13 Valentine's Day Activities for Kids
Valentine's Day has a way of sneaking up on everyone as we (finally!) get back into a routine after the holiday season. These easy homemade Valentine's Day crafts and activities will keep your kids entertained through February 14. Make a sweet handmade gift or go all out with an afternoon of festive activities for the kids.
Valentine's Day Garland
This DIY Valentine's Day garland is easy and inexpensive—our favorite kind of craft! A deck of playing cards from the dollar store and a length of ribbon are all you need. Although any of the cards will work, using only the heart suit will emphasize the love theme. After punching holes in each card, tie them to a pretty pink or red ribbon for a sweet Valentine's Day banner.
Related: DIY Valentine’s Day Decor Ideas
Coloring Page Treat Bags
Let your kids show off their artistic sides by setting them up with some colored pencils and printouts of our free downloadable Valentine’s Day coloring pages. (You might want to join them to reap the health benefits of coloring!) Then use their creations to decorate gift bags: Cut out a large heart shape and glue it to a colorful paper bag. They personalize homemade Valentine’s Day treats or purchased candy.
DIY Valentine's Day Ball Toss
This DIY game is a great Valentine's Day activity for any gray winter day that keeps your family indoors. Plus, this game is a little closer to the ground than you'll find in most arcades and uses lightweight plastic balls, which gives the small members of your family a chance at the fun. Kathleen from Handmade Charlotte buys foam core at crafts stores to build the structure. Who’s ready to play?
Paper Airplane Coloring Cards
Your kids’ teachers might not appreciate a classroom of kids flying paper airplanes in the classroom, but the kids will love it! Print our free coloring sheet, then let the kids color the pattern. When they're finished, help them follow the sheet's instructions on folding the paper into a airplane. Your kids will be sure to fly into some hearts with these pretty planes!
Related: Insanely Cute Lollipop Valentines
Felt Heart Pencil Toppers
Not only are these adorable, funny-face hearts a great way to use up felt scraps but they are also one of our new favorite easy felt crafts. Help your kids cut felt into equal-size hearts. Then have them draw on funny faces using permanent markers. Holly from The Maven used embroidery thread to sew her hearts together, but it might be easier for kids to use fabric glue. Just be sure they leave a space to slip in a pencil.
Classroom Valentine Holder
Chocolates, candy hearts, and cards. Where to put it all? When your children's classmates will be exchanging Valentine's Day treats and cards, they'll need a Valentine holder. To transform a plain paper gift bag into this critter, you need cardstock in orange, pink, and white. Provide your kiddos with the printed template and let them cut and assemble the fox. (Little ones might need your help with this.) Check out our favorite free printable Valentines for more classroom ideas.
XOXO Tic-Tac-Toe
Even little ones can play tic-tac-toe and they'll love playing with these heart-shape piece. Trace around heart-shape cookie cutters onto colored cardstock. Then cut out the hearts for perfect game pieces. Ludavia from The Mama Workshop also uses the pieces for other games, including a scavenger hunt. Laminating the pieces ensures the fun will last. Have older kids who want to play games? Check out our DIY Chinese checkers board and DIY wood peg jump game.
Hedgehog Valentine's Day Cards
Hedgehogs are adorable, and these cards are even more so. Melissa from Fireflies and Mudpies provides the printable template. You probably already have everything else you need to finish the Valentine's Day cards—cardstock, paint, and glue sticks. Washable paint makes clean up easy when the kids are done painting the hearts and hedgehogs.
Heart Wreath
This Valentine's Day wreath sets hearts to fluttering. Start by having the kids cut paper hearts from patterned paper in traditional Valentine’s Day colors. Curl the hearts like you would ribbon, scraping with a butter knife or scissor blade. Glue the hearts to a wreath form cut from cardstock. Hang your Valentine's Day wreath using ribbon.
Valentine's Day Slime
Celebrate Valen-Slime’s Day by making a batch of red slime. There’s never a bad day to play with slime, and we love how Sarah McClelland of Little Bins for Little Hands added heart-shape pieces of glitter for sparkle. Package it up with a punny Valentine’s Day message for DIY gift.
Valentine's Day Love Pillow
Sure, we celebrate love on Valentine’s Day, but there is no reason we can't send loving messages all year. Use fabric paints to spell out a short Valentine’s Day message on a plain pillow. Be sure to give it time to dry before the kids place it on their bed or in their stuffed animal collection.
Related: Make These Valentine’s Day Cards with Candy
Glitter Kiss Hair Clips
Nothing says Valentine's Day like a kiss, and we're totally in love with these glittery hair clips. Bird from the blog Bird's Party made this Valentine’s Day accessory using lip-shape cutouts. You might have to handle the crafts knife, but let the kids be in charge of the glitter … and maybe the cleanup!
Pop-Up Hearts Card
Turn a blank card or plain colored cardstock into a homemade Valentine's Day card. Trace around heart stencils and cut the shapes out, or use a paper punch. Attach each heart to a foam dot, and stick to the card for a 3-D effect. Self-adhesive foam dots are found at most crafts stores. Bring the kids on the shopping trip so they can pick out their own paper. See more of our favorite DIY Valentine's Day cards for more inspiration!
