Whether you’re looking for a project to spark some at-home creativity or you’re in search of a good homemade Valentine’s card to send your child to school with, this list is sure include a project that will elicit some warm fuzzies.
From nature-inspired projects with leaves, rocks and bird seed, to science-inspired projects with salt crystals, melting beads and airplanes, the theme across all of these do-it-yourself projects is hearts, kindness and spreading love.
Heart Rocks
Heart rocks are a great way to spend a bit of creative time together, and then spread the love! Gather some rocks, paint a heart on them and distribute them anonymously to bring a smile to a stranger’s face when they find them this Valentine’s Day. It’s an easy way to be creative, get outside and teach your little one about random acts of kindness.
Salty Valentines That Sparkle
We’ve all heard of sweethearts, but what about salty hearts? The science behind this artistic Valentine’s project is sure to spark wonder and creativity. The wait for the water to evaporate and leave behind the crystallized salty hearts provides ample time for scientific observation and discussion. The final product is a sparkling crystallized heart, and they’re easy to glue on cards to distribute, or hang at home.
Recycled Seed Paper Hearts
Spring is just around the corner, and soon it will be time to plant seeds! You’ll also have a chance to recycle old paper and get your hands messy with your little one. These instructions outline how to make your own homemade paper to later plant and sprout wildflowers in the garden. Cut the dried paper into hearts, write a note to your Valentine and distribute to help love grow!
Sewn Leaf Pockets
Another nature-inspired project, this step-by-step guide uses leaves and yarn to make sweet, heart-shaped leaf pockets. Go on a walk, gather some of your favorite leaves of varying color, pattern and type, and bring them home to piece together your own nature-themed Valentine’s gifts!
Baking Soda and Vinegar Art
A classic chemical reaction for baking and volcanic eruption modeling is creatively applied in this project to form a colorful outcome! Your little one will find it hard to stop creating this fun, bubbly chemistry art. Mount the hearts in a frame, glue them to a Valentine’s card or string them along garland to spread the love and enjoy long past the production process.
A String of Hearts
If the mess of baking soda and vinegar doesn’t sound ideal but the effect of color blending art does, this is the project for you and your family this Valentine’s Day. The result of lightly spraying colored coffee filter paper never ceases to add a sense of awe to the creative process as the colors bleed and blend into one another. After the filters dry, they’re a bright, light addition to any room or window—not to mention they would make sweet Valentine’s Day cards glued onto construction paper or a doily.
Clicking Heart Windchime
Melting pony beads is a craft idea that has had a recent upswing in popularity. This project is the result of one mom’s creative venture with the task, but it definitely leans on the labor-intensive side of the projects listed here. This project requires a well-ventilated kitchen (due to fumes in melting the pony beads), but if you’re up for the adventure, this windchime is sure to produce an audio and visual masterpiece that will inspire long past Valentine’s Day.
Heart Sensory Bin
This project is perfect for your younger ones this Valentine’s Day. All you’ll need is to gather a variety of fabrics and materials—and alphabet stickers. It will require some prep ahead of time as you’ll want to cut out the hearts, but then you can work alongside your young one as they work to arrange the hearts with the different lettered textures to build words (if they’re ready for it) or strings of patterns like alternating rough/smooth textures.
Pin-and-Thread Hearts for Kids
The stitching, cutting and hole-punching required for this project makes it a great activity to not only celebrate Valentine’s Day with your little one, but help them further develop their fine motor skills. With paper plates, scissors, a single hole punch and yarn, your kids will have a blast sewing the heart together with their own patterns and stitching. You can pre-make the plates and holes or work alongside your young one to prep their own plate.
Valentines for the Birds
Spend some time making Valentines for the feathered friends with this homemade bird feeder recipe! Your little one will enjoy getting their hands messy with the production, and you’ll be able to help them string these eco-friendly birdfeeders up near a window somewhere to watch the birds enjoy. These can also make great Valentine’s Day gifts for family and friends!
Puzzle Wreath
If you’re one to find that your puzzles are missing pieces, this might be the perfect project for you and your family this Valentine’s Day! It gives your puzzle a second life in the form of a cheerfully designed painted heart wreath—perfect to hang up, distribute and speak to the many pieces that make a “heart” whole. Your child will love gluing, arranging and painting these hearts for special family and friends.
Valentine Airplanes
If your child is locked in the never-ending search of the perfect paper airplane design, this could be just the Valentine’s Day project for them. There are a number of ideas and templates out there for how to best make a Valentine’s Day (heart-themed) paper airplane, and this is one creative idea to get your kids’ hearts soaring! Grab the paper and scissors, and see what your creative kid can come up with—they’re easy to make and likely to be a hit with their classmates if they’re planning to deliver Valentine’s gifts at school.
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