Really Easy Kids’ Valentines
If you know me, then you know my mantra is “little effort, high impact.” I’m a big fan of recipes, projects, and just about anything that requires little effort, but delivers a big impact when eaten or presented, etc.
As such, for awhile I’ve been collecting ideas for kids’ Valentine’s Day gifts that are easy to make but that look like oh-so-much work. Trust us, these ideas are reallllly simple.
Homemade chocolates in heart and flower shapes are super simple and very delicious if you use the Wilton candy melts. You can choose from lots of colors like chocolate and red and they make lots of candy molds like hearts, roses, and even lollipops. You don’t need to get all fancy and create a multi-colored chocolate masterpiece. Plain ol’ chocolate candy wrapped in a treat bag with a pretty ribbon around it will hit the right note. (don’t forget to buy the lollipop sticks). To personalize, attach it to a free Valentine’s Day card or add a cute sticker to the bag.
Homemade Gummi Candy
If you already bought the candy molds or you’re more of a gummi bears than chocolate person, consider making gummi hearts for Valentine’s Day. I had no idea how easy it was until our own contributor Cindy Hopper showed us how to make homemade gummi candy on her own site. Look at how fantastic these are! All you need is flavored and unflavored gelatin (like Jello & Knox) and then package up a handful and tie a red ribbon around the treat bag.
Fruit Roll-Up Roses
Candy Cane Hearts
Along the same lines of playing with your food, Marie at Make and Takes deconstructs left over candy canes into food art or candy cane hearts. She also took the same strategy and applied it to making valentine messages from candy canes. Now, kids will need a lot of supervision on this food craft as it involves touching (aka bending) softened (and HOT) candy canes. You should definitely do the candy cane bending. I’m sure they’ll be exhausted breaking apart the candy canes by that time anyway.
Matchbox Valentine Candies
Brooke at Inchmark is a lovely creative force and I just love visiting her site. Last year she filled empty matchboxes with valentine candies. I adore this craft because kids can do so much of it by themselves: empty the boxes, fill the boxes, cut the wrapping paper strips and decorate the boxes as well.