valentines day means classroom parties. and, if you haven’t gone shopping for valentines in a store (aka target, wal-mart, etc.) lately, you should know that most of the pre-boxed options come 18, 20, 22 to a box. i don’t know about you, but my kids have had way more than 18, 20, or 22 kids in their class, which has meant buying a whole other box for a handful of valentines only to toss a majority of them. gahhhh!
i set out a couple of years ago to try and put together some more creative, handmade options that actually come in quantities that parents and guardians need. that’s turned into one of my very favorite design times of the year for my little shop! i love exploring new, cool, creative ways for kiddos to give awesome valentines to their classmates! i’ve gathered my top three favorite valentine options to help you figure out what to do for your kiddos this valentines season:
DIY thumbprint valentine rocks
these are just the super cutest to make with your kiddos! plus, they are super easy to make…even with toddlers!
supplies you need:
small-ish river rocks (you can grab a bag of these at michaels)
red washable paint (i used red acrylic paint to do ours)
fine tip black sharpie
paper towel
paper plate
grab your paper plate, and put a small dollop of red paint on the plate. grab your rock and find the smoothest part of the surface. gently dip your kiddo’s thumb into the red paint and make one thumbprint, then make a second thumbprint in the opposite direction to make the “heart” shape. allow the red paint to fully dry, then take your black sharpie and draw a face, arms + legs! you can also flip the rock over and write “from: child’s name.”
friendship bracelet valentines


who doesn’t love a homemade friendship bracelet?!? (#swifties) there are so many ways your kiddo can make a friendship bracelet…with beads or with thread.
when i was a kid, i made the classic friendship bracelets with DMC floss (still available at michaels!) of course you can always go with beads (again, michaels is a great place to pick these up) and make a combo of bracelets for these super cute cards!
where to buy: re-nest studio etsy shop or 35:35 makers collective in sycamore
you are a dino-mite friend valentines
the easiest of valentines for your kiddos (handwritten name is the only thing to make here!), these were 100% inspired by my almost three-year-old, dino-obsessed niece!
the tiny little dinos are easy to order on amazon and…they glow in the dark! these come to you fully printed with the hole punch, so you can grab some string and your dinos and tie them to the cards. these make the best valentine for anyone who loves dinosaurs!
where to buy: re-nest studio etsy shop or 35:35 makers collective in sycamore

