It feels like Valentine’s Day has crept up out of nowhere! If, like us, you totally forgot, we’re here with some of our favorite ways to set up very joyful, playful, and open-ended making experiences that engage everyone, not just the kid crafters of the bunch. We have a few strategies that we use every time we offer experiences like this to big groups or even at home. And it works every time! By works, we mean that children feel a lightness, creativity, and sense of belonging, not like they’re slogging through another grown-up-led activity.
Many children want to show and express love and care to their special people, so whether it’s Valentine’s Day or any other day, we have a feeling that these strategies are going to encourage lots of special cards, messages, and artful gifts that matter to the sender and receiver. Whether you’re a parent or caregiver at home, wondering exactly how you’re going to manage the creation of 24 classroom valentines, or you’re in the classroom hoping to spark joy and avoid meltdowns and disengagement, we’ve got this one figured out for you!
Let us also acknowledge that crafting and making are fun for us, too, so if the kids in your life are not super jazzed about any of the suggestions we make here, just make something yourself! We promise that creating something with your hands, especially as an expression of love and care, will leave you feeling relaxed and content. Keep reading for our top 3 strategies to shift the energy in the room, our favorite way to set up open-ended materials for Valentine’s making, and how to help a reluctant maker create those classmate valentines at the last minute!
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