"Dear Valentine..." Scrolls

Rolled up and tied with a bow, these Valentine scrolls offer a unique way for little ones to send their love.

Ages: 3 and up

You’ll need:
• A piece of paper
• Crayons, markers and/or paint
• Sparkles, sequins and other decorations
• Glue
• Ribbon or yarn

1. Kids can start by creating a pretty picture for someone special using crayons, markers and/or paint.
2. Glue on sparkles, sequins and other decorations.
3. When your little one is finished, let the picture dry.
4. Roll up the picture (picture side facing inward) and tie with ribbon or yarn.

Tips
• Create the Valentine on the back of a large piece of coloured scrapbooking paper. It’s thicker than regular paper and, when you roll up the scroll, it’ll be colourful on the outside.

• After rolling up the picture, kids can do more decorating by adding sparkles and sequins, or use rubber letter stamps to personalize it.

"You're Sweet" Candy Cone

Love all that yummy Valentine candy and chocolate? Collect or give sweet treats in this easy-to-make paper cone.

Ages: 3 and up

You’ll need:
• Construction paper
• Masking tape
• Scissors
• Hole punch
• String, ribbon or yarn
• Sequins, stamps, lace and other decorations

1. Roll the paper into a cone and use masking tape to secure. Trim the edges of your cone (so they’re rounded) using scissors.
2. Punch two holes on either side of your cone and string a piece of ribbon or yarn through the holes to make a handle for the candy cone.
3. Decorate! Use the sequins, stamps, lace and other decorations to personalize it.
4. Fill with tasty Valentine’s Day candy and chocolate.

"I'm Yours" Picture Magnets

These sweet Valentine magnets can live on a loved one’s refrigerator all year long.

Ages: 3 and up

You’ll need:
• Coloured craft foam
• A cute photo of your little one
• Stick-on magnets
• Scissors
• Glue
• Stickers, sequins and other decorations

1. Cut two identical-sized hearts out of the foam sheets for your child.
2. Cut a smaller heart shape out of the middle of one of the foam hearts.
3. Kids can place the photo between the two foam hearts so it shows through the heart cutout from step 2.
4. Glue the two hearts together.
5. Stick magnets on the back of your foam heart photo frame.
6. Decorate! Use stickers, sequins and other decorations to make your picture magnet special.

"You're Special" Valentine's Bracelets

Surprise your Valentine with a pretty handmade bracelet to show your love.

Ages: 3 and up

You’ll need:
• Beads of various colours and shapes. (Kids can pick beads by colour or theme for an added personal touch)
• String or yarn

1. Lay out an assortment of beads in various colours and shapes.
2. Cut a piece of string or yarn (that will fit nicely on your wrist) and tie a knot at one end.
3. Choose beads to create your bracelet. (Tip: Make the bracelet in the recipient’s favourite colours or use alphabet beads to spell out their name.)
4. After stringing the bracelet, tie a knot at the other end of the string. Be sure to leave enough string at each end to tie around the wrist.

Tips
• Younger children may find it easier to use thick pieces of yarn and pasta shells, instead of beads and string.

"Be Mine" Bouquet

As pretty as the real thing, Mom will adore this colourful bunch of tissue-paper flowers.

Ages: 4 and up

You’ll need:
• Tissue paper
• Pipe cleaners
• A vase or deep bowl

1. Fold a piece of tissue paper into a square. (The more folds you make, the fuller your flower will be.)
2. Pinch the centre of your tissue-paper square. Twist the pinched portion and pull out ends of tissue paper to make the petals.
3. Tightly wrap approximately 1 inch of a pipe cleaner around the pinched portion. Leave the rest of the pipe cleaner untwisted. This will be the flower’s stem.
4. Trim the edges of the tissue paper as desired. Pull out the edges to give the flower a full look.
5. Repeat the above steps to create a bouquet of tissue-paper flowers. Arrange in a vase or deep bowl.

Tips
• If you’re giving the flowers as a gift, tie the stems with ribbon and wrap in cellophane, just like a real bouquet.

Originally published in Todaysparent.com, February 2008