Easy Paper Heart Banner Craft

After a week of being stuck inside with colds, we needed to do some happy Valentine's Day decorating. I thought our mantle was the best place to start, and since my boys are really into drawing with markers right now, this was the perfect easy craft for us to try. This craft would also work great in a playgroup or preschool setting, as each kid can decorate their own heart.

All you need for this craft is red & pink construction paper, markers/crayons/paint - whatever you want to decorate your hearts, and paper fasteners.

Start by cutting out large hearts from red & pink construction paper. I make hearts like I learned as a kid myself - by folding lengthwise, drawing half a heart, cutting it out, and unfolding.

You can make as many as you'd like for the length of your banner. I did 12 total for my mantle (6 of each color).

Then let the kids go crazy decorating their hearts. My boys love coloring with markers right now, so that's what they wanted to do. You can do painting, crayons, glitter and glue - be creative!

Once all your hearts are decorated, secure them together with the paper fasteners. I alternated red and pink.

That's it! Your banner is ready to hang. I used clear command strips to hang mine but you can use tape as well.

Our snowman looks much happier now and ready for Valentine's Day!

This was a really simple and customizable craft that is a lot of fun for kids of all ages. We had a great time putting it together and now we're ready for Valentine's Day!

Do you have a lot of craft supplies? Check out my Complete Craft Storage Solution!

Need any supplies for this project? Here you go: (affiliate links)

Valentine's Day Breakfast Cookies with Hidden Vegetables

I love sweets, and it's easy to go overboard with candy and sugary treats on Valentine's Day. I wanted to find something fun and festive for the holiday to give to my boys for breakfast without going crazy on the sugar. I had some beet puree in the freezer and thought it would be the perfect thing to make a little treat that had the perfect Valentine's Day color but also packed a nutritional punch.

These cookies came together really easily - the hardest part is pureeing the beets. But if you like to sneak vegetables into your foods then I recommend having a few vegetable purees on hand in your freezer. This way you can make a big batch and just defrost what you need when you're ready to make a recipe.

If you need instructions on how to make the beet puree you can find them here (along with my Chocolate Chip Banana Bread recipe).

For the breakfast cookies, you will need:

2 cups quick oats
1 cup beet puree
1 egg
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl and stir until combined.

The beets just make the most gorgeous color, don't you think?

Scoop the dough into small balls onto a cookie sheet (I love my dough scoop).

Bake at 350 for 15 minutes or until firm and set. This recipe made 18 balls using my scoop.

Allow to cool before serving.  The beets have an earthy flavor that is much more evident when the cookies are warm. Once they are cooled you will not notice it.

These cookies are packed with nutrition thanks to the beets, plus a little extra punch of protein from the egg and protein powder. They make a perfect on-the-go breakfast or afternoon snack. They are not very sweet, so don't expect a sugary flavor.  

I'm always trying to find new ways to help make sure that my toddlers eat healthy foods, even if it means hiding a veggie or two. That's why I am so excited about Dr. Orlena Kerek's FREE Online Workshop on How To Help Your Children Eat Healthily. (affiliate links) It's happening on Wednesday, January 28 and will be packed with information on creating healthy habits, introducing new foods without stress, and my favorite idea - nothing is forbidden in moderation.

I will definitely be participating as I have one very picky eater! My other toddler is a little more accepting of new foods but I want to make sure I have all the tools I can to keep him that way for life.

Be sure to check out this awesome FREE workshop (affiliate link) with me!

If you need even more guidance, check out Dr. Orlena's full Healthy Eating for Kids Course. (affiliate link) It includes:

• 9 videos over 4 weeks

• Personal coaching from Dr. Orlena

• Access to a Facebook group and Course Materials

It is a great value as you can't put a price on healthy eating habits for life! 

Need any new kitchen gear? Here you go! (affiliate links)

Taking snacks on the go? Check out the awesome totes from Thirty One! (consultant link)

Cupid's Mailbox Activity with Free Printable Valentine Cards

My Santa's Mailbox has been my most popular activity on the blog so far, and it was one of our favorites around Christmas. Now that Valentine's Day is coming up I thought we'd make one for our Valentines too!

This is a very easy craft that turns into a fun activity for toddlers and preschoolers. It would work great in a pre-school classroom setting for collecting Valentine cards, or at home just for fun! And it recycles a baby wipes box, which makes it frugal too.

To make the mailbox, you will need:

• Empty baby wipes box. A tissue box will also work but it will not be as sturdy and may not last for long.
• Red, pink, and white felt.
• Mod Podge or other fabric glue
• Scissors

Directions:

Cut out a piece of red felt large enough to wrap around the base of your wipes box. I used a Huggies box and mine was 3.75" x 23". Coat the base of the box in Mod Podge and wrap the red felt around. Trim any excess around the bottom.

Cut out heart shapes from the pink and white felt. I do hearts like I learned in kindergarten, by folding the felt in half and cutting a half-heart around the fold. It's the only way I can make them even.

Coat the backs of your felt hearts with Mod Podge and adhere to your box. If your felt is thin, you may have some glue leak through, so apply sparingly. I glued a few to the top too. Allow to dry.

Your mailbox is done! Now you need some Valentines to put inside. I've put together a set of printable cards that can be cut to fit through the top (depending on your box of course). Print these out on card stock for best results.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE CARDS

Now you're ready to play! Your toddler will have lots of fun putting the cards into the mailbox. 

And you can play a fun matching game with the cards! Put one of each kind in the mailbox, then show your toddler a card and have him find the match. You can also have them draw their own Valentines for friends and family to keep inside their mailbox.

Lots of fun possibilities!  Happy Valentine's Day!

Need any of the materials used in this craft? Here you go: (affiliate links)

Need help organizing your craft supplies? Check out my Organizing & Totes page!