toddler art projects

3 Quick and Easy Valentine's Day Crafts for Kids

3 Quick and Easy Valentine's Day Crafts for Kids | Writing Between Pauses

Valentine’s Day is tomorrow and if you’re like me, you kind of forget Valentine’s Day exists until it’s, well, a day away. You, like me, are probably racing to the Dollar Store for whatever Valentine’s you can find for your kids, or yourself.

I love doing holiday crafts with Forrest. It’s a great way to use up a little time during long days. Plus, it’s a little more heartfelt than a store bought Valentine. I’ve collected a few of my favorite crafts from Pinterest—as well as one we’ve done ourselves recently!

1. Love Canvas

kids valentine's day love canvas

Supplies needed:

  • 1 small-to-medium sized canvas (I found them for $1 at the Dollar Store!)

  • Acrylic paint in the colors of your choice

  • Paintbrushes

  • Masking tape

  • Sharpie

I made these with Forrest for his grandparents a few weeks ago (hopefully, his grandparents in Idaho have received theirs and this is not a spoiler!) I found canvas at the Dollar Store, as well as some acrylic paint; so the cost for making 4 of these was only about $10. That’s pretty good!

I started by making a heart out of masking tape on the canvas, then I let Forrest go to town painting. We used red, pink, and white paint on both paintbrushes and round sponge dabbers. He really liked using the sponges. Next time, I want to do heart-shaped sponges and see if that helps him a little more! I wished I had a little bit of blue paint, because he kept asking for purple. But they turned out beautiful!

When they were dry, i peeled off the masking tape, then drew phrases on (Love You! or just Love) in pencil, before tracing in black Sharpie. They turned out so cute!

2. Paper Plate Unicorns

These are from one of my favorite craft blogs. Paper plate unicorns! I have about 1,000 leftover paper plates from parties over the years and honestly, I’m trying to get rid of them in a mindful way. This is a genius craft. It would be particularly good for playdates or preschool classes. Perhaps minus the glitter!

3. Fingerprint Heart Trees

This is another great craft for sending to grandparents or family who live far away, because it is a small piece of your toddler or child. I love how these fingerprint trees look and they use just paint and probably a lot of patience. They would look beautiful framed in a gallery wall as well. The best part is that you could really switch up the color scheme for any holiday.

3 Fall Projects Just for Toddlers

It's difficult for me to accept that I'm now the mother of a toddler--not a baby. A toddler! I can't believe it, honestly. 

As the colder months rapidly approach, I've been looking for fun, not-too-messy projects for Forrest and I to take on together on my stay home days. Here are a few I've found on Pinterest that I can't wait to tackle. 

1. Making Fall Wreaths 

Are these not the cutest little wreaths you've ever seen? All of the supplies are affordable and available at a dollar store. Plus, you can use something like Glue Dots (from Hobby Lobby or Michaels) instead of actual glue--cutting the messy factor waaaay down. 

2. A Fall-Themed Sensory Bin

I love sensory bins! They're so much fun, especially when color-themed. Right now, I keep a box of jar lids that Forrest loves to sort through and bang around. I love the idea of creating a Fall-themed box together out of different wooden shapes, pumpkins, leaves, and more. It will be fun to look for stuff to include at our favorite craft stores. Undoubtedly, Forrest's favorite part will probably be dumping everything out and then, you guessed it, banging the box around the living room. I know him well. 

3. A Cork Painting

This one has the potential to be incredibly messy. But I think with the right supplies (a tarp? A full-body bib for Forrest?) it would be very fun. I'm thinking of cutting out the middle man and making some edible paint for Forrest to use with his hands. Then it will be easy to just rinse him off in the bath tub afterwards! 


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