Valentine's Day Arts And Crafts To Make With Kids

Nothing says love like a handmade gift. It shows that you were willing to put forth the time and creativity to do something special for another person. This Valentine's Day, teach your child what it means to put love into action as you work together to create homemade gifts for the people—and animals—in your life.

Sweetheart Crayons
Put broken crayons to work in this craft that makes a great gift for classmates.

• Peeled crayons in a variety of colors
• Oven-safe heart-shaped mold similar to this one

Work together with your child to break the crayons in small pieces or collect all the already broken crayons. Adults can also use a sharp knife to cut the crayons if needed.

Fill each cavity of the baking mold with the pieces. For a rainbow effect, aim for an assortment of colors in each heart.

Bake the tray of crayon bits in a 250-degree oven until the wax is fully melted. This is usually a 10- to 15-minute process, but times vary by oven and the size of your hearts, so keep a close eye on the process.

After removing the tray from the oven, allow the wax to fully cool and harden. Placing the mold in the freezer not only speeds the process along, but can also make it easier to pop your crayons out of the mold.

For distribution to friends, pair your heart-shaped crayon creations with a cute note, such as, "You color my world," or, "Life's a rainbow of fun with you."

For the Love of Nature
This craft is a Valentine's present for your feathered friends. It would also make a nice gift for a grandparent who enjoys bird watching.

• Valentine-themed cookie cutters or silicone muffin tin
• Cooking spray
• Water
• Measuring cups
• Bird seed
• Unflavored gelatin packets
• Plastic drinking straws
• Yarn

Combine one cup of hot water with two packets of unflavored gelatin. Stir until the gelatin is completely dissolved, and mix in two cups of birdseed.

Spritz the cookie cutters or muffin tin with cooking spray. Pack the mixture firmly into the molds. Push a drinking straw into each birdseed treat to make a hanging hole, and leave it there while the mixture sets.

Place the molds in refrigerator until the gelatin is completely set. This usually takes a few hours. Gently remove the treats from the molds, and remove the straws. Thread a piece of yarn through each hole, and your project is ready to hang outdoors for the birds.

Floral Bookmark
A simple origami tulip can be made into a lovely bookmark for Mom or a teacher.

• 6" square sheet of pink or red paper
• Green pipe cleaner
• Scissors
• Glue

Lay the paper on your work surface, so one corner is pointing toward you. Fold that corner up to the opposite corner, so you have a triangle, with the longest edge closest to you. Fold one of the bottom corners over onto the opposite corner, once again forming a triangle. Unfold the paper, and there will be a crease straight down the middle.

Lift one of the bottom corners, and fold it diagonally upward and across the fold. Do the same with the opposite corner. You should now have one point at the bottom of your project, plus three points at the top. Use a dot of glue to hold the flaps in place.

Snip off the bottom corner to create a small opening in the paper. Dab a bit of glue on one end of the pipe cleaner, and insert it into the opening. Push the paper against the pipe cleaner to help it stick, and allow the glue to dry.