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With Valentine’s Day almost here, your child will be awaiting the moment to exchange Valentine’s Day cards with their friends and classmates. Yet sometimes the thought of figuring out the number of cards and small gifts can be exhausting, especially when the winter holidays were only a month ago.
But there are ways to easily access Valentine’s Day cards that will look clever and special for your kid’s peers. By either simply printing cards from your laptop, gathering simple materials to make them, or picking them up at the store, you can have an assortment of Valentine’s Day cards for classmates.
Don’t get in a pickle. Grab your child’s Valentine’s classroom list and maybe some craft supplies, and we’ll get this done in a jiffy.
Easy Valentine's Day card for preschoolers to elementary kids
Valentine’s Day is a great time for kids to learn how to give and to learn what love can look like. As the day approaches, consider sparking a conversation with your child about how to be good to others. “[Give] messages of love through acts of kindness or words of encouragement, rather than gifts or candy (but gifts and candy are OK, too),” Dee Ray, the director of the Center for Play Therapy at the University of North Texas, told Dallas-Fort Worth Child.
Once your kiddo learns that Valentine’s Day is not just about romantic love, nor is it just about buying something for a friend, he can understand the true purpose of Valentine’s Day is to be compassionate and kind to others.
Before obtaining cards and food for your child’s class, check in with the teacher to see what the protocols are. For example, most schools suggest avoiding foods with nuts and would rather parents purchase non-food items like stickers. For cards, make sure that every kid receives one. Despite its controversial nature at the time, one private school in Providence Rhode Island suggested these guidelines in order to foster inclusion:
- Bring a card for every child in the class
- Avoid gender-specific cards
- If there are images of kids on the cards, include images of kids from a variety of races.
- Keep the messages friend themed rather than romantic.
Guidelines similar to these might be in place at your child’s school, so take a moment to check out your cards to see if they reflect inclusivity.
Here are some cards for preschoolers and kids to share with their classmates:
1. I donut know what I’d do without you
A light blue donut with colorful sprinkles on top makes this a sweet printable card to give any classmate. The simple meaningful message will make any kid smile.
2. Let’s be friends!
Positive words that will uplift your child’s classmates are the way to go. These are free colored printables and will share a genuine message on Valentine’s Day.
3. You color my world!
With the expression of appreciation on this friendly card, your kid will spread the good vibes of recognizing friendship. The card printout can be folded in half and stapled to a small bag or box of crayons.
Cute Valentine’s Day cards to make
Show off your kid’s personality by having her create a card for her classmates. Welcome any and all errors as that will only add to the card’s uniqueness and will show your child’s individuality. “You can go for some classic Valentine’s Day color themes by choosing reds and pinks, or get creative and choose some unique colors to express you or your kid’s individuality,” mom Menucha advised on her blog Moms and Crafters.
4. Heart-shaped card
It’s simple and it’s a classic. With red or pink card stock paper, cut out a large heart shape that can be folded down the middle. Add glitter or fun stickers, and now your kiddo has an excellent card for their peers to enjoy.
5. I just crawled to say I love you
It’s time to use those pieces of leftover cloth to make cute snail Valentine’s Day cards. Use card stock for the card, then cut a circle out of patterned fabric, and cut out an L-shaped body from a piece of brown fabric. Then, paste the pieces of your fabric snail on the card, and write or type “I just crawled to say I love you,” and your kid will have a card that makes everyone laugh.
6. Pressed flower hearts
If your kiddos love to pick flowers, now is the time to make that excursion even more purposeful. After cutting heart-shaped cards out of card stock, press freshly picked flowers onto the cards with a heavy book. Once flattened, adhere the flower to the paper with Mod Podge to make a beautiful card made from nature.
7. Dynamite Dinosaur Valentine
What kid doesn’t love a dinosaur? Card stock, a paper plate, and paint will create a very cool-looking dinosaur valentine. With the dinosaur’s body being made up of a half paper plate spotted with dots of paint, the details of this craft are so easy to put together that your preschooler or big kid can handle the steps.
Kids' Valentine’s Day cards to buy
As with any holiday, gifting does not mean that moms have to all of a sudden become crafty. There are plenty of great pre-made cards out there that spread the seed of goodness without being expensive. Here are some that stand out:
8. Sushi valentines
Cards shaped like food are always a hit. Sushi valentines are a tasty way of sharing the joy of kindness.
9. You are brilliant cards
This pack of small rectangle cards has a cute elephant wearing glasses on them saying “You are brilliant.” These sweet cards carry the spirit of Valentine’s Day.
10. LED finger-light-inspired cards
Any card involving lights is always a crowd-pleaser, and the Malhaii LED finger light Valentine’s Day card does not disappoint.
