19 fun Valentine's Day crafts for kids

Valentine's Day isn't just for couples! It can be a fun holiday for kids that breaks up the late-winter doldrums with pink, red and white holiday cheer. From trading Valentine cards in class to dressing up to holiday-themed toys and candy gifts, Valentine’s Day has become a celebration that kids can look forward to, too.

It's an excellent excuse for creative kids to make heartfelt, sentimental crafts you’ll want to keep forever. From sweet toddler art to special DIY Valentines for the school-aged set, there’s no shortage of heart-shaped activities and crafts to get your kids’ creative juices flowing.

Whether you give these cute crafts as Valentine’s Day gifts or keep them as mementos, here are some of our favorite kid crafts to burst your home with holiday cheer on the day of love.

1. Balloon hearts

Nothing could be simpler than this DIY art project by The Best Ideas for Kids. It's made with easy-to-find craft supplies that you probably have at home, and it's so simple that even the tiniest hands can master it. Dress your kids up in their favorite Valentine's Day outfits and snap a photo to make this keepsake or card craft extra special. 

What you need: White card stock, acrylic paint, fine-tipped markers, paper roll

2. Shaving cream hearts

Shaving cream art is one of our favorite creative mediums for toddlers and preschoolers to experiment with, but it’s also satisfying for older kids, too. This craft from Hello, Wonderful keeps the mess contained in a bin or old box: Kids will enjoy the frothy, fun mess, while parents will appreciate the easy cleanup.

What you need: Water color paper, washable tempera paint, thick foam shaving cream, a plastic bin or a cardboard box

3. Handprint hearts

Toddlers love getting good and messy with salt dough. It’s so much fun for them to squeeze, knead, roll out and sink their little hands into. Plus, when you are done, you get an adorable keepsake. This recipe and tutorial by The Best Ideas for Kids gives loads of ideas for salt dough handprints and ornaments, for an all-purpose craft for the holiday.

What you need: An extra large heart-shaped cookie cutter, acrylic paint, clear glaze

4. Fizzy fun hearts

Bring a little STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) to their art with this cool, creative craft that adds a bit of chemistry to their creation with this tutorial by The Pinterest Parent. A bit of baking soda gives this activity an interactive element and a unique texture to the finished product.

What you’ll need: Watercolor paper, pipettes or eye droppers, food coloring

5. A heart handprint tree

This sweet little craft by The Best Ideas for Kids is so easy for little ones to pull off. They’ll love adding heart-shaped “leaves” to their tree, either with shimmery paper, folded construction paper or Valentine-themed heart stickers.

What you’ll need: Brown construction paper, pink card stock, heavy-duty glue, glitter paper or heart stickers

6. Crayon hearts

Like most families, you probably have an abundance of old, broken crayons. This craft by Mom Luck is easy, satisfying and puts those broken old crayon bits to good use. Give them out as gifts, or keep them handy as easy-to-grip and non-rolling crayons. 

What you’ll need: Old crayons, a silicon baking tray

7. Salt dough conversation hearts

Ever find your littles nibbling through the candy hearts before the craft is even completed? These conversation hearts are unique, and they basically last forever.

These cute little keepsakes by The Best Ideas for Kids are easy to pull off and will make charming gifts for friends and grandparents.

What you’ll need: A stamp set, acrylic paint, clear glaze

8. A full kit for 27 craft-tastic cards

This cute kit by Kiwi Crate makes crafting handmade Valentine's Day cards a breeze. This cool card kit has everything kids need to make 27 impressive pop-up cards from scratch that they can share with their friends or send to family. 

What you need: A Kiwi Crate kit

9. Contact paper heart stencils

These three approaches to contact paper crafts by Feeling Nifty make cool use of negative space. These are fun for older kids who want to get creative with a stencil-style approach to painting, or for little ones who still struggle to stay within the lines.

What you’ll need: Painting canvases, contact paper, acrylic paint, an old credit card

10. Bee Mine Valentine

This adorable craft by From ABC to ACTS is so easy and teaches little ones all about shapes and patterns, and they’ll love assembling these sweet little bees. You probably have everything you need handy, so this makes for a simple, low-stress craft day with an adorable final product.

What you’ll need: Construction paper and a glue stick

11. Valentine Confetti Heart Slime

Kids always love slime! This fun activity by Little Bins Little Handsonly gets more exciting when you make it holiday-themed, filling it with festive colors and sparkling confetti.

What you’ll need: A slime-making kit, valentine-themed confetti

12. Candy heart frames

All it takes is some paint, glue and a bag of candy hearts for them to make the sweetest Valentine’s Day frame. The iconic candy conversation hearts make this craft by Happiness is Homemade so much fun—just be sure to keep an eye on the kids, lest they eat all their craft supplies! We recommend sealing this with glaze to keep the ants away.

What you’ll need: A frame, glitter paint, tacky craft glue, candy hearts

13. Pipe Cleaner rings

If they need a little bling for their holiday, how about these mess-free pipe cleaner rings by One Little Project. Nothing could be easier and they are so good for building fine motor skills in little ones or bending out frustrations in older kids.

What you need: Pipe cleaners

14. A Valentine Lady Bug craft

All you need is card stock, a glue stick, a photo and a cute kid to pull off this adorable craft by The Best Ideas for Kidsthat flaunts your little lovebug. The finished product is so cute you should probably plan to make a bunch.

What you need: Card stock, glue sticks, photos

15. 3D Optical Illusion Heart Drawing Craft

Kids will love this cool craft that will have their hearts popping off the page. This perspective-drawing tutorial by Pink Stripey Socks simplifies the 3D-drawing process, making it so easy a preschooler can pull it off.

What you need: Lined paper, markers

16. Mosaic art heart

Got some magazines and catalogs piling up? This is the perfect craft for using them up, while making a pretty piece of art. We love the reduce and reuse approach to this pretty mosaic heart project by Crafts by Amanda that really lets kids unleash their creativity.

What you need: Poster board, construction paper and old magazines

17. Tinfoil art heart

This craft by I Heart Crafty Things was made for doodling! Shiny, fun and colorful, even scribbles turn out beautiful on these tin foil creations.

What you need: Tin foil, permanent markers

18. DIY recycled seed cards

A cool craft that teaches kids to reduce, reuse and recycle? We're in! Use up old newspaper, construction paper scraps or magazines to make a gift that keeps on giving. Once planted in a pot or garden plot, the seeds in these cute little hearts will sprout into beautiful flowers to enjoy this spring. These make perfect Valentine's Day card decorations, gift tags or party favors.

What you’ll need: Paper, food coloring, seeds, cookie cutter, screen

19. A candy wreath

This craft by Carrie Elle is so easy for kids of all ages, and it really just looks so pretty! Have kids from toddlers to 'tweens glue candy hearts on any shape they like (though we are partial to this wreath tutorial) for pretty and festive décor that's cute enough to eat.

What you need: Candy hearts, glue, spray varnish and a mold of your choosing

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