Cupid Crafts for Kids

All you need is love…and a few easy-to-find supplies to settle in for an afternoon of family Valentine’s DIYs.

Each craft has at least one photo and all photos need to run, but if you don’t have enough to fill up three pages, I have more I can add! Hoping one of the three conversation heart photos works as an opener image, maybe with title/hedline on top?

February is the perfect month to run by a crafts store (Michael’s, Hobby Lobby) and grab a few paintbrushes, some washable paint, canvases, and some other odds-and-ends (you may even have most of these items on hand!) and surprise the kids with a fun heart-themed project that will be fun for them and provide a lasting memento you can display year after year. Let us know which one is your favorite!

WATERCOLOR HEARTS

Pencil

Heart (for outline)

Pre-gessoed canvas

Hot-glue gun

Watercolor paints

Paintbrushes

Water

Trace several hearts onto a canvas. (It’s okay to trace parts of a heart on edges of canvas to fill up white space.)

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Use a hot-glue gun to trace over the pencil-drawn hearts.

Paint inside of each glue-outlined heart in desired watercolor. Allow to dry before displaying.

Cotton Ball Heart Painting

Precut foam heart

8x10 canvas

Double-sided tape

Cotton balls

Clothespins

Washable paint

Paint tray or paper plate

Attach a foam heart to the center of canvas with double-sided tape. Clip one cotton ball to each clothespin (one for each color). Dip cotton balls into paint and “dot” around heart.

Gently peel off foam heart. Allow paint to dry before displaying.

Thumbprint Heart Magnets

Bright white heavy cardstock

Fingerprint ink pads

Extra-large clear glass gems

Scissors

Mod Podge

Craft magnets

*You can purchase the gems and magnets together on Amazon at https://tinyurl. com/2xw7p826.

Press your child’s thumb into a fingerprint ink pad, then gently press thumb onto bright white cardstock. Repeat ink and thumb process, then tilt thumb slightly and press it on the paper to make a thumbprint heart.

Repeat steps 1-2 until you have the desired number of thumbprint hearts (one for each magnet), leaving

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3 inches between each heart on the yardstick.

After ink dries, place a drop of Mod Podge on the back flat side of a glass gem, and center on top of a thumbprint heart. Press down to distribute glue evenly and remove any air bubbles. Repeat until all hearts are covered. Allow glue to dry several hours or overnight.

Use scissors to trim paper around each glass gem. (If the paper lifts away from the gem while cutting, glue it down again in the next step.)

Glue a magnet to the back of each gem, going over the paper edges to ensure they are securely attached. Allow magnets to dry overnight.

Craft Stick Picture Frames

Hot-glue gun

Craft sticks

White paint

Foam paintbrush

Red and pink buttons

White yardstick and crayons or picture cut to fit frame opening

Magnets (optional)

*You can also use conversation hearts in place of the buttons. Once glued down, paint over candies with a 50-50 mix of glossy Mod Podge and water to seal.

Hot-glue craft sticks together to form a square shape. Paint frame with white paint. Allow to dry.

Glue buttons (or candies) around frame edges, overlapping to create dimension.

Cut a piece of white cardstock or photo one-half inch bigger than frame opening. (If using cardstock, have your child write a message with crayons.) Attach to back of frame with hot-glue.

To turn frame into a magnet, attach small magnets to back with a strong adhesive. Allow to dry completely.

VALENTINE’S TIC-TAC-TOE SNACK

Graham crackers

Gel icing tube

Conversation heart candies

Pipe a tic-tac-toe board onto each graham cracker with gel icing. Allow to dry.

Divide candies into two colors for each graham cracker; play till someone wins with three in a row.

Enjoy your tasty tic-tac-toe board!