Valentine Theme Party Crafts

With less than two weeks to go before Valentine’s day and I’m busy getting organized for the classroom party. Here are two of the craft projects I’m planning.

The first one is an “I {heart} to read” bookmark.

 

While looking for ideas on pinterest, I saw this idea for making a colorful heart garland and it inspired me to think of a way to make a valentine themed bookmark.

I have to say the hardest part was getting the paint chips. I feel like they are watching me and they know I have no intention of painting. I’m sure it’s a matter of time before we have to pay a deposit to take these things out of the paint store. There are just too many cute crafts you can do with them.

 

Since most of the red was already gone, I gathered an assortment of colors. I picked up a little heart punch from the dollar bin at the craft store.

I punched a little heart out of each color on each of the paint strips.  I saved the dark shades for another step in the project.

I printed out a sheet of cardstock that says “I (space for a heart) to read”.

 



I cut this statement into small tags. Then I glued the colored hearts into the open space and punched a hole at the end of the tag.

 

I cut some ribbon into 12 inch pieces. During the party, the kids will pick the color paint chip they like, then pick an “I (heart) to read” tag and tie them together with the ribbon. If you have older kids and/or more heart punches I’m sure the kids could do more of the work.

 

 

One of the other crafts I have ready to go is a Heart Lei

Thanks again to pinterest, I found this paper wreath project.

I’m using softer paper and stapling rather than hot glue. (I try not to do too much with glue…takes too long to dry) I’m also making mine longer so it’s not round but will hang more like a necklace.

First cute your paper into one inch strips then fold them in half.

 
 
 

To start, open one folded piece and turn it around. Bring the end s together and place them inside the fold of the next piece. Use a stapler to secure the papers together.

 

 

   

  

 Now take the end of the second piece and bring them down until they touch. Now tuck them into the fold of the next (3^rd) piece and staple.

 

 Continue until you have enough hearts connected. It takes about 14 for a kid size necklace.

Ok, I’m off to see what I can get myself into next…



Valentine's Day "sewing" craft

 

I saw an image on Pinterest of a yarn heart. Once I clicked through I found it was a card from the Parents website.

http://www.parents.com/holiday/valentines-day/crafts/adorable-valentines-day-crafts-snacks/?page=3#page=3

They have a template you can download if you like. I decide to take their idea and make a few changes.

It’s still a card but not one that opens and mine is slightly smaller. I also added the phrase “I love you SEW much” to mine.

 

All I did was create a word document with the statement written out and then copy and paste several times until I had enough for the kids at my classroom party.

I can fit about 6 on a page. I printed them out on cardstock and cut them into individual pieces that are about 2 ½ by 3 ¼ inches. I used a very tiny hole punch to pre-make the holes. You can also use a needle to poke through so it’s easier for the kiddos to “sew”.

At this size they will need about 2 feet of yarn to sew their card. I ordered several blunt, large eyed needles from ebay at about 0.50 each including shipping. I had all the yarn precut and the needles pre-threaded for the first round of kids at that station.

(On party days we break the kids up into smaller groups and they rotate through different stations to do all of the games and crafts.)

I also added a little V at the top and bottom of the heart so when it’s done it looks a little more like a heart.

 

 

I'm off to do some more party prep, Valentine's day will be here before we know it.

 

 

Classroom Christmas Party

This year I am “homeroom” Mom for my son’s Kindergarten class. I think I’m having way too much fun planning the various holiday parties. Here’s what we did for Christmas this year.

SNACK:

I cut strips of paper to fit over the label and used a bingo dabber to make a red nose, drew on eyes and taped the label on the bottle. Then I used a brown pipe cleaner to wrap around the top for antlers.

 

My older kids had so much fun helping with all the tasks and we used the activity to talk about the industrial revolution and the use of assemble lines.

We glued paper hats to the top of cheese sticks tied a ribbon around them and used a Sharpie to draw on faces, buttons and a carrot nose.

I used a circle punch to make red nosed and a dot of glue to stick them to paper bags. Drew on eyes then filled the bags with popcorn. Mini clothes pin were used to look like tiny antlers.


CRAFTS:

We made candy canes with red and white beads. I cut pipe cleaners in half before the party. I also printed out cards with the story of the candy cane to go home with them.

Legend of the Candy Cane

Look at the Candy Cane

What do you see?

Stripes that are red

Like the blood shed for me.

White is for my Savior

Who is sinless and pure!

“J’ is for Jesus

my Lord, that’s for sure!

Turn it around

And a staff you will see 

Jesus my shepherd

Was born for ME!

 

We also made a baby in a manger.

I used cupcake papers for the manger and filled them with shredded paper (gift bag filler). I pre glued the “straw” in the cupcake papers to save mess and glue drying time during the party.

The baby was made from old fashioned clothes pins that my husband cut in half to make them smaller. The kids wrapped little pieces of felt around the baby and tied it on with a piece of cord.

 

 

Then they glued the baby on the straw. Some of the kids drew faces on their baby. It was fun to hear their story of “the baby is sleeping“ or “the bay is crying because it’s hungry”. I love the glimpse into their little minds.

GAMES:

 

I printed out a Snow Globe game here.

Between actives and when there was any down time the kids went to the back of the room to play a snowball toss game. 

 

I used a pop up laundry bin from the dollar store and decorated him with cardstock to look like a snowman. We tossed plastic baseballs as the “snowballs”.

The other game played was a Snowman Team Relay Race.

This game was a huge hit!

With two teams, you will need; 2 half used rolls of TP

2 hats
2 scarves
2 sets of sticks for arms (4 total)
Cut out buttons (3 for each snowman)
And 2 carrot noses.
I made small cones from cardstock and attached a piece of elastic to go around their heads.

 

Each team has one person to become the snowman.

Then first person up has to wrap their teammate with the TP.

Then each of the following people add one item; hat, scarf, arms, tape on buttons and then finally the nose.

 

So many of the parents have told me that the kid want to re-create the game at home to play with family.