24 Creative Valentine’s Day Crafts for Kids and Adults

Even a low-key get-together should be unforgettable. Call on the kids to help create this hands-on Valentine party invitation, which, we admit, may get a little messy.

What You Need
Paper
Envelopes
Washable hand paint
Invite (download it here)
Newspaper

1. Download and print the invite.
2. Place newspaper on a flat surface. Let your child dip hand into the paint, pressing handprint on the invite. Set aside to dry.
3. Fill in party details.

Every festive occasion needs a signature drink. Whether you’re serving chocolate milk or apple juice, turn paper cups into adorable party props with these festive stick-on labels.

What You Need
Cups
Designed labels (download here)
Labels (We used Avery 22820 glossy oval labels, avery.com.)

1. Download the labels and print on the stickers. (The labels will come with printing instructions.)
2. Pop on cups or let kids pick their own.

Roses are red, violets are blue...your little Romeo is ready to woo. How can they prove that their love is for keeps? Start with a handmade bud that will stand the test of time. (Pro tip: It’s best to keep this flower out of water.)

What You Need
Cupcake liners (in assorted colors)
Pipe cleaners (in green)
Craft glue
Craft knife

1. Pile 5 to 6 cupcake liners on top of one another. Using a craft knife, poke a hole through the center of the stack.
2. Take one pipe cleaner and apply a dab of hot glue to one end. Then secure one liner to this glue. Set aside to dry.
3. Once the glue has dried, scrunch the liner closed to create the look of a flower bud.
4. Repeat Step 2 with the additional liners, sliding onto the same pipe cleaner, securing with glue, and scrunching together.
5. Wrap the pipe cleaner around the base of the bloom, and bend the pipe cleaner to create a leaf-shape.

Cupid has some cute competition. Make an assortment of mini hearts and let the kids give them to friends, classmates, and family members.

What You Need
Construction paper or colorful paper stock
Scissors (you could also use pinking shears or fancy edged scissors)
Metallic ink pens
Pixie sticks
Craft glue

1. Cut out an assortment of hearts from the paper. Fold the hearts in half and make a small circle in the middle (this is where the pixie stick will slide through).
2. Ask kids to design their hearts with drawings or lovable phrases.
3. Slide the pixie sticks through the hearts.
4. On a separate piece of paper, draw and cut out arrow heads and backs. Attach the top and ends of the bows with glue. Set aside to dry.

Snacktime just got mushy. With these festive-shaped treats, it’ll be love at first bite this Valentine’s Day.

What You Need
Ingredients for making treats
Valentine-themed cookie cutters
Food coloring (if you wish)
Wax paper

1. Follow the recipe for making the treats (this can be found on the back of the cereal box). Add food coloring to the mixture, if so desired.
2. Cover a flat surface with wax paper. Transport mixture here and flatten out. Create designs using cookie cutters.
3. Set wax paper on a tray and pop into the fridge.

Surprise your little one with a new accessory that coordinates with the party theme.

What You Need
Adhesive felt sheets (in pink, red, white)
Metal single prong hair clip
Scissors (you can also use pinking shears or fancy edged scissors)
Craft glue
Scrapbooking bows (these are small, premade, adhesive backed. Available at your local craft store)

1. Cut out heart shapes from felt. Make an assortment in two sizes.
2. Remove adhesive backing and layer smaller-sized heart on top of the larger size. For extra security, dab an extra bit of craft glue.
3. Once dry, flip over (so small heart facing down) and attach larger heart to the metal clip. Secure and set aside to dry.
4. Finish off by popping the bow on top.

Playing with food is strongly encouraged for this crafting session. Let the kids create homemade and heartfelt sentiments out of uncooked, heart-shaped pasta (or any noodle that catches your fancy).

What You Need
Construction paper or colorful paper stock
Pasta
Spaghetti (to make the stem)
White craft glue
Crayon or colored pencil
Paintbrush
Newspaper

1. Cover flat surface with newspaper. Ask kids to write (or draw) their messages on the colored paper.
2. Brush glue on one side of pasta hearts with paintbrush. Using the line drawings as a guide, attach uncooked pieces to the paper. Set aside to dry.

There’s sew much love that goes into making this pint-size paper heart. (It’s actually quite simple if you download our easy-to-print template, promise.) You can set this craft up, and then the kids can do the sewing themselves.

What You Need
Colorful paper stock
Scissors
Screw punch (awl or thumbtack will also work)
Large blunt needle
Downloadable Heart PDF
Yarn

1. Download and print the heart pdf.
2. Using a screw punch, follow the premade heart shape and pierce holes over each dot.
3. With a large blunt needle, sew yarn through the holes.

Turn an empty household jar into a memorable Valentine’s Day keepsake in a few simple steps.

What You Need
Empty jar (for this project, almost any size will work: olive, baby-food, pickle)
Pipe cleaners
Glitter
Craft glue
Floral foam in thin brick size (available at craft stores)

1. Glue floral foam to the jar’s lid. Set aside to dry.
2. Create heart-shaped designs out of pipe cleaners. Once work is finished, stick into the foam strip.
3. Fill the jar almost to the top with water. Add glitter.
4. Attach lid to the jar; shake it up.

Traditional party fare with a twist: Before digging into those sugar cookies, let your mini Picasso do a little drawing (or scribbling) with food-safe markers.

RELATED: How to Make Chocolate Covered Strawberries

What You Need
Cookies
Food-safe pens
Wax paper

1. Place wax paper on a cool, dry counter or tray. Place cookies on top.
2. Using the special food-safe marker, let kids design their own cookie creations.

To involve kids in this Valentine’s Day craft, let them handle the mug decoration: Less refined (a.k.a. more scribbly) designs will let them show off their artistic sides.

1. Clean the exterior of the mug with rubbing alcohol.
2. Using a Sharpie, write, “I love you a latte” on the front.
3. Let the mug sit for 24 hours.
4. Put it in a cold oven and set it to 450° F. Once the oven reaches temperature, bake for 45 minutes.
5. After 45 minutes, turn off the oven, but leave the mug inside until it has completely cooled.

Craft developed by Morgan Levine.

Big kids might be able to pitch in with this craft; for little ones, have them sit this one out. They’ll love it as a keepsake either way.

1. Iron a piece of double sided fusible interfacing onto a piece of felt and cut out a heart—this heart will be the inside of the dish. Be sure to consult the fusible interfacing instruction manual.  
2. Cut out a paper circle. 
3. Peel the backing of the fusible interfacing off of the smaller heart, place paper circle in center of the heart, and iron the entire shape onto a contrasting felt. 
4. Cut around the smaller heart leaving a small border. Use scalloped scissors to create a scalloped edge. 
5. Cut darts at the top and bottom of heart. 
6. Stitch the edges of both darted areas together with a needle and thread.

Crafts developed by Morgan Levine.

Kids can be involved in the stencil-making step of this craft, creating whatever design or image they like. To make this a gift for them, stencil their initials or name.

1. Make a stencil using a craft knife and contact paper. The design can be your initials, a heart, or another Valentine’s Day symbol.
2. Adhere the contact paper stencil to the cup.
3. Using a paintbrush, apply glass etcher to the inside of the stencil, directly on the glass.
4. Remove the contact paper. The etcher will have eaten away at the glass, and you’ll be left with a beautiful design!

Crafts developed by Morgan Levine.

Let little ones decorate these necklaces as they like; they’ll love handing them out at the Valentine’s Day party.

1. Purchase small wooden hearts and jewelry chains at your local craft store.
2. Use paint pens to decorate the hearts—you can use our designs as inspiration, but feel free to personalize them for your Valentine.
3. Then, use a dremel to drill a hole in the top of the heart and insert the chain through. 

Crafts developed by Morgan Levine.

What You’ll Need:

• Large glass bowl
• Acrylic paint
• Large commercial coffee filters
• Wax paper
• Paintbrush
• Small glass bowl
• Scissors
• Hole punch
• Colorful baker’s twine

How-to:

1. In a glass bowl, mix 1 tablespoon of paint into 2 cups of water.
2. Dip the entire coffee filter into the paint mixture, and then lay flat on wax paper.
3. Add more paint to a small glass bowl. Dip the paintbrush into the paint, dripping, splattering, or brushing onto the wet filter to create a unique design. Allow to dry on the wax paper, about 2 hours.
4. Fold the coffee filter in half and, starting at the folded edge, cut out a half-heart shape. Unfold.
5. Punch out two holes at the top of the heart, one on each side. Thread hearts onto twine.

Craft developed by Blake Ramsey.

What You’ll Need:

• Glass hurricane
• Heart doilies
• Wax or parchment paper
• Double stick tape
• Scissors

How-to:

1. Attach doilies to the bottom half of glass hurricanes using double stick tape. You can play with the design by overlapping or trimming as desired.
2. Use scissors to cut wax or parchment paper to fit the outer surface of the hurricane. Wrap around and secure with double stick tape.

Craft developed by Blake Ramsey.

What You’ll Need:

• Cardstock
• Scissors
• 4-inch cork squares (available at office supply and craft stores)
• Pencil
• Craft knife
• Acrylic paint in 4 colors
• Paintbrush
• Thin masking tape (or stickers)

How-to:

1. Draw a heart shape onto the cardstock (make sure your heart is less than 4 inches in size) and cut out.
2. Place the cardstock heart onto each cork square and use a pencil to trace the shape. Use a craft knife to cut out each heart. (Tip: Use a cutting mat or a thick towel underneath the cork to protect your work surface.)
3. Lay 2 pieces of thin masking tape across the cork heart to create a unique pattern.
4. Paint each resulting section with a different color of paint.
5. Allow paint to dry, about 1 hour, and remove tape.

Tip: To create hearts (or other shapes) skip the masking tape and adhere stickers to the cork board instead. Then paint the entire cork square with one color of paint. Once dry, about 1 hour, remove the stickers to reveal your design.

Craft developed by Blake Ramsey.

What You’ll Need:

• Pink cardstock
• Black cardstock
• Toothpicks
• Glue

How-to:

1. Cut out heart shapes from the pink cardstock.
2. Cut out two small circles and one small half moon shape from the black cardstock.
3. Glue eyes and mouth onto the heart. Let dry (about 5 minutes).
4. Glue toothpick onto the back of the heart. Let dry (about 5 minutes).

Craft developed by Blake Ramsey.

What You’ll Need:

• Inflated Mylar heart-shaped balloons (available at party supply stores)
• Vinyl stick-on letters (available at office supply and craft stores)

How-to:

1. Purchase inflated heart-shaped balloons from your local party supply store.
2. Attach stick-on letters to each balloon in phrases commonly found on conversation hearts.
   

Crafts developed by Blake Ramsey

Same old pink stems? Not this year. This bunch of roses is arriving in a creative container.

What you need:
Vessel
Paper
Double-Sided Tape
Ribbon

1. Wrap paper around the vase and cut to necessary size. Adhere paper to vase with tape.
2. Get creative and layer ribbon for an extra special touch. Then add flowers.

Doodles today. I love you! tomorrow. The perfect project for the one who likes to change things up on a daily basis.

What you need:
Fame
Chalkboard Paint
Chalk
Newspaper

1. Place frame on newspaper in a well-ventilated area. Paint frame and let it dry.
2. Pop in a favorite photo. Using the chalk, write your special Valentine's Day message.

The kids might be sick of making paper snowflakes, but they're sure to rally behind these new shapes and colors.

What you need:
Assorted Paper
Needle and Thread
2” Scalloped Shaped Hole Punch

1. Fold 3” to 6” paper squares in half and cut a half heart from the fold.
2. Thread needle and string hearts together through the top center of the folded paper hearts.
3. Using scalloped hole punch, make shapes from paper. Thread needle and string through the opposite sides of each scalloped paper.
4. Add as many hearts and scallops as it takes to raech your desired length.

Give those scraps of paper headed to the recycling bin a second shot to shine. This idea works with all kinds of paper–even your kids’ artwork.

What you need:
Assorted paper, Washi Tape, Ribbon
Double-sided Tape
Votives

1. Wrap paper around votive for sizing; cut to necessary length. Adhere strips of paper to votive with double-sided tape.
2. Be creative and have some fun. Wrap some with just paper and layer others with ribbon and tape.

Think tissue paper is only destined for gift boxes? Think again. This winter we're putting it on display.

What you need:
Scissors
Tissue Paper
Floral Wire
Styrofoam Wreath
Hot Glue Gun

1. Cut tissue paper into 8”x 5” rectangles. Placing the lighter colors on top, stack 4-6 pieces of tissue paper on top of one another. Make ½” to 1” accordion fold creasing with each fold.
2. Fold floral wire and put over center of folded tissue and twist.
3. With scissors, trim ends of tissue into rounded or pointy shapes. Separate layers one at a time. Hot glue tissue flowers onto styrofoam wreath.