Contributed by Aurora LaJambre, Catalogs.com Top 10 Guru
February 14th is a day for sweethearts big and child-sized.
Valentine crafts for kindergarten make children feel included in the holiday and give them a fun, easy way to flex their creativity. These top crafts are age appropriate for children ages four through six, and call for common arts and crafts supplies.
10. Love Tree
The Busy Bee Kids Crafts love tree is easy and completely customizable. You only need four items: construction paper, twine or yarn, glue and scissors. Cut about five lengths of twine of about equal length and glue those vertical on the paper with the ends turned in different directions like branches. Cut out small leaf-size hearts. Kids can decorate the hearts and glue one heart for every person and pet they love.
9. Heart Painting
Fold a large piece of construction paper in half and cut out a half heart on the fold side. Set out art supplies: paper cups with paints and set an eye dropper or brush in each one. Have the children drop different colors on one side of the heart, then rub both sides together for a beautiful heart painting.
8. Heart Zoo
Embrace the wild side of Valentine’s Day kids crafts. Cut out different sized hearts from construction paper. Set out glue, crayons, pipe cleaners and glitter and encourage them to make different heart animals. Demonstrate a heart butterfly or kitten to get the ideas flowing.
7. Hanging Conversation Hearts
Love is in the air when conversation hearts dangle from the ceiling. This project from FaveCrafts.com involves cutting out hearts from pastel fabrics and having children use Stick-it felt letters to spell out cute messages like “Be Mine” and “U R CUTE”. Poke a small hole in the top center of the heart and thread a length of string through so you can hang it.
6. Heart Sun Catcher
Kids Craft Weekly demonstrates this valentine craft for kindergarten using scissors, string and different colored cellophane. Kids cut a few strips of different colored cellophane into small irregularly shaped pieces. Pull paper from clear contact and cover it with patches of cellophane. Place a length of string down one side, and fold the other side of the contact paper over. Cut out a large heart from the rectangle and hang it in a window by the string.
5. Bookmarks
Valentine bookmarks are a fun project and they make sweet gifts for family members. Use cardstock or poster board to cut out a handful of uniform strips. Encourage kids to decorate the bookmarks with a special saying and cover both sides with glitter, stickers and crayons. Wrap the finished bookmarks with contact paper so they’ll hold up for several reads.
4. Valentine Heart Crown
Declare all children the kings and queens of Valentine’s Day with Enchanted Learning’s paper plate heart crowns. Have kids color the plates with crayons or glue construction paper to both sides. An adult should fold the plate in half without creasing the fold and cut three intersecting slits through the center, leaving an inch on each end uncut. Unfold the plate, bend each of the triangles up and glue small hearts on the tips.
3. Paper Plate Heart Buddies
Paper plate heart buddies are a classic valentine craft for kindergarten; you may even remember making one yourself. Cut a heart out of a paper plate or construction paper, removing as little as possible. Color in the heart with crayon and draw a face with big eyes and a grin. Take four strips of paper, fold them accordion style and then glue the ends to the back of the plate as arms and legs.
2. Valentine’s Day Cards
Kids love giving Valentine’s as much as they love receiving them, but they may not always remember to sit down and make their cards before the big day. Lay out a craft picnic with juice and fruit on one side of the table and basic card materials on the other. Show them how to cut out hearts from paper doilies and use the heart frame as a stencil.
1. Valentine Card Box
One thing Valentine’s Day lacks is a few good monsters. This craft from Disney’s Family Fun magazine shows kids how to turn an empty cardboard tissue box into a silly monster for storing cards and candy grams. Animal lovers can turn their box into a furry friend following the same basic steps.