Home Made Valentines

     January is almost over and you know what that means!  Valentines day is right around the corner.   If you are like me, you hate having to buy those boring boxes of cards to have your child hand out to her friends at school.  There's nothing original about them, and they just get thrown away.  This year I have decided to not do these anymore, but instead, have Ashley make her own valentines to give out.  It will be so much more fun for her, and her friends will most likely enjoy them more than a mass produced little square card!  Here are some ideas that I have come up with on my own, and searching online, that would be great alternatives. 

1.  COOKIES - Go in the kitchen with your child and make some basic sugar cookies.  Get a heart cookie cutter and some pink and red frosting to decorate.  Add sprinkles and/or red hot candies to add more fun!

2.  SCHOOL OF FISH - Buy some Swedish Fish candies, and put them in a clear baggie.  Then cut a piece of paper into a fishbowl shape and write on it, "I'm glad you're in my SCHOOL."  Your child can decorate the fishbowls to add her personal touch to it!

3.  RAINBOW CRAYONS - Find a heart baking sheet, like the one here at Amazon.  Melt crayons in the shape of the hearts to create a bigger multicolor heart crayon.   Attach to a piece of paper and write, "You color up my life!"

4.  PICTURE OF CHILD - I've seen this online and think it is so cute.  Take a picture of your child pretending to hold hold a stick with her arm stretched out.  With the developed pictures, stick in a lolipop, pencil, twizzler, or anything that is a stick shape through her fist.

5.  SCROLLS- Give your child lots of paper to color different things.  Have her help roll them up, and tie a ribbon around it.

6.  PLAY DOUGH - Make some homemade play dough, recipe here, and tightly wrap up in a baggie.  Give one ball to each friend to play with.

7.  PAPER HEARTS - This is just a simple valentine that you can do with your child.  Cut out hearts, or let her do it, and let her decorate with markers, crayons, stickers, glitter, etc.

8.  RAINBOW LOOM - This is a huge fad that children seem to be loving lately, as well as my daughter, written about here.  You can have your child make a bracelet for all her friends and the paper attached can say, "You have me wrapped around your wrist."

9.  POPCORN - Simply pop popcorn, and put into baggies.  Add some red/pink M&m's, or any other candies.  You can attach a paper that says, "You make my heart pop."

10.  HEART NECKLACE - Cut out two small hearts per friend.  Staple them together along the sides and bottom, leaving the top with a small opening.  Use a hole punch to make two holes, and tie string so it becomes a necklace.  Add some candy in the heart for a sweet necklace!