Looking for V-Day crafts that don’t take forever to prepare and clean up? Try these low-prep, easy Valentine’s Day crafts for kids.
Glitter everywhere… The walls, the carpet, and my 5-year-old daughter’s long curly hair.
I went to switch over the laundry and when I came back, my dining room looked like someone had set off a glitter cannon. We didn’t do any crafts at my house for a loooong time after that.
Eventually, I caved and allowed crafts again because my kids love them. But me, well… I don’t. Glitter explosions aside, crafts just aren’t my thing.
I like the idea of them, but hunting down a bunch of different supplies, having to worry about explaining all the steps, and then dealing with a big cleanup makes me want to cry a little.
For this reason, at our house, we like to stick to simple craft projects that use basic art supplies. I like projects that are easy to prep, fun, and can be done without destroying my dining room.
Bonus points if I can pick up the supplies during my weekly shopping run to Walmart or Target.
Which is how this list of 35 fun and easy Valentine’s Day crafts for kids came about. These are projects your kids will enjoy without leaving you with hours of prep and cleanup.
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Easy Valentine’s Day Crafts for Kids
These crafts are geared for ages 2-8, give or take a few years. They’re easy enough for toddlers to do with some help but fun enough to keep older kids entertained.
For older kids, you could even give them the supplies and some brief instructions, and let them handle it themselves.
I have organized the crafts into three categories: painted crafts, construction paper crafts, and unique crafts. Click the button below the picture to see the supplies and directions for each project.
Painted Easy Valentine’s Day Crafts for Kids
If you’ve got some paint in the cabinet and don’t mind busting out the paintbrushes, here are some great painted Valentine’s Day crafts for kids.
This Fingerprint Poem from Messy Little Monster is a short and sweet craft for younger kids. All you need is some red paint and paper and you’re good to go.
You can write the poem yourself, or get a printable version here. The page also has some directions for variations on the project if you want to mix it up a little.
Make it a learning activity: Let your child copy the poem themselves to work on handwriting or you could come up with your own Valentine’s Day rhyme.
2. Valentine’s Day Fingerprint Tree
This Fingerprint Heart Tree from Easy Peasy and Fun is super cute. All you need is:
- Paper
- Black marker
- Pencil
- Read and pink ink pads or paint
Draw the tree silhouette with the marker and then draw a pencil heart around the tree. Next, your little one can fill in the heart with fingerprints. If you have zero drawing skills like me, you can download some free tree silhouettes here.
For the younger kids, I would do the prep and let them fill in the heart. For the older kids, I would let them do the whole craft from start to finish.
3. Fingerprint Heart Mug
If you want a Valentine’s Day craft you can enjoy all year long, try this Fingerprint Heart Mug from The Best Ideas for Kids. You only need a few ingredients:
- Ceramic mug
- Enamel acrylic paint
- Mod Podge dishwasher-safe sealer
Be sure you don’t skip the dishwasher-safe sealer. I made a similar project once and didn’t use it. After a few trips through the dishwasher, it became a regular white mug again. sigh
These mugs would also make a wonderful Mother’s Day gift.
4. Fingerprint Love Bug Cards
These Fingerprint Love Bug cards from Rhythms of Play are great Valentine’s Day cards for friends and families.
They’re cute, easy, and a good choice if you’ve got a long list of cards to make. All you need is paper, paint, and a black pen.
If you feel extra inspired, you can add on some cute googly eyes with glue.
Make it a learning activity: Use a few different paint colors and talk about repeating patterns. See what patterns you and your child can come up with together.
5. LOVE Fingerpaint Canvas
If you want a project that requires the bare minimum prep on your part, give this LOVE Fingerpaint Canvas from Bargain Babe a try. You can use any paint you have on hand.
If you have a child who likes to do their own thing and explore their creativity, this is a great open-ended project. It’s fun for the youngest ones all the way up to older kids.
6. Reverse Polka Dotted Heart
Next on the list of easy Valentine’s Day crafts for kids is this Reverse Polka Dotted Heart from Miss Frugal Fancy Pants. All you need for this one is some paint and cardstock.
The directions suggest using a pencil eraser to make the dots, but it would also be fun to use your fingers.
You could also experiment with different items like pens, markers, plastic toys, etc.
7. Easy Heart Shaped Painting Craft
This craft from The Chirping Moms is similar to the one above except it uses round sponge brushes or paintbrushes. If you have the brushes on hand, it’s easier to clean up when you’re done.
8. Heart Stamps
Another great craft to do with little ones is these Heart Stamps. Fold an old toilet paper roll in half and tape it in place. Then use it as a heart stamp.
Let your kiddo dip the stamp in paint and go to town. I love open-ended projects like this. They’re simple, but since there are no rules, kids are free to explore wherever their creativity takes them.
9. Heart Art Symmetry Painting
If you want a beautiful and easy Valentine’s Day craft for kids, try these Heart Art Symmetry Paintings. All you need is paint, paper, and scissors.
Here’s how to do it:
- Cut out a large heart on a piece of paper.
- Let your child paint on one side of the heart.
- Fold the heart in half and ensure both sides of the heart touch.
- Unfold the heart and let your painting dry.
Quick Tip: I recommend folding the heart over a towel or an easily cleaned area. The paint can squish out of the heart and get a little messy.
This would be a fun one to let the kids make multiple times and see what designs they come up with.
Make it a learning activity: Talk about the different colors they can make when the paint mixes.
10. Hand and Footprint Valentine’s Craft
This is another quick and easy V-Day craft to do with your kids. All you need is some paint, paper, and a marker.
Here’s how to do it:
- Paint the palm of each of your child’s hands.
- Then have them carefully place them on the paper, one at a time, with their fingers overlapping. The handprints should form the shape of a heart.
- Next, apply a coat of paint to the bottom of one foot.
- Carefully place the foot on the page as well.
- Write “From the bottom of my heart to the tips of my toes, I love you!” Around the hand and footprints.
This craft is great for the little ones or if you’re short on crafting time.
11. Hand-Print Flowers
These Hand-Print Flowers are a sweet Valentine’s Day keepsake from Nanny Shecando. You can make them with babies all the way up through older kids.
I love the idea of writing the date and age underneath the hands. It’s a great memory to keep for when your kids get older.
Construction Paper Easy Valentine’s Day Crafts for Kids
If you want even less prep for your Valentine’s Day crafts, check out these construction paper projects.
12. Bouquet of Hearts Valentine’s Day Card
These Bouquet of Hearts Valentine’s Day Cards from Make and Takes are simple, but super cute and easy. All you need is some paper, markers, scissors, and glue.
For younger kids, I would go ahead and cut the hearts out ahead of time. But for older kids, I’d hand off the scissors and paper and let them do it.
13. Heart Garland
Next on our list of easy Valentine’s Day crafts for kids are these Heart Garlands from Powerful Mothering. For this craft, all you need is paper, a hole puncher, and string.
These would be cute to make as necklaces or even bigger garlands to hang around the house.
Make it a learning activity: This craft would be another great one to work on math skills with patterning. You could also cut different sizes of hearts and talk about small, medium, big, etc.
14. Valentine’s Day Heart Craft
This Valentine’s Day Heart Craft from The Resourceful Mama is so stinking cute! I love the eyes. All you need is paper, glue, and the googly eyes.
These would be fun to let the kids play with or even hang from the ceiling.
15. Silly Heart Puppets
These Silly Heart Puppets from Creative Family Fun is another fun open-ended Valentine’s Day craft. Grab some cardboard, glue, craft sticks, and whatever decorating supplies you have on hand.
The pictures suggest using paint and glitter, but for easier cleanup, you could opt for markers or crayons instead. Some stickers would also be fun.
Make it a learning activity: Once your puppets are done, use them! You and your child could write a short skit or play and then have the puppets act it out. Or they could be used for retelling stories, a talking head for schoolwork, and more.
16. Valentine’s Penguin
Love, love, love these Valentine’s Penguins from Simple Mom Project. They’re cute, simple, and even come with a free template!
They could also be used for other themed activities such as:
- Penguins
- Winter
- Arctic animals
- Birds
- Zoo animals
17. Valentine’s Heart Necklace
Next on the list of easy Valentine’s Day crafts for kids are these Valentine’s Heart Necklaces. To make these all you’ll need is paper, scissors, string, and straws.
Here’s how to make them:
- Cut out paper hearts.
- Use a hole puncher to create holes in the middle of each heart.
- Cut the straws up into inch-long pieces.
- Place the straws through the center of the hearts.
- String the hearts on the piece of string through the straws.
- Tie off the string when done.
Quick Tip: To make it a little easier to get the string through the straws, I recommend taping a small piece of tape around the end of the string. This helps guide it through the straws.
18. Heart Paper Chain
Another fun but easy Valentine’s Day craft for kids is this Heart Paper Chain from TeachWithMe.com. They’re simple but so cute and lots of fun.
All you need is paper, scissors, and a stapler. You could also use tape to connect the hearts.
I wouldn’t recommend glue, because each heart would need time to dry before you can connect more to the chain.
This would be a great craft to do before a Valentine’s Day party or just to decorate before the big day.
Make it a learning activity: This craft is great for math skills such as patterning. It’s also great for building fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination with all the cutting.
19. Confetti Hearts
Here is another simple but cute craft to do with the kids. Grab some string, colored paper, and glue and you’re ready to go.
Here’s how to do it:
- Use a hole puncher to punch a bunch of holes in the colored paper. Then empty out the whole puncher nearby. This will be your confetti.
- Apply a heart shape with glue on a piece of paper.
- Sprinkle the confetti on the glue heart.
- Glue a piece of string to the paper underneath each heart.
This craft is easy to make variations with as well. You can skip the string and make a bunch of confetti hearts all over the page. Or you could experiment with different shapes.
20. Valentine’s Heart Cat Craft
If you have a cat-lover at home, these Valentine Heart Cats from Crafty Morning would be a good craft to do. They’re cute and simple, and all you need is some paper and googly eyes.
You could also skip the googly eyes if you don’t have any on hand.
21. Easy Valentine’s Heart Wreath
If you want another craft that can double as decorations, try this Valentine’s Heart Wreath. They’re super easy to put together. All you need is paper, glue, and a paper plate.
- Cut out some hearts.
- Cut out the center of the paper plate.
- Glue the hearts in a circle around the plate.
Make it a learning activity: This is another great craft to work on patterning. You could also cut out different sizes of hearts and talk about small, medium, big, etc.
22. Valentine’s Heart Dog Craft
Here is another super cute animal craft from Crafty Morning. If you have some pom poms, paper, and googly eyes hanging around, you’re good to go.
I think it would be super cute to make the dog, cat, and penguin together and have an entire heart animal menagerie.
23. Rainbow Heart Suncatchers
These Rainbow Heart Suncatchers from Fireflies and Mud Pies are so pretty. They require a few extra supplies you might not have on hand, but the finished look is worth the extra trip to Walmart.
You’ll need:
- Tissue paper
- Mod podge
- Foam paint brushes
- Scissors
Once you get all the supplies though, the directions are super easy. And the finished product will be enjoyed for a while.
24. I Love You to Pieces Valentine’s Craft
I made this I Love You to Pieces Valentine’s Craft from Solis Plus One with my kids when I ran a home daycare and it was a hit with everyone. The parents loved it, the kids had fun, and it was simple enough I had 5 toddlers and preschoolers working on it all at once without too much chaos.
25. Easy Heart Valentine’s Tree
Crafts on Sea has a couple of different variations of their Heart Valentine’s Tree, but this one is my favorite. If you grab a heart-shaped paper punch, you can save yourself the time and effort of cutting out a bunch of paper hearts.
Crafts on Sea also has a printable template for the tree to make the whole process easy.
26. Heart Dog Craft
I couldn’t resist adding one more dog to the list. This Heart Dog Craft from Crafty Morning is so stinking cute. I love the floppy ears.
It’s a good alternative to the first dog if you don’t have any pom poms on hand.
27. Valentine’s Day Headbands
Next on the list of easy Valentine’s Day crafts for kids are these Valentine’s Day Headbands from Events to Celebrate. These are so fun and allow for a lot of open-ended creativity.
All you need is some paper, pipe cleaners, and a few Valentine’s stickers. You could also use whatever art supplies you have on hand and just let your kids have fun.
Unique Easy Valentine’s Day Crafts for Kids
Last on our list are easy Valentine’s Day crafts for kids that are unique and different. No paint or paper needed, but I promise they’re still easy to prep and fun to create.
28. Cardboard Lacing Hearts
These Cardboard Lacing Hearts from Our Kid Things are a great craft for the kiddos. All you need is cardboard, a hole punch, and yarn.
These are fun to make and also a great activity for those fine motor skills.
39. Birdfeeder Hearts
My backyard has a ton of birds, so this year we might try out these Birdfeeder Hearts from Natural Beach Living. Grab your favorite circle-shaped cereal and some pipe cleaners and you’re good to go.
My kids would enjoy making the bird feeders as much as they’d enjoy eating the cereal lol.
30. No-Sew Felt Heart Pillow
This easy Valentine’s Day craft for kids from Sweet and Simple Living would be a great idea for Valentine’s for friends. Probably not for the whole class if your child goes to public school, but if they’re homeschooled or want to do something special for a few of their close friends, these would be super cute.
Plus all you need is felt, scissors, and some stuffing.
31. DIY Yarn Hearts
These DIY Yarn Hearts from Shelterness are a great activity for kids. Not only will they have fun creating them, but they’re a nice window decoration when they’re done.
For this craft, you’ll need floral wire, yarn, and something to cut the floral wire with. Wire cutters work well.
32. Beaded Name Hearts
If your child wants a more personalized Valentine’s for themselves or friends, try these Beaded Name Hearts from Fun-A-Day. All you need is pipe cleaners and beads and you’re good to go.
Make it a learning activity: Here’s another craft you can use to work on those patterning skills. It would also be a good one to work on letter recognition and spelling their name.
33. Yarn Wrapped Heart
Here is another variation of the Yarn Wrapped Heart from The Pinterested Parent. For this one, you’ll cut out a large heart out of cardboard and you’ll cut out the center.
Then you wrap the yarn around the edge of the heart.
34. Yarn Wrapped Cardboard Hearts
Crafty Morning also has a variation on the Yarn Wrapped Hearts you can try. For this one, you’ll cut out a smaller heart and then wrap the whole thing in yarn.
This one is my favorite because I like how fluffy it looks. If you feel extra crafty you and the kids could try all three versions and see which one you like best.
35. Tissue Paper Flowers
Last on the list are these Tissue Paper Flowers from Homeschooling Preschool. Everyone loves getting flowers for Valentine’s Day, so why not let the kiddos make their own? All you need for this craft are tissue paper and pipe cleaners.
Conclusion to 35 Easy Valentine’s Day Crafts for Kids
I hope this post of easy Valentine’s Day Crafts for kids has given you some good ideas on how to get a little crafty without putting more work on your plate. And hopefully, I’ve saved you from spending weeks cleaning up stray bits of glitter.
If you give some of these a try, let me know what you think!
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Candice is a mom of 3 who has been homeschooling since 2013. She has an A.A.S. in Early Childhood Studies and cares deeply about helping other parents get the information and resources they need to help them homeschool their children with confidence.