Make · Occasion
Valentine's Day projects
43 things to make for Valentine's Day, sorted by who is making them.
5 projects
Toddlers
Heart tissue suncatcher
A see-through heart of pink and red tissue that glows in a window for Valentine's Day.
Thumbprint heart card
A tiny heart made from 2 thumbprints, as sweet a Valentine card as you'll get.
Strawberry pink playdough
Soft pink dough for squishing, rolling and cutting into hearts.
Heart posting box
A shoe box mailbox with a slot, so your toddler can post cardboard hearts over and over.
Toilet roll heart stamps
A pinched toilet paper tube makes a perfect heart stamp for a page full of Valentines.
6 projects
Preschoolers
Valentine heart suncatcher
Pink and red tissue paper pressed inside a big paper heart frame that glows on a sunny window.
Tissue box Valentine mailbox
An empty tissue box dressed in paper hearts becomes the mailbox for every class Valentine.
Pipe cleaner friendship bracelet
Pony beads on a pipe cleaner make a quick, sturdy bracelet your preschooler can give to a friend.
Toilet roll heart stamps
Bend a cardboard tube into a heart and stamp pink and red hearts all over a Valentine card.
Paper heart animals
Cut hearts in different sizes and turn them into a ladybug, a mouse, a fox and whatever else your child dreams up.
Fizzy heart painting
Paint hearts with baking soda paint, then drip colored vinegar on top and watch them fizz and bubble.
8 projects
Kids
Recycled crayon hearts
Old broken crayons melted in a heart mold into chunky rainbow crayons that make perfect classroom valentines.
Pop-up heart card
A Valentine's card with a paper heart that jumps up when you open it, made with 2 cuts and a fold.
Tissue box valentine mailbox
An empty tissue box turned into a monster, robot or mailbox that eats valentines at the class party.
Coffee filter heart suncatchers
Color coffee filters with markers, spray them with water, and watch the colors bleed into a stained-glass heart.
Yarn wrapped cardboard hearts
Cut a heart from a cereal box and wrap it in yarn until it's soft and fuzzy, for a door hanger or gift tag.
Heart animal valentines
Cut paper hearts in 3 sizes and turn them into a lion, owl, ladybug or any animal you can dream up.
Valentine fortune teller
A folded paper fortune teller full of sweet messages and silly dares to swap with friends.
Woven paper heart baskets
The old Danish woven heart: 2 paper loops woven together into a little basket you can fill with candy and hang on the tree.
8 projects
Teens and students
Watercolor greeting cards
Loose, washy watercolor cards that look artsy even if you've never painted, to give or sell in packs.
Origami heart notes
Secret notes folded into paper hearts for Valentine's or Galentine's, a whole friend group's worth in 1 sitting.
Open when letters
A bundle of envelopes labeled for different moods, like open when you're bored, sad or need a laugh.
Sugar lip scrub
A sweet, smoothing lip scrub in tiny jars, 3 kitchen ingredients and done in 10 minutes.
Crepe paper flower bouquet
A bouquet of peonies and tulips made from stretchy crepe paper that never wilts.
Best friend mini book
A pocket-size folded book full of photos, inside jokes and memories, made from a single sheet of paper.
Fizzy bath bombs
Round, fizzing bath bombs pressed in molds, a classic gift and a fast seller at school fairs.
Hand-sewn plushie
A soft little stuffed creature you design yourself, sewn by hand from felt or fleece.
10 projects
Grown-ups
Woven paper heart baskets
Danish-style woven paper hearts that open into little baskets, a cozy tree ornament or a sweet valentine holder.
Photo transfer on wood
A favorite photo printed straight onto a wood plank so the grain shows through, a gift that feels like an heirloom.
Open when letters
Sealed letters for specific moments, like a bad day or a long trip, for someone you love to open when they need them.
Homemade bath bombs
Fizzy, scented bath bombs pressed in round molds, cheaper than store ones and fun to wrap in a gift basket.
Brown sugar body scrub
A rich, sweet-smelling sugar scrub mixed in 10 minutes and packed in jars for a spa-style gift.
Memory shadow box
A deep frame that holds ticket stubs, shells and photos from a trip or a big day, arranged like a little museum display.
Crepe paper flower bouquet
A bouquet of paper tulips and ranunculus that look real from across the room and never wilt.
Linocut greeting cards
Hand-carved block print cards with that crisp, slightly imperfect printed look, enough for a whole holiday list.
Beeswax lip balm
Smooth, nourishing lip balm made from 3 ingredients in equal parts, enough for about 20 tubes.
Painted wine glasses
Stemless glasses painted with dots, initials or florals and baked so the design survives the top rack of the dishwasher.
6 projects
Seniors and grandkids
Plantable seed paper hearts
Handmade paper hearts full of wildflower seeds that someone can plant and watch bloom.
Sugar cookie decorating party
Plain baked cookies, bowls of icing and sprinkles, and a table full of grandkids decorating with you.
Lavender bath salts
Jars of Epsom salt mixed with dried lavender for a relaxing soak, a quick gift that smells lovely while you make it.
Woven paper heart garland
A long string of folded paper hearts to drape over a doorway or window, perfect for a group table in February.
Button heart canvas
A small canvas filled with a heart made from old buttons, a lovely way to use up the family button tin.
Lace doily valentines
Old-style Valentine's cards made with paper doilies and red hearts, the kind your own grandmother might have sent.