Forget those boring character Valentines. These DIY Kids Valentines are cute and clever and are sure to give that WOW factor.
My little guy is in preschool this year, so it's time for us to start preparing for Valentine's Day since he'll be exchanging Valentines with his classmates. I have such fond memories of receiving Valentines from my childhood friends in my elementary school years (confession: I still have most of them). Each year, my school would have us create a little "mailbox" out of paper plates or a cardboard box and we'd get to personalize it. This was my favorite part since it was like craft time on steroids. Stickers, felt, cut-outs, glue sticks, paint, paper mache - whatever we wanted, we used until our handmade mailboxes were a little representation of us. Filling each other's mailboxes with cutesy Valentine's cards and candies was such a delight, and these are some of my favorite childhood memories.
I want my little guy to have fond memories of Valentine's Day too, so I'll be taking a hands-on approach to help him create some cute and clever DIY kids Valentines for his classmates. I scoured the web to find unique and fun Valentines that we could make ourselves. I tried really hard to find non-candy ideas since some of the parents of my son's classmates don't allow their kids to have lots of sweets. I think I found quite a few winners with these DIY kids Valentines!
DIY Kids Valentines
You're One in a Minion Valentines from Tonya Staab. Originally, these cute paper wraps were around Twinkies, but Tonya figured out they also fit perfectly around raisins. I'm sure they'd fit on countless other treats or toys too.
Berry Juice Box Valentine from A Mom's Take. I LOVE this idea. What kid doesn't love a juice box? I don't purchase them often, so they're such a treat for my toddler. I know he'll love this one.
Color by Number Valentine from A Mom's Take. What could be more cost effective that buying one big box of Crayons and printing out these adorable printables? It's fun, keeps kids busy, and isn't just a sugary treat - this idea might be my favorite of the bunch!
Monsters Valentines with Pencils from Better in Bulk. I love the variety of printables and monsters created here. Plus, your child can get really creative while making them. You can pick up packs of pencils at the dollar store so this is another cost-effective DIY craft.
Airplane Valentines for Boys from Miss Information. My little guy is obsessed with planes right now (and trains for that matter), so I'm sure the other kids in his class would also love this airplane Valentine. I love the free printable that's included too - very witty!
You're a Great Catch Printable from Wife Mom Geek. Another non-candy goodie! This one is filled with fish stickers, but I've also seen this one with Goldfish crackers - another adorable idea.
Love is in the Air Valentines from Making of a Mom. Okay, this one is candy-centric, but I L-O-V-E for Airheads! They take me back to my elementary school days and I can't help but love this idea!
Lego Necklaces from Tonya Staab. My little guy is more into Duplo than Lego, but this idea would be perfect for older kiddos. I can picture my nieces wearing these and loving them.
Printable Minecraft Valentines from Cute as a Fox. This is another one I can envision my nieces and nephew going nuts over. These Minecraft Valentines are so clever!
Tootsie Pop Superhero Valentines from One Creative Mommy. I'm a sucker (pun intended) for Tootsie Pops so I was drawn like a moth to flame on this one, but they're adorable to boot! You could even use another kind of pop if you prefer like YumEarth's organic suckers. What kid doesn't love a lollipop?!
Wheelie Valentine's for Boys from A Mom's Take.If you have a little boy, odds are that you have an abundance of little cars around your house. Hot Wheels are usually pretty cheap and this idea was just too cute to pass by.
You're "Write" for Me from Hi! It's Jilly. Last minute Valentines needed? This is a perfect one for you! Just print out Jilly's free printable and grab some dollar store pencils and you'll be good to go.
Don't you just love these DIY kids Valentine ideas?
Will you be recreating any of them this year for Valentine's Day?
Daisy Harvey says
Creative and inspiring ideas!! Really unique and different!
Daisy
Sherry Compton says
Thanks. So many great ones. I really like the play on words ones. These can even be fun to give to co-workers. My grandson would love the Minecraft Valentines. Options for all....Thanks.
Stefanie says
This is such a darling round up with tons of great ideas!! Thanks so much for featuring my Airhead valentine! 🙂
Ruth V. says
Thanks so much for your comment Stefanie! Your Airhead valentine is just the cutest!
Kelley @Miss Information says
Thanks so much for including me, what a bunch of great ideas!
Megan says
These are so much cuter than the ones in the store and way more fun to make and put together.