DIY Valentine Tips from Craft Goddess Kelley Moore

Get out the glitter and glue! Whether Cupid’s arrow has struck your sweet pea or not, a Valentine’s Day-themed craft session is a fun way to keep little ones entertained on a rainy, housebound day.

Take cues from lifestyle and entertaining expert Kelley Moore, who has appeared in The View; Ellen; The Nate Berkus Show and Rachael Ray.

“Sitting down for craft time with your kids is a wonderful way to encourage creativity and spend some fun, no-pressure time together,” says Moore, “Especially when the February weather makes being indoors the preferable option. And creating Valentine’s Day gifts is a good opportunity to teach little ones about kindness and love, and all the reasons to celebrate them.”  Moore compiled these easy arts-and-crafts projects for kiddos just for Red Tricycle readers.

Let Me Count The Ways
Have kids create 14 days worth of love notes for Mom or Dad. On three-by-five note cards, kids can write reasons they love you, special memories, or sweet IOUs (a bear hug, an hour of cuddle time, a day as Daddy’s special helper). Have them decorate each card and put them in numbered envelopes (which they can also decorate, if so inclined). Punch a hole in the corner of each envelope and string them together with a ribbon.

Circle Of Love
To make a personalized wreath, have kids cut out a circular wreath shape from glitter paper or cardstock and cover with doily hearts. Have them cut out images from vintage valentines, greeting cards, magazines and family photos, and glue them to the wreath base in collage form by layering them. Use thin foam core or double-sided foam tape under some images to add depth and dimension. Kids can personalize a love note for the intended recipient (Grandma, maybe?) and attach it to the wreath with string. Then hang the wreath from their Valentine’s door.

Sweethearts
Kids can create a Valentine’s chandelier by wrapping two foam wreath forms in wide ribbon and tying them together with fishing line so they hang parallel, one on top of the other, with about three inches in between. Have them cut heart shapes out of construction paper or cardstock (a fun place to have them write sweet Valentine messages a la Sweethearts Conversation Hearts candy) and tie them between the wreaths with fishing line at varying lengths. Hang the chandelier from the ceiling as Valentine’s Day décor.

Do you like to get crafty with your kids for V-Day? What’s your favorite project? Let us know in the comments below!

—Andrea Delimont Dashiell