Add Some Red Food coloring!
Valentine's Silly Putty
This week's Craft of the Week came from Tanya. This fun and versatile playdough has been around for decades and now you too can make it right in your own home. Store the Silly Putty in an air tight container, plastic bag, or plastic Easter egg (just like the original putty). The mixture will look like putty after it is kneaded, in fact, the more you knead the better the consistency will be.
VALENTINE HOLDERS
Last year I had each child bring in an empty milk container. I cut a large hole at the top, leaving the handle, and punched holes around the edge. We threaded left over Christmas ribbon in the holes to decorate the bottle. I also had them use glitter glue but that peeled off the plastic once it was dry. The containers were wonderful because they were easy to set on the counters or on the floor. They kept the valentine's and treats safe and dry on the bus going home. Also, with the handle they were easy to carry.
MAIL BAGS
Fold blue 12x18 in thirds. Cut the flap of the "mailbag" into a point. Use a hole puncher to punch holes into the sides. Have the children sew up the sides with white yarn. Use sufficient yarn so that there is enough to allow for a shoulder strap. To hold it together more sturdily - I recommend that you staple the sides inspite of the fact that the mailbags are "sewn". Have the children copy the words US MAIL with red crayon or marker. They could try to draw an eagle.
MAIL TRUCK
Fold white sheet of paper end to end. Fold will be at the bottom. Cut off right corner for windshield. Staple sides. Glue blue construction paper strip that is cut the width of bottom of windshield to the bottom at the fold. Glue a one inch red strip to the top of the blue one. Cut two red circles for wheels. Glue half on and half off bottom. Write US MAIL in white area at the top. I write with a red marker or kids can. Let kids decorate with hearts anywhere they like. Punch holes at top of each side and put yarn for hanging. Really, really cute!
VALENTINE BB
This Valentine's Day display is as sweet as can be! Glue lace trim to a large red heart shape, and then mount the heart and a title on a wall. To make delicious-looking chocolates, provide each child with a personalized, tan construction paper shape. Have them paint the paper with brown tempera paint and top it with real chocolate sprinkles. When each shape is dry, glue it to a larger piece of crinkled black paper to represent the candy wrapper. Mount the finished projects on the heart.
VALENTINES KEEPSAKE
Materials Needed:
- Empty box from heart shaped message candy
- Photo of student
- magnetic tape
Empty the candy from inside of the box (share it with your favorite sweetheart!) Attach the child's picture to the inside of the box (so that it is framed by the heart on the front of the box.) Attach magnetic tape to the back of the box. And there you have a cute Valentine keepsake that parents will love to put on their refrigerators!
HEART OF GRASS
Trace around a heart shaped cookie cutter onto a new sponge, then cut out the shape. Rinse the sponge well to remove any pretreated disinfectant, then let dry. Dampen the sponge slightly, then put it inside the cookie cutter. Sprinkle grass seed onto the sponge, spritz with a plant mister, then cover with plastic wrap. Place the heart on a saucer so dampness won't seep through. Don't forget to add care instructions. Remove plastic wrap when shoots appear. Spritz with water daily. "Mow" as necessary.
VALENTINE WREATH
Cut out the center of a paper plate. Large piece of card. Use a cookie cutter (thick card, cut into hearts) to trace heart shapes onto wrapping paper or wallpaper, and cut out. You can also cut out heart shapes from red, pink and white construction paper. Glue the hearts to the paper plate with rubber cement or a glue stick. You can also add glitter, confetti or ribbon.
VALENTINE IDEAS
Valentine Fish
Each child will need one very large heart, one large heart, three middle sized hearts, and one little one. The very large heart becomes the body. The large heart becomes the tail. The middle sized hearts become the fins on top of the very large heart. The little heart becomes the lips of the fish. These "Valentine Fish" make a great classroom display.
Class Love Book
As a small group activity, encourage the children think of someone that they love. Students will draw these people on large sheets of construction paper. Bind the collective the art work and make a cover with the title, "Our Class Love Book". Display the class "Love Book" in the book or reading area. Visitors will enjoy seeing the collection.
VALENTINE ART
Submitted by Laura Marie
clear contact paper
tissue paper squares of pink, red, gold, silver
various valentine glitter
construction paper folded in half with a heart shape cut out of the middle
Child places glitter and tissue paper on sticky side of contact paper. Fold over to seal. Place inside construction paper "frame". I punch a hole in top and child puts ribbon through hole. We hang them in the windows and they look great.
GRAPHING HEARTS
Reinforce graphing skills with a valentine flair! For each child, program a simple graph with a color word for each color of heart found in a bag of candy hearts. Give each child a small number of candy hearts. Have each child sort and graph her candies according to color, then color a space for each heart of a particular color. To help visually cue nonreaders, add extra space below the color words in which to provide a color-coded heart.
VALENTINE BB
Submitted by AMDA830
Did a cute valentine bulletin board which I got from Mailbox a few years ago. Cut out a very large red heart, cover with doilies. Then cut out brown pieces of paper in the shape of different candies. Had the children glue on chocolate sprinkles. Then I cut out in black a scalloped border for each piece of candy to resemble the papers in the candy box. Staple them in the middle of the heart and head it with "We Are As Sweet As Candy" The kids had fun making the candy.
Valentine/Friendship
Submitted by Maureen Myers, Hamden, Ct
Valentine/Friendship Shirts
We have our children bring in white t-shirts. We draw a big red heart on the shirt and write our special friends. Each child then makes their thumbprint inside of the heart, if they can write their name we let them. They come out so cute, parents and kids love them.
VALENTINES
Submitted by Diane
I traced a large heart which they cut out. We then used squeeze bottles and had them drizzle red and white paint on one side, fold it over and they loved their creations when they opened it up. I then mounted them on red paper, added a little bow and they are a great door decoration. Today we cut out three size hearts, small, medium and large. Talked about the different sizes. I made 3" strips with a pipe cleaner hanger on top and they glued their heart in size order. Again, very simple but great for the threes. On Monday, I intend to have them paint on bubble wrap with red paint and press it on a piece of white or pink. After it dries, we'll cut out a large heart.
Elaine's Valentine's - Flannel board Story
Flannel Pieces Needed: A little girl, A tree, A cat, A kitten, A cupid, A bird, A squirrel
It was Valentine's Day and Cupid was dancing his way through the woods. Cupid, you know is like a baby angel, with snowy white wings and curly hair.
He always carries a little bow and some arrows. As he came out of the woods,he met a cat. "Good day Mrs. Cat," said Cupid. "Have you sent a valentine yet?" "A valentine! What is that?" asked Mrs. Cat in surprise. "It is something you send someone you love. It is Valentine's Day. Everyone in the world is sending valentines." And then little Cupid shot an arrow into the air, and was about to run after it, but Mrs. Cat cried, "Wait a minute, pretty Cupid, will you not help me?" "I'm sorry," smiled Cupid, "But I only put thoughts into people's hearts, and they do the rest. But I will write some verses for you and leave them by this tree." And with that he spread his wings and flew away. "There's no one I love better than little Elaine, and she's sick," said Mrs. Cat. "I believe I will send her something." She turned to go back to the barn when she met a squirrel. "Good day Mrs. Cat," squirrel said. "Where are you going?" "To find a valentine for sick little Elaine," answered Mrs. Cat. "There's no one I love better than little Elaine," said the squirrel, "I will go with you." So Mrs. Cat and the squirrel went along together. "Hello," said a bird. "Where are you going?" "Oh, we are going to find a valentine for Elaine. She is very sick," said the squirrel and Mrs. Cat. "Oh, may I go with you? There is no one I love better than little Elaine," said the bird. "Oh yes," replied the squirrel and Mrs. Cat. So Mrs. Cat and the squirrel and the bird walked along together. The three friends finally reached the barn. Mrs. Cat quickly ran up the stairs to the loft. Tiny "meow" sounds were coming from under the hay. Mrs. Cat gently picked up a tiny kitten from under the hay. "You are going to be Elaine's valentine present," said Mrs. Cat. She will love you so much!" "What will I give Elaine?" said the squirrel. "You can carry the valentine verse that Cupid will leave us on the tree," said Mrs. Cat. "And what about me? said the bird. "What will I give Elaine?" "You will sing her a song," said Mrs. Cat. The three friends arrived at the tree, found the note that Cupid had left and walked along to Elaine's house. Elaine opened her eyes and found the tiny gray kitten from Mrs. Cat, heard the beautiful music from the bird, and found the verse from the squirrel:
Little friend, so kind and true
These valentines we send to you
Our very dearest love to tell
We hope you will soon be well
Elaine picked up the kitten and hugged it and the kitten said, "Meow."
