Make simple and fun Valentine cards in the shape of a heart or with a heart-shaped top. These card projects are simple enough for younger children and people with special needs to make. Most of the cards have a circus theme, and one is especially designed for giving to your sweetheart.
Related crafts: Checkout the Simple Valentines project featuring quick and easy Valentines with either 6 or 9 Valentines to a sheet—perfect for classroom giving! For pop-up cards and more easy to make greeting cards, see the projects listed in Greeting Cards Kids Can Make.
Choose a card to make. Download the pattern for the card and print it on cardstock.
(Paper may be used, but the resulting card will be flimsy and less able to stand up.)
There are four card designs—most have a circus theme. Some cards are heart-shaped and others have a heart-shaped top. The Seahorse Valentine is especially designed with sweethearts in mind. All of the designs are offered in color and black & white. While the color patterns are quicker to make, the black & white patterns allow for the most creativity. Whichever pattern you use, make sure your cards truly come from the heart by adding your own creative touches.
Patterns are Adobe PDF files. The Adobe Reader is available for free.
All of Aunt Annie's project patterns are designed to be printed on standard letter-size paper (8.5"x11" or A4). When printing from Adobe Reader, you may need to select Auto-Rotate and Center or Choose paper source by PDF page size to ensure the best fit.
Use crayons, colored pencils or markers to add color to the black & white pattern. Perk up either pattern by adding touches of glitter or sequins or paper punches. Use your imagination!
Fold the card in half along the black line on the left side of the picture. Scoring the fold line will make for easier and neater folding.
To score a line, you need a ruler and a blunt tip (empty ballpoint pen). Place the ruler on the line and trace the line with the blunt tip. This makes a dent in the cardstock that will fold naturally.
Cut straight across the bottom of the pattern on the line marked. Cut around the top of the card. For heart-shaped cards, cut up the side and over the top of the heart to the fold. For cards with a small heart at the top, cut just inside the line, over the top of the heart and down to the fold.
Be sure not to cut through the fold—it is needed to hinge the card front to the card back.
Place the card in an
envelope (invitation size works well, or use
this pattern to make your own). You might also
decorate the envelope.That's it! Who will receive your
pretty Valentine?
Related craft: For small Valentines to give to an entire classroom of kids, see the Simple Valentines craft project.
Tip: Make the cards in colors of your choice using crayons, markers or colored pencils. This card was colored with crayons.
Tip: Use a tiny heart punch to make small hearts to glue on the background. This card was colored with markers.
Tip: Use your imagination to dream up a circus scene for the background. This card was colored with colored pencils.
