Easy Classroom Valentines
It's that time of year again when I try to come up with an original, clever, but easy Valentine idea for my kids' class.
The first idea that came to mind was wrapping candy packages like little presents and I went with it.
Determined to avoid a $10 run to the craft shop which inevitably turns into a $50 craft run, I corralled some potential supplies from my stash: some leftover gold leaf paper we used to make laurel wreath crowns for my daughter's Greek goddess party, a bag of acrylic gems, clear tape, scissors and my trusty glue gun.
On a side note, I bought this glue gun at the hundred yen store in Japan about 10 years ago and it has outlasted a lot of fancy glue guns. So if you're in the market for a glue gun, look for the simplest version you can find. The more expensive ones always burn out on me. Probably because I always forget to turn them off.
Next, I took one of my daughters with me to the drugstore to find candy that we could easily wrap. Conversation hearts aren't even in my top 10 favorite candies, but they do come in a box making them perfect for this craft. And, more importantly, my daughter tells me that the kids in her class are always hoping to get these. Win!
And in case you were worried that conversation hearts are in short supply, never fear. The original makers, Necco, have gone out of business, but Brach and other brands make plenty of them.
If you go to the craft store to buy gold leaf paper, look for the 8 1/2 x 11 packs. It will be much easier to use as wrapping paper than card stock and less expensive. Even better, usse gold wrapping paper.
Step 1) Make sure your child's name is written on the box before you start wrapping.
Step 2) Wrap each box of hearts using clear tape.
Step 3) Hot glue a gem in the center of the package.
I absolutely love how glamorous they look and it only took about 30 minutes to wrap 25 boxes. Compared to some other Valentines I've made with the kids, that's fast. If your kids are going to be making these themselves, I recommend cutting the paper to size first to make it easier.
If you'd like some more Valentine inspiration, check out some of my other posts on the subject:
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