If you were to think about your favorite thing that you put out in your home to decorate for a holiday, what would it be? At Christmas, there’s nothing more heartwarming than hanging sweet little homemade ornaments with tiny handprints and photos of big cheesy smiles. What about handprint turkeys at Thanksgiving? The best, right?!
While Valentine’s Day decorations aren’t as elaborate as some of the more popular holidays, their handmade nature is just as sweet. Many people like to set out jars of candy or switch out their guest bathroom towels for themed ones. Saving homemade cards and love notes over the years make for a fun decoration to hang up every year.
With little ones (especially toddlers) at home, the Valentine’s Day holiday is ideal for doing crafts and projects together. Knowing that you’ll cherish the time and the craft itself for years to come. Plus, handmade gifts are fun to hand out to classmates, teachers, friends and family members. Sharing love is what it’s all about after all.
We’ve compiled Valentine’s Day craft ideas that will show your kids how to use their imagination with recycled items they find at a thrift store. Finding something old and giving it a makeover is a stimulating creative exercise for kids. Seeing how their ideas turn into reality has many benefits beyond the cute end result.
Some of the thrift store Valentine’s Day craft ideas we found include:
- Using recycled Scrabble letters to spell a sweet message on a card, like “I Love You” or “You’re Sweet”
- Decorated jars to hold candles or candy
- Making a tic tac toe game using an old wooden cake stand
- Adding a homemade felt heart to a recycled teacup
- A love robot made from old boxes or crates and craft paper
- Hand-painted pots for flowers or treats
- Upcycled white t-shirts and cookie cutters to make a Valentine’s Day shirt
Scrabble Letters
Head to the children’s game area at Goodwill and you’ll likely find an old Scrabble game. Use the letters to make Valentine’s Day cards by spelling out sweet messages. You can even use the blank pieces to draw on your own themed design.
DIY Candy Jars
Shallow bowls and little jars make great candy dishes. Spruce them up with some glitter and glue or colorful craft balls. Let your kids keep them in their rooms or place them around the house with special treats inside.
Tic Tac Toe Board
Find an old wooden cake stand in the kitchen area at Goodwill. Paint over it with a solid color. Then, draw the lines to create a tic tac toe board using decorative tape. Then make your own X and O out of construction paper or doilies for the game pieces.
Heart-Felt Teacup
This DIY would be cute for a sweet gift or decoration for the house. Using vintage teacups found at Goodwill, you could even make a group of these to give to a class or group of friends.
Love Robot
If your kids are into robots and gadgets (even if they’re not) this is a creative Valentine’s Day craft. The robot is made using old boxes and the other parts come together with construction paper and other craft supplies.
Hand Painted Candy Pots
Instead of giving a bag full of candy, these candy pots give a more thoughtful touch to your gift. Scoop up some old outdoor pots and get creative with all kinds of paints and designs. Then fill your pot with a variety of Valentine’s Day-themed candy and goods.
Valentine’s Day Outfit
Recycle a plain white shirt to create a festive outfit for your kids to wear on Valentine’s Day. Use puffy paint to write a sweet message or iron on a heart. You can even use heart-shaped cookie cutters and glitter like in this tutorial. Let your kids get creative with however they want to decorate their shirt.
Feeling inspired? Head to Goodwill to hunt for craft supplies. With our sizable selections, you never know what you’ll find. Find a location near you to start shopping.
