It’s time to think about Valentine’s Day, and if you have school-aged kids, I’m sure your mind, like mine, is on how to create 20-30 cards without spending a bundle. I’m starting now because I need my 4-year-old’s participation and it’s hard to get him to commit to a project for more than 20 minutes at a time, so I need a few windows of project time to get everything done by the 14th.

This is a great craft for a variety of age groups using items you’re sure to have in your house. You could potentially have a green, upcycled holiday costing you $0!

You will need:

• One treat per classmate. If you’re an avid couponer, you likely have a stash of small candy you can use. We’ll be breaking out the warehouse-store box of fruit leather, or if you have the time and inclination homemade treats are always nice.
• One paper shopping bag per 4 classmates. My son has 28 in his class, so we’ll be using 7 bags to make 56 hearts.
• Crayons, markers, stamps, stickers, or other art supplies/adornments. Older kids can make magazine collages, toddlers can just scribble with a crayon to make one to send to Grandma. Alphabet stamps are especially fun for homemade “conversation hearts.”
• A single hole punch.
• Scissors.
  
• Yarn or ribbon and a plastic/dull point needle.

The fun part:

1. Cut open and set your kid(s) to decorating the inside of the bags
2. Based on the size of your treat(s), select a heart template (many sources online, including a Family Fun magazine PDF) and trace onto decorated bags, cut out hearts
3. Holding two hearts together, punch holes approximately 3/4 of an inch apart around the edge, starting at the bottom of the heart and leaving an opening large enough for your treats on the top
4. Thread plastic needle with extra yarn or spare pieces of thin ribbon and get your little ones sewing them together. Older kids can skip the hole punches and practice using the sewing machine!
5. Insert treats, punch additional holes at the top, and finish sewing around

Valentine’s Day is the perfect time to show someone how much you love them (and the environment) with recycled greetings!