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Print Valentine's Day Crafts for Kids
by Ann FeenstraUse some of the following simple and creative ideas to make this day in February special. Valentine's Day is a wonderful opportunity to demonstrate love to someone you care about - be it a significant someone, a grandchild, a neighbor, or a friend.
Crafts, Gifts, and Cards
Candy Cane Card
Glue two wrapped candy canes into the form of a heart onto card stock, preferably red. Decorate as you wish. Great way to use up any leftover candy canes from Christmas.
Valentine Butterflies
Needed: gum sticks, licorice strings, red or pink construction paper
Method: Remove outer wrappers from 2 gum sticks. To form antennae, place 2 pieces of string licorice between the ends of the gum sticks and tape together well. Curl ends of each antenna. Cut 2 heart-shaped wings from construction paper, place on their sides with points facing each other, and glue to middle of top stick of gum. Place a sticker in the middle where the 2 heart points meet. Using tiny heart stickers, apply eyes and a mouth or draw these items on with felt pens. Write messages on the hearts.
Cupid's Beau and Arrow
Needed: 6" wooden skewer, pack of gum, gumdrop heart or jujube heart, tissue paper
Method: If desired, cover any wording on the gum package with tissue or construction paper. Push the skewer through the length of the gum pack. Glue tissue paper at one end to create a feathery effect. Push the heart-shaped candy onto the other end. Add stickers or a sentiment.
Lollipop Blooms
Needed: flat-sided lollipops or suckers in their wrappers, construction paper in red, pink and green
Method: Closely trim the cellophane paper around the lollipop. Out of red or pink construction paper, cut hearts slightly larger than the candy and glue to one side of the candy wrapper. Fold green construction paper in half and cut out a leaf shape making sure the 2 sides are still attached at the fold. Unfold the leaf shape, glue the entire inside surface, and fold it back over the lollipop stick. Press to secure. Add one more leaf if desired.
Hershey Kiss Roses
Needed: 10" wooden skewers (or 18-guage florist wire), red and silver Hershey Kiss 
candies, green florist tape, silk green leaves with wired stems
Method: Pull tiny labels from each Hershey Kiss. Stick 2 foil-wrapped Kisses together, bottom to bottom. Insert the skewer into the tip of one Kiss and at this point begin winding florist tape down the skewer. Add several leaves along the way.
Food
Rice Krispies Heart Cake or Cookies
Prepare a recipe of "rice krispies squares" as found on most rice krispies cereal boxes. Before stirring in the cereal, add some red food coloring if desired. With buttered fingers, shape quickly into a large heart or form individual cookies with a heart-shaped cutter. Popsicle sticks may also be inserted into cookies. Decorate with icing and candy. If wishing to mail this, decorate with a mixture of melted white chocolate and a small amount of oil.
Heart-in-a-Basket (Variation of "Egg-in-a-Nest")
Using a cookie cutter, cut a heart out of the center of a slice of bread. Melt butter or margarine in a skillet, and place bread and cutout heart beside each other in the pan. Crack an egg and drop it into the heart-shaped cavity of the bread. Cook about 2 minutes on medium heat and then flip, if desired. Otherwise, cook "sunny-side-up" until done.
Heartfelt Pancakes
Make your favorite pancake batter. Either freehand or using a measuring cup, form " I 
U" in a heated and oiled skillet. Proceed as you would with normal pancakes.
Heart-shaped Cupcakes
Place paper baking cups in a muffin tin. Fill only half-ways with your favorite cupcake batter. Place a marble or ½ inch ball of crumpled aluminum foil between the paper liner and the tin. This will push the batter in and form the notch of a heart. Frost if desired.
No Fuss Brownies with a Heart
Bake your favorite brownie mix or chocolate cake in a 9x13 pan. Cool and cut into squares. For each piece, sprinkle icing sugar (through a sieve) over a paper in which you have cut out a heart stencil.
Special Activities
Pin the Heart (Variation of "Pin the Tail on the Donkey")
Draw the shape of a person onto a large piece of paper and mark where his heart would be. Cut out small paper red hearts and write each player's name on one heart. Apply scotch tape or any sticky material to the back of the heart. Blindfold the player and spin him, if desired. Now have him attempt to place his paper heart on the designated spot drawn on the paper
Board Games
Instead of using the regular playing pieces included in a board game, make some small hearts out of play dough. Use these to move around the board.
Valentine Treasure Hunt
Buy an inexpensive package of 10-15 children's valentines. Write a different love note on each card; or write just one word per card to form a special sentiment. On the outside of each envelope, give a written clue directing your "Valentine" to the next card. Hide the cards in suitable spots. Include a small gift with the last valentine.
Love Circle
When our children were younger, they enjoyed spontaneously calling out, "Love Circle!" This meant we were to all gather in a close huddle for a big hug.
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