For kids, Valentine’s Day is mostly about the candy, but it can also be a time for parents to talk to them about how important it is to tell their friends and loved ones they care.
Making your own Valentine’s Day cards is a fun way to bond with your child and keep their attention while you’re talking. Here’s how to make cute cards that will stand out.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- Red paper
- White Paper
- Scissors
- Ruler
- Pen/pencil
- Glue (glue stick works fine)
- Markers (optional)
Step 1: Measure and Mark
Tip: This craft will work with valentines as big or as small as you like. We made a 2.5-inch by 3-inch card.
Use the ruler and pen or pencil to mark a neat rectangle on the red paper. Next, measure and mark a smaller neat rectangle on the white paper. This rectangle should be half a centimeter smaller than the red rectangle on all sides.
Step 2: First Cut
Carefully cut the rectangles out from the larger sheets of paper.
Tip: Keep extra paper for more cards or for cutting out hearts to decorate the card with later.
Step 3: First Fold
Fold both pieces in half horizontally, or “hamburger style.”
Step 4: Draw
Next, take the white paper and draw half of a heart, with the middle of the heart aligned with the folded side. Don’t worry if your first sketch isn’t perfect the first time; this side of the white paper will not be visible in the finished card.
Step 5: Second Cut
Use the scissors again to carefully cut along the edge of the heart with the paper still folded so that both sides of the fold are cut at once. Do not cut the heart out completely. Leave the side of the heart opposite the fold attached. The attached portion should measure anywhere from one-fourth to one-third of the length of the heart piece. The attached portion will become the “hinges” of the pop-up section.
Step 6: Write
Flip the paper over to write a nice note on the heart piece in the center. This might be harder to do if you wait until after Step 6.
Tip: Encourage your child to think about something their friend does really well or something they like about their friend when writing the message. You can explain how talking about something specific can make the person receiving the card feel special and appreciated. Here are some examples:
“I really like playing soccer with you!”
“I’m glad we both like ‘Frozen 2.’”
“Your jokes are the best!”
Step 7: Second Fold
Open the white paper about halfway and gently push the heart shape outward so the fold at the middle of the heart goes the opposite direction of the first fold on the white paper. Slowly press the white paper closed again with the second fold still inverted to create creases on the heart’s “hinges.”
Step 8: Glue
Apply glue to the side of the white paper without your message. Do not apply glue to the “back” of the heart. Carefully place the white paper in the center of the red paper so an even amount of red sticks out on all sides. Wait for the glue to dry.
Tip: While most child-safe craft glues will work for this project, getting the paper to line up evenly might be a challenge. A liquid glue might allow for more time to reposition the paper.
Step 9: Decorate
By Step 9, your card is assembled and your message is written. All that’s left is to apply the finishing touches. We added smaller white hearts to the red exterior of the card. Other ways to decorate can include adding stickers or a generous portion of glitter, or
using pattern scissors to create funky edges!
