Although widely celebrated as a universal day of romance, Valentines Day can be a very meaningful day to celebrate together as a family. Here are five easy and unique Valentines Day crafts you can make right at home.
- Valentines Snow Globe
Snow Globes are not only beautiful; they’re simple to make! Use an empty mason jar, or re-use a recyclable glass container such as a pickle or mayonnaise jar. Wash it out well and choose what you’re going to place inside. If you have plastic figurines or heart-shaped beads, they would work perfectly. You can also make hearts from pipe cleaners and put them inside your jar. Next, fill your jar with a mixture of water and glycerin. You can find glycerin on the baking aisle of most craft stores, but if you cannot locate it, baby oil will work well also. Add a couple of tablespoons of glitter and tightly secure or glue your lid on. You now have your own custom Valentines’ Snow Globe!
- Homemade Heart Garland
To make this project, gather some construction paper and cut it width-wise into strips about 1” thick. Fold each strip in half, and fold the ends inward to create a heart. Staple your heart together, and then repeat the process, interlocking the new strip with the heart you created. Make your garland as short or as long as you wish, and decorate your home for Valentines Day.
- Very Special Votive Holder
An easy project that is re-usable and completely creative, to make votive holders you’ll need an empty glass jar of any size. Baby food jars work great for this project. Using different colored tissue paper and safety scissors, have your child cut out hearts. Using a paintbrush, apply a mixture of about 1 cup water and ½ cup of glue to the outside of your jar. Immediately afterwards, have your child adhere their tissue paper hearts in any pattern they like. If they choose, they can also decorate the outside with glitter or draw on the tissue paper. Once your project is completely dry, put in a tea candle and light it. For younger children, a battery-operated candle works just the same. Sit back and enjoy your beautiful, “stained glass” styled votive holder!
- Valentines Wishing Rocks
This is a great, low-cost project for all ages. Spend some time outdoors with your child scouting for good rocks to use for this project. Smooth rocks work best, and if you can find a heart-shaped one it’s even better! Set down newspaper, and use acrylic paints to decorate your rock. When the paint dries, have your child use a thin permanent marker to write a special message for the recipient of their wishing rock, and date and sign the back. With your child, make a wish on the rock for the recipient, and give it as a gift. This is a sentimental, personalized present that they will be sure to appreciate.
- Heart-Shaped Wreath
There are two easy ways to make this project. One way is to cut a large piece of construction paper into a heart. Have your child rip up tissue paper and glue to the heart until the entire outline is covered. Wait for it to dry. The other project involves creating a wreath out of individual hearts by using various colors of paper to cut small hearts out. Glue these papers into the shape of a larger heart, slightly overlapping. To further personalize it, your child can write individual messages on each heart. Once your projects are dry, hang with a piece of yarn or ribbon, or use them as gifts!
For more creative ideas, stay up to date with our blog, and be sure to check out our local guide to special Valentines Day events!