25 Artful Valentine's Day Ideas for Kids to Enjoy

A photo collage is a great way to celebrate love and friendship while letting your child's creativity shine. Kick off your joint crafting adventure by curating a collection of your most cherished photos. Arrange these in a playful heart shape on a large piece of cardstock, leaving room for fun decorating. Add in Valentine's themed stickers, or run wild with hand-drawn doodles.

Want to skip the DIY? Minted's Holiday Heart photo collage brings your photos together in a professionally designed and framed keepsake.

Valentine's Day is the perfect excuse to break out the paints and let your little ones' creativity bloom! Simple techniques like Q-tip painting or crayon resist can be used to make colorful Valentine-themed artworks. These creations make great decorations or keepsakes for the season. Unsure where to start? You can draw inspiration from Minted's colorful collection of kids' art prints!

Why limit heartfelt expressions to cards? This Valentine's Day, help you turn plain tees into wearable art!

• Peel-away paint: Craft heart-shaped stencils using freezer paper for precise designs. Iron the paper onto the shirt, apply paint, and reveal the print by peeling away the stencil.
• Tie-dye fun: Curate a tie-dye station with a palette of red and pink hues. Guide kids to twist and tie shirts in heart motifs before dyeing for the perfect Valentine's aesthetic.

Pro Tip: Cover your work surface with a disposable tablecloth and keep art supplies within easy reach for a stress-free crafting session.

Making friendship bracelets is a great way for kids to work on their fine motor skills and think creatively. All you have to do is gather vibrant embroidery floss, an assortment of beads, and perhaps a cardboard loom for beginners. With just a few fundamental techniques, children can create intricate patterns as unique as their bonds. To make the bracelets extra special, you can incorporate Minted's ribbons to create colorful bows in your child's favorite shade.

Stir up some Valentine's magic in your kitchen with a kids cook-along! Host a cooking session for your kiddos and set the stage with vibrant aprons, kid-friendly utensils, and artfully arranged ingredients to keep them engaged from start to finish. Add excitement by gifting them Minted's custom aprons and kitchen gear. It'll get them saying 'Yes, Chef!' in no time! For the treats, create heart-shaped sandwiches using cookie cutters or assemble heart-shaped mini pizzas.

Use heart-shaped cookie cutters to transform regular bread into Valentine's breakfast! Press the cutter firmly through bread slices before toasting, then pop them in the toaster. Once toasted, kids spread on cream cheese, peanut butter, or Nutella, then arrange fruit slices or chocolate chips on top for decoration. Kids can compete to see who creates the most creative design, or work together on matching toast art for the whole family.

Begin with simple recipes like heart-shaped sugar cookies or pink-frosted cupcakes. Encourage your young chefs to take the lead in mixing ingredients, sculpting dough, and decorating their treats. For the finishing touch, add Minted's playful cake toppers to make the treats extra special.

In addition to being just plain fun, this is a great way to get your little ones involved with creating special treats for their friends and teachers to go along with their classroom Valentine’s Day cards!

Mix fun and giving with creative bookmarks your kids can share! These simple crafts make perfect Valentine's Day gifts for classmates.

Use these tips to get creativity flowing:

• Origami lesson: Teach your kids how to make an origami heart with just 6-inch paper squares. Make use of Minted's printed sheets of paper for a color pop.
• Pom-pom fun: Create pom-pom heart bookmarks using just yarn and scissors. Wrap, tie, and trim to form fluffy hearts, then attach long yarn tails for easy page marking.

Let your little one show their appreciation for their teachers on the day of love. Craft heartfelt gratitude cards and pen sweet messages for their favorite teachers. Draw inspiration from Minted's sweet Valentine's Day cards and create a 'gratitude collage' that's filled with classroom snapshots or doodles of favorite subjects.

Host a mystery gift-giver exchange on this special occasion! This twist on gift-giving adds a dash of intrigue to classroom celebrations or friend gatherings. It's a delightful way for kids to express appreciation.

• Game idea: Create a "love lottery" where each child draws a name in secret. Establish clear guidelines on spending limits and gift types to ensure fairness and spark creativity.
• Activity idea: Let your kids craft heartfelt notes to accompany their gifts. These touching messages can celebrate friendships, share cherished memories, or highlight what makes the recipient extraordinary. Minted's customizable Valentine's Day cards offer the perfect canvas for these affectionate sentiments.
• Party idea: Orchestrate a grand reveal party where anonymous gift-givers can present their treasures in person. This adds an element of surprise and allows for immediate expressions of joy, fostering stronger bonds among classmates or friends.
• Gift idea: Suggest creative and meaningful gift options like handcrafted tokens, beloved books, and sentimental keepsakes like a Valentine’s Day-inspired photo print.

Show appreciation for local heroes by assembling treat bags. Set up an outdoor assembly station with small bags, homemade cookies or store-bought snacks, and handwritten thank-you notes. Kids can decorate bags with Valentine's stickers and write messages like "Thank you for keeping us safe!" or "You're a hero!"

Deliver packages to your local fire station, police station, postal workers, or sanitation crew. It's a quick activity with a lasting impact.

Let's raise the curtain on creativity this Valentine's Day with a heartwarming puppet show! Here are a few ways you could create your puppets.

• Design patchwork heart puppets using cardboard, fabric scraps, and pipe cleaners. These artistically crafted characters can serve as both performers and visually striking decorations once the final curtain falls.
• Turn paper bags into love monster puppets with paint, googly eyes, and craft foam. Encourage children to design unique monster features that reflect their personal aesthetic.
• Curate a finger puppet show using felt and premium craft supplies. Fashion a miniature theatre from a shoebox, allowing these petite performers to showcase tales of friendship and affection.

Everybody loves a good game of Bingo! Bring this classic game to life in your living room with a Valentine's Day twist. Create fun grids featuring hearts, arrows, and other love-themed symbols, and use candy as markers to keep kids engaged. Swap traditional number-calling for romantic phrases or sweet sentiments. Make the game extra special by rewarding winners with Minted's selection of simple gifts. It's an easy, interactive activity that promises plenty of laughs and friendly competition.

Turn Valentine's Day into an adventure with a scavenger hunt! This activity blends exploration, wit, and the thrill of discovery. Conceal 8 to 12 clues throughout your space, each leading to the next in a chain of riddles. For an extra bit of flair, customize your clues using Minted's stationery. Reward the little hunters with customizable prizes and keepsakes.

Make this Valentine's Day memorable with a festive bash! Invite your kid's friends for an afternoon of heartwarming activities and treats. Set the scene with an array of decorations—think paper heart garlands or a collaborative mural. A cookie decorating station with heart-shaped treats and a variety of frostings will keep little hands busy, while a small round of word search will get those thinking hats on.

A whimsical Valentine's Day photobooth will capture all the love in the air! Decorate it with eye-catching backdrops and Valentine's Day-themed stickers. Your little ones will have a blast striking silly poses with heart-shaped balloons and trying on oversized sunglasses for extra charm.

Turn your pictures into cute photocards or hang them up as beautiful photo art prints. It's an inspired way to remember the day for the years to come.

Turn Valentine’s Day into a cozy family game night filled with playful competition and shared laughs. Set up a rotation of simple, screen-free games like pickleball rallies in the driveway, classic mancala or backgammon at the dining table, and hands-on activities such as marble push games or imaginative play with felt dolls. Kids can move from game to game, earning bragging rights or small prizes along the way. The mix of active play and tabletop classics keeps everyone engaged and makes Valentine’s Day feel less about things and more about time spent together.

Spark your child's imagination with a storybook where they're the star! Add personal touches like their name, favorite hobbies, and even family photos to create a one-of-a-kind tale. It's a keepsake they'll treasure for years to come.

A sweet idea is to craft a "Day in the Life of Love" narrative, featuring your child's daily routines interwoven with acts of kindness and affection. Bring the family together at the end of the day to read or act out the heartwarming saga.

Add a touch of old school cinema to your celebrations. Turn your living room into a cozy movie room using Minted's accent pillows and throw blankets. Select films that resonate with all ages, such as Enchanted or the classic Lady and the Tramp. Going with the theme, bring in heart-shaped confections and lots of popcorn.

No matter the activity, a cozy cup of Hot Chocolate is always going to come in handy! Enchant your kids with a drink station where they can whip up their very cup of cocoa. For a festive touch, get them Minted's Silver Heart mug and let them add in their favourite toppings. Delight them by using special tableware and festive crockery to arrange their favourite marshmallows and candy to choose from.

Nothing says love and appreciation like a gratitude jar filled with thoughtful notes! Start by decorating a mason jartogether, then fill it with thoughtful notes about what you love and value in each other (bonus points if you use on-theme stationery). On Valentine's Day, gather around to read the messages and share the joy. This heartwarming tradition not only cultivates a culture of appreciation but also creates memories that last a lifetime.

End your Valentine's Day with a cozy blanket fort. Use pillows, blankets, and fairy lights to create a snug hideaway perfect for reading together. Choose heartwarming stories about love and kindness, and enjoy quality family time in your homemade nook. Minted's luxurious throws and blankets will make the perfect cozy corner for this!

Collect smooth rocks from your yard or park, then set up an outdoor painting station with acrylic paints and brushes. This will turn ordinary stones into tokens of love that brighten your community!

Kids can paint hearts, write encouraging messages like "You're loved!" or create colorful Valentine's designs. Seal finished rocks with clear acrylic spray, then hide them around your neighborhood: beside mailboxes, in park flower beds, or on playground equipment. Strangers will discover these surprises and feel unexpected joy.

Create a treasure chest of memories to rediscover next Valentine's Day. Choose a container (plastic storage box, metal tin, or mason jar) and let kids decorate it with weather-resistant stickers and paint.

Fill it with photos from today, handwritten notes about current favorites, drawings, Valentine's cards, letters to future selves, and predictions about next year.

Bury it together in a memorable spot and take a photo of the location so you remember where to dig next year. When next February arrives, gather around, read past predictions, and start a new capsule: an annual tradition that builds family history over the years.

Transform your outdoor space into an adventure hideaway! Help kids build a fort using cardboard boxes, tarps, or old sheets draped over patio furniture. Unlike indoor reading nooks, this fort is designed for active play and exploration.

Let kids decide the purpose: a "kindness castle" for planning good deeds or a "friendship headquarters" for secret meetings. Decorate with painted hearts, streamers, and outdoor-safe materials like pinecones or painted rocks. Secure tarps between trees with rope and weigh the edges down with rocks.

Keep celebrations short around school schedules. Make build-your-own heart toast for breakfast and tuck a love note in their lunchbox (15 minutes).

After school, choose one activity: rock painting, making friendship bracelets, or decorating pre-made cupcakes (1-2 hours). End with Valentine's stories in a blanket fort before bed.

Start with heart-shaped pancakes or heart toast and a craft project like friendship bracelets or custom t-shirts. Mid-morning, head outdoors to build a backyard fort or start a Valentine's time capsule.

After lunch, dive into baking sugar cookies from scratch or host a mini party with Valentine's Bingo and a photo booth. Wind down with a hot chocolate bar and a Valentine's movie night. Pick 5-6 activities for a memorable all-day celebration.

Before work, leave surprise notes and prepare heart toast for breakfast (10 minutes). After work, choose one activity: quick craft like friendship bracelets or simple baking (30-45 minutes). Make dinner easy with heart-shaped pizza.

Before bed, do one cozy activity like reading gratitude jar notes or story time in your blanket fort with hot chocolate. Save bigger projects like the backyard fort for the weekend.

Make learning fun by including word games and puzzles as activities. Encourage your kids to get into these activities by blending them with custom prints or stationery to make them more visually appealing.

For our tiniest creators (ages 2-4), try abstract heart painting with unconventional tools like bubble wrap or nature finds. Preschoolers and early elementary artists (ages 4-7) can explore 3D card making, incorporating pop-up elements and mixed media. Older children might enjoy curating a "gallery of affection" using Minted's art prints as inspiration for their own masterpieces.

Set up interactive stations like a "design your own love potion" mocktail bar or a Valentine's terrarium workshop. Don't forget the ambiance! Feature Minted's artwork for a dazzling display.

Sprinkle moments of joy throughout your day with subtle yet impactful touches! Serve heart-shaped pancakes for breakfast or cut sandwiches into Xs and Os for lunch. For bedtime, use Minted's throw blankets to craft a cozy "love nest" reading nook.