36 Creative Valentine's Day Crafts for Kids and Adults

Any time is a good time for color-blocking. Make your own color-blocked box for a modern-looking gift that fits into even the most minimalist home.

What You'll Need:

• Rectangle box with hinged lid
• Gold spray paint
• Plastic wrap

How-to:

1. Cover a portion of the box in plastic wrap, making sure it fits tightly. You can experiment with how you wrap the plastic—diagonally or straight—this will determine the gold tone design.
2. Spray paint the box. Remove the plastic wrap once the box is completely dry.

Craft developed by Morgan Levine.

Colorful enamel pins have become a go-to accessory once again. Create a fun version for Valentine's Day that will look right at home on a jean jacket or backpack.

What You'll Need:

• Natural wood heart shapes
• Acrylic paint in bright colors
• Paint brush
• Mini alphabet stamps
• Glue
• Pin backs

How-to:

1. Paint the heart shapes with bright acrylic paint, let dry, then add the phrase of your choice with mini alphabet stamps.
2. To complete the craft, glue on small pin backs.

Customize balloons for a more personalized set of decorations for this year's party.

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

We could all use more glitter in our lives. Use a durable box for your base for a long-lasting bit of sparkle.

What You'll Need:

• Small square box with lid
• Chunky glitter
• Paintbrush
• Glue

How-to:

1. Apply a thick layer of glue on the top of the lid with a paintbrush.
2. Sprinkle the glitter onto the lid. Let it dry completely.
3. Apply another layer of glue and glitter onto the box.

Craft developed by Morgan Levine.

Bring your gift box to life with hearts that seem to fly off the lid.

What You'll Need:

• Cardboard rectangle jewelry box with lid
• Pink, purple, and red construction paper
• Scissors
• Glue dots

How-to:

1. Cut out heart shapes in assorted sizes. For a small box, you'll need about 30 shapes.
2. Adhere the hearts to the box with glue dots, layering them on top of each other and in different directions.

Craft developed by Morgan Levine.

Molding clay—and your favorite conversation heart phrases—are the key to this fun Valentine's Day craft.

What You'll Need:

• Molding clay
• Heart-shaped cookie cutter
• Stamp with small letter stamps or cookie cutter letters
• Hole punch or awl
• Key rings

How-to:

1. Roll out molding clay to approximately ¼-inch thick.
2. Cut a heart using a heart-shaped cookie cutter. Stamp (being careful not to cut all the way through) a phrase. Use the hole punch or awl to make a hole in one corner for the key ring.
3. Bake in the oven according to the clay's package instructions. Let cool completely before attaching key ring.

If you're passing out goodies—store-bought or homemade, it doesn't matter—help dress them up a bit with a homemade (and reusable) container.

What You'll Need:

• Round tin box with lid
• Colored tissue paper
• Scissors
• Glue stick

How-to:

1. Cut ¾-inch wide strips of tissue paper.
2. Fringe the strips horizontally, making each fringe about ¼-inch apart.
3. Glue the strips on to the lid of the box, starting from the bottom of the lid and layering each strip upwards.
4. Trim any excess tissue paper off around the lid.

Craft developed by Morgan Levine.

Take conversation hearts a little further by embellishing a plain canvas bag with bold pop art that looks like the popular heart-shaped candy.

What You'll Need:

• Plain canvas tote bag
• Heart stencil
• Paint
• Adhesive letters
• Foam brush

How-to:

1. Simply tape a heart stencil to the bag, spell out your message using adhesive letters in the center of the heart, and then paint over the letters to fill the heart shape.
2. To create clean lines, use a foam brush and dab with up and down strokes, rather than side-to-side swipes.

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.

What You'll Need:

• Craft knife
• Contact paper
• Tape
• Plain glass
• Paint brush
• Glass etcher

How-to:

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 paint brush, 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.

Gift homemade chocolate truffles in a homemade box—what could be more apt?

What You'll Need:

• Cardstock
• Box template
• Scissors
• Glue stick

How-to:

1. Print and cut out the box template. Trace and cut out from the cardstock.
2. Assemble the box, folding the paper where the single lines appear on the template. Cut slits where the bold line appears on the template—this will help you fasten the heart top together. Secure the sides of the box with a glue stick.

Craft developed by Morgan Levine.

Making your own crayons may sound like a difficult and dangerous project, but, with a little adult supervision, it's a great way to recycle those broken nubs you have floating around in the craft bin.

What You'll Need:

• Round or heart-shaped baking tray
• Extra or broken crayons
• Stamp with small letter stamps or cookie cutter letters

How-to:

1. Remove the wrappers from your crayons, break into small enough pieces to fit in the tray, and fill to the top (use multiple colors to create a fun marbled effect).
2. Use the stamp or cookie cutters to add your favorite conversation heart phrases.
3. Bake at 300 degrees F for approximately 15 minutes. Once cool, remove the crayons from the mold.

Make good use of playful washi tape patterns with this Valentine's Day craft.

What You'll Need:

• Small box with lid (can be rectangle or square)
• Assorted rolls of washi tape

How-to:

1. Use the washi tape to create designs on the lid and the base of the box. Get creative with the design and color combinations—try a grid or diagonal pattern.

Craft developed by Morgan Levine.

Group-chat buddies and kids alike will love getting some treats in a box topped with their favorite emoji.

What You'll Need:

• Round tin box with lid
• Yellow, pink, and black construction paper
• Scissors
• Glue or double stick tape

How-to:

1. Trace the lid of the box onto the yellow paper. Cut out.
2. Cut out two hearts from the pink paper and a "smile" shape from the black paper.
3. Place the yellow circle onto the lid and secure with double-stick tape or glue. Attach the heart eyes and the smile onto the box.

Craft developed by Morgan Levine.

If you've already picked out a really great gift for your Valentine, get creative with the wrapping. Transform a regular heart-shaped box into something reminiscent of the flavors in a box of conversation hearts with a layer of brightly colored paint—white, mint, pink, orange, yellow, and purple.

What You'll Need:

• Plain heart-shaped box
• Paint brushes
• Paint
• Stamps
• Red ink
• Permanent marker

How-to:

1. Paint boxes (inside and out). Allow to dry fully.
2. Once dry, use stamps and red ink or red permanent marker to add your own sweet messages to the lids.

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'll Need:

• Paper
• Envelopes
• Washable hand paint
• Invite (download it here)
• Newspaper

How-to:

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'll Need:

• Cups
• Designed labels (download here)
• Blank labels

How-to:

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'll Need:

• Cupcake liners (in assorted colors)
• Pipe cleaners (in green)
• Craft glue
• Craft knife

How-to:

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'll 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

How-to:

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'll Need:

• Ingredients for making treats (marshmallows, rice cereal, butter)
• Valentine-themed cookie cutters
• Food coloring (if you wish)
• Wax paper

How-to:

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'll 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)

How-to:

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'll Need:

• Construction paper or colorful paper stock
• Heart-shaped pasta
• Spaghetti (to make the stem)
• White craft glue
• Crayon or colored pencil
• Paintbrush
• Newspaper

How-to:

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'll Need:

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

How-to:

1. Download and print the heart pdf.
2. Using a screw punch, follow the premade heart shape and pierce holes over each dot in the paper stock.
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'll 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)

How-to:

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'll Need:

• Cookies
• Food-safe pens
• Wax paper

How-to:

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.

What You'll Need:

• Plain white mug
• Rubbing alcohol
• Rag
• Red sharpie

How-to:

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.

What You'll Need:

• Double-sided fusible interfacing
• Iron
• Felt (in at least two different colors)
• Fabric scissors
• Paper
• Scalloped scissors
• Needle and thread

How-to:

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.

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

What You'll Need:

• Small wooden hearts
• Jewelry chains
• Paint pens
• Dremel

How-to:

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.

Make a simple garland from items you probably already have around the house for subtle festive flair this Valentine's Day.

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.

Making gorgeous, festive hurricane glasses is an easy, fun way to pass a few hours—and if it fits into your home's decor, you can keep them on display year-round.

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.

For a Valentine's Day craft that's both pretty and pretty functional, try these coasters.

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.

Dress up tasty cupcakes with this simple DIY.

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.

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

What You'll Need:

• Vessel
• Paper
• Double-sided tape
• Ribbon

How-to:

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. This is the perfect Valentine's Day craft for the one who likes to change things up on a daily basis.

What You'll Need:

• Frame
• Chalkboard paint
• Chalk
• Newspaper

How-to:

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'll Need:

• Assorted paper
• Needle and thread
• 2" scalloped shaped hole punch

How-to:

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 reach 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'll Need:

• Assorted paper
• Washi tape
• Ribbon
• Double-sided tape
• Votives

How-to:

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'll Need:

• Scissors
• Tissue paper
• Floral wire
• Styrofoam wreath
• Hot glue gun

How-to:

1. Cut tissue paper into 8"x 5" rectangles. Placing the lighter colors on top, stack 4 to 6 pieces of tissue paper on top of one another. Make ½" to 1" accordion folds, 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.