's day the library staff provided a display for students and staff to write messages. Around 150 pink hearts were displayed on the Wall at the entrance to the library.
This is something that could easily be adapted to a class or after-school program! Kids could write friendship messages about teachers, friends, places, things, food, etc. Kids love writing on walls--so it could be a hit! This is also a great idea for February's National Friendship Month! The hearts could also be filled with Acts of Kindness for February's Kindness Week!
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HERSHEY'S KISSES Flower Bouquet
Materials: 6" lengths of 12 gauge floral wire, Silk flower leaves, Green floral tape, Clear cellophane, Glue, Scissors, Ribbon, Hershey Kisses Milk Chocolates
1. For each candy rose, spread glue on the bottom of one foil-wrapped chocolate.
2. Firmly press the bottom of another chocolate to it.
3. Insert florist wire into one pointed end of the double chocolates, twisting cellophane, continuing down the full length of wire with tape.
4. Add 1 or 2 artificial leaves, if desired, securing leaves in place with florist tape.
You can also make them by taking two Hershey kisses... first insert a pipe cleaner or wire into one. Next attach kisses together at flat end with tape or glue; wrap them with red saran wrap. Take 2 wire leaves and attach them to the pipe cleaner with florist tape.......'Kiss Rose kits' are also sold at Oriental Trading (See photo on left)
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VALENTINE KINDNESS TREE
This wonderful display was created by Katja Van Elbe at a week long "Conscious Discipline Institute" workshop. To replicate this idea, after making the tree shape of trunk and branches--add a heart for every kindness act noted. This idea is nice any time of the year, but works especially well in the month of February.
You will also find some wonderful ideas that work for Valentine's Day in...
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