5 Valentine Crafts for You to Make with Your Kids

There are many Valentine crafts that you can do with your children. Valentine's Day is a day to express love to special people. Helping your child make a Valentine craft is not only fun to do but the end result is often a special keepsake or a gift for a loved one. The following Valentine craft ideas are easy and fun to make.

1. Valentine Wreath - This Valentine craft is easy to make and was created by Miss Susan. The materials needed are a paper plate, scissors, glue, heart patterns in different sizes, Valentine's Day colored construction paper such as red, white, pink and purple and yarn or string for hanging.

1) Cut a lot of small hearts of different sizes from the color or colors of construction paper of your choice.

2) Cut out the middle of a paper plate, leaving the rim.

3) Glue your hearts all around the paper plate to form your wreath overlapping the different sizes.

4) Tie a ribbon on it if you wish, or hang string to the back to hang from a nail or hook.

2. Sweetheart Necklaces - To make these beautiful Valentine craft necklaces you need Bakers clay (1 cup all purpose flour, 1/2 cup salt, 1/2 cup water), heart-shaped cookie cutters, a skewer, red and white poster or acrylic paint, a paintbrush and red, pink or white ribbon for hanging.

1) Make baker's clay by blending flour ,salt and water in a food processor or by hand until it is the consistency of dough. On floured surface knead dough until smooth, about 5 minutes.

2) Roll out the dough to about 1/4 inch thickness.

3) Using the cookie cutters, cut the dough into heart shapes. Place on ungreased cookie sheet.

4) Use the skewer to poke a hole for the ribbon at the top of each heart from both sides. Twist the skewer to make the hole larger than necessary because the hole will shrink during baking.

5) Bake in 300F oven for one hour. Transfer hearts to wire r.racks; let cool.

6) Paint the hearts red and pink (mix red and white paints for pink). Let dry.

7)Thread the ribbon through the hole. Tie the ribbon into a double knot at top of heart and knot the ends together.

8) Using a marker, draw a face on one side and write a personal message on the other side. Let dry.

9) Spray with varnish. Let dry. Spray again. Let dry.

These also make beautiful ornaments.

3. Valentine Lace scrunchie - This is an easy craft to make and fun to wear or give as a gift. You will need 27 inches of cotton lace with large holes, 10 inches of elastic cord, scissors, a needle, white threat, a hot glue gun.

1) Thread the elastic through the lace as if you are doing a running stitch - along an edge or near the center. When you get all the way to the end, tie the elastic together, leaving 2 inches of elastic past the knot when you are done.

2) Take the needle and thread and stitch through the knot several times to help keep it from unraveling, or apply a small amount of hot glue to the knot to seal it.

3) Trim the elastic to about 1/2 inch past the knot.

4) When you are wearing the scrunchie, the elastic by the knot will be hidden by all the lace.

4. Valentine Candy Pots - This Valentine craft is fun and easy to make. Plain terracotta flower pots are transformed into special keepsake Valentine candy dishes. To do this craft you will need terracotta clay pots in various sizes, acrylic paints - pinks, reds, purples and white, Valentine stickers, paint brushes - one small and one medium, a new pencil, a household sponge and acrylic sealer spray, matte finish. Lace, raffia and ribbon can also be used if you want to.

1) Paint the clay pot both inside and outside in the desired color and let dry. Several coats may be necessary.

2) Once painted it is time to decorate the possibilities are endless.

5. Heart Picture Frame - This Valentine craft uses an old square daily desk calendar (day at a glance) to make a fun and easy Valentine keepsake. You will need last year's square desk calendar, tacky glue, white cardboard, medium sized heart woodsies, scissors, a pen, a photograph and pink,light organ and lavender craft paint.

1) Paint the Woodsies in the different colors. Let dry

2) Tear off all the pages and/or cardboard in front of the plastic calendar holder.

3) Lay the calendar down on the cardboard and trace around it.

4) Cut the cardboard shape and glue on the calendar holder.

5) Glue the hearts around the frame using any layout you like.

6) Glue a photograph in the middle.

These 5 Valentine crafts are all fun and easy to do. Make a special keepsake with your children for Valentine's Day.

Sally Midland, "Kids Crafts" Canadian Living URL:
http://www.canadianliving.com/canadianLiving/client/en/Crafts/DetailNews.asp?idNews=2311&idSM=63

Valentine's Day", All-craftsURL:
http://www.allcrafts.net/valentines.htm

"Lace Scrunchie", The Kaboose Family Network URL:
http://www.kidsdomain.com/craft/hairstuff4.html

The Kaboose Family Network URL:
http://www.kidsdomain.com/craft/hairstuff4.html