My funny valentines

The girls and I made some cute valentines for their parties at school later this week.  I think I saw this idea somewhere last year, or maybe even the year before, but I can't remember where.  If someone knows where the idea originated, please tell me so I can give that person credit!  Here!

To do this yourself, take a photo of your child with their hand(s) held out from their body.  The girls stood in front of a white wall so the background would be neutral - a red or pink wall would be super cute, too!  We took many photos with lots of different poses.  I let the girls choose their favorite.  After uploading the photo, I added text in Photoshop.  If you don't have Photoshop or Photoshop Elements, there are other photo editing programs like Picnik that are free.  Make sure you take into account where the lollipop will be on the card when you put the text on it!

Once I was satisfied with the layout, I printed the photos 2 up on card stock.  I made them 4" x 6", but you could certainly print them smaller, if you like.  After cutting the photos out, I used a craft knife to make an X above and below the hand.  You could use a hole punch instead of the X's if the hand is close enough to the edge of the card.  The girls wrote their friends' names on the back of the cards and then threaded the lollipops through the X's.

They were fun to make, easy and pretty fast, too.  I had everything I needed on hand with the exception of the lollipops.  I think the large bag cost about $3 making them one of the most inexpensive projects I have done in a long time.  For other ideas, valentines that we have made in the past can be seen here and here.

Anyone have a good game for a 4th grade valentine party? We are playing Bingo, but are looking for something else to do as well.  Maybe something a little active, but that doesn't take too much space (the classrooms are small)?  I was thinking some kind of relay, but I'd love any suggestions.

Comments

[jen j-m]

that's a great idea!

[Michelle]

I LOVE that idea! If I hadn't already bought their cards I would do this. There is always next year!

[elizabeth]

I Love this idea. We're snowed in today (MD) and can incorporate into our lazy day. Thanks for the great suggestion.

[Walden]

What a wonderful idea!

[Sarah Jackson]

LOVE. so fun.

[amylouwho]

awesomely adorable.

[kim]

haha!!! this is hilarious. :) now if only i weren't too old for valentines or had kids of my own to do this for. nuts.

[Char]

As far as I know, my friend Alissa was the originator of that idea. Here's her blog post from last year: http://24-7-365.blogspot.com/2009/02/lavish-me-with-praise.html

[Mary-- The Yellow Door Paperie]

These are so awesome!

[Erin]

Thank you!

[leslie]

i wish libby was doing valentines this year.... i may have to talk her into making a few of these for friends and family! SO cute!

[Erin Tink]

these are SUPER cute. fantastic idea. :)

[Heather - Dollar Store Crafts]

That's so cute. I bet they'll be a big hit with all the recipients! I tweeted about it! :)

[amy k.]

I LOVE these!

[Mama Urchin]

These are really cute Erin. What a great idea.

[heather harris]

we finished ours last weekend (during the snowstorm!), but we are so doing these next year! LOVE them!

[Krista]

Oh, those valentines are PERFECT!! Have a fun party...what about pin the heart on the tin man?

[Myra]

Cute idea, what about a treasure hunt?

[Cathy]

Super cute! Glad I found your blog. Having a blast drinking my coffee and reading through your posts!

[katie]

that is such a great idea! thanks for the link.

[Becky]

I love the cards. Perfect!

In my son's 3rd grade class, they got a blank sheet of paper and folded it in half. They held it behind their backs. With the other hand, they grabbed their scissors and attempted to cut out a heart out of the paper holding it all behind their back. It is very simple and the class loved it. I enjoyed seeing what kids were spatially orientated and which were not so much!

[annie]

absolutely love this idea!

[cloth.paper.string]

ack! these are fantastic, erin!!

[Susan Petersen]

oh wow, those are amazing

[michelle]

a game we played in 4th grade was fun and actually educational, too. all you need is a deck of cards.

divide the kids in half - each group lined up on either side of a child's desk {so the line leaders are facing each other}. it's a multiplication game you slap two cards down and they multiply each card {ace=0; face cards=10} whoever gets the correct answer first goes to the end of the line...and eventually you'll have one winner. each child gets a treat, of course, but the winner always got something a bit better.

doesn't really have much to do with valentines day {except for the card with hearts, i guess}, but i remember i was in fourth grade.

[Lia]

Last year, my homeroom mom came up with Musical Hearts- like musical chairs. She just taped those big pretty shiny hearts all over the floor and made a cute cd of mostly oldies music and some disco, etc. The kids had to dance their way around the room and we pulled up a heart while they were dancing an were eventually left with a winner. The kids had a lot of fun with it and it was pretty easy.

[susan]

What a great idea! My 4th grader was mortified at the sayings on the valentine cards and the prospect of having to those to the boys! These w/h/b perfect! Next year!!

[jek]

oh so FANTASTIC! love them!

[Islay]

What a cool idea! I wish we celebrated Valentines a bit more impressively in the UK, but I think my friends would think I'd gone mad if I presented them all with lollies!

Maybe for our next party...

[Marsha]

This is cute. I wonder if I can do it with 2 kids...Killing 2 valentines with 1 card! Thanks for sharing!

[carol]

adorable!

one year I was desperate for some activity that kept the kids at bay- we played "thumbs up 7-up" (blast from my past) and the kids LOVED it...oh, and eraser tag was a hit too (blast again)

[Lisa]

Kids at my school love playing "Heads Up 7up"

There are 4-5 students called to the front of the room. Heads go down on desks(no peeking) and each student puts their thumb up in the air.

The 4-5 students at the front of the room quietly go to a classmate's thumb, tap it, and return to the room. When the 4-5 students have all touched one thumb & return to the front of the room, you say, "Heads Up 7up".

Then the kids that had their thumbs touched try and guess who did it. If they are right, they trade places and take a turn. If they are wrong, the tapper stays up front.

When I taught 5th grade, it was a hit. I tried it a couple of years ago with my kindergarten class and they had a fun time too!

[nicole]

brilliant valentines!

[Jennifer]

Super cute!

[Sarah in Indiana]

Such cute Valentines!

Maybe hot potato? Queue up some fun music a la My Funny Valentine, and pass around a stuffed heart.

[martha-caknitter]

Awesome idea. The cards look great!

[emily]

so cute. b. wanted to know all about how you did it, of course.

[[email protected]]

brilliant!!! and so so cute.
xoxo

[Anna - Three Sneaky Bugs]

Love, love, love these! Currently no candy is allowed at preschool but I'm sure this will change once we're at the public schools next year. I will have to remember this. I've got one child's valentines done, one to go. Tomorrow will be a challenge.

[marcia]

Brilliant! I'm so filing this idea for next year! Thanks so much for sharing.

[Jennie]

Awesome post! thanks for the great ideas!!

[Ruth]

Cute idea....next year, next year.....

[Cindy Bandemer]

Game Idea: We never get tired of bean bag balancing relays. You can have challenging balance sites, like nose, elbow, back of neck, etc. I made a dozen bean bags in about 90 minutes if you don't have them already. Valentine colors would be super cute.

[Erin]

ooh! great idea! thanks.

[patricia]

What an excellent and cute idea!!

[Kim D.]

Found this great link with some fun and very easy Valentine Relay Games. http://holidays.kaboose.com/valentines-relay-games.html

Love the Valentines Cards. Such a great idea!

[blair]

That is so awesome! I love the expression on their faces. Now, how to make this work with a chocolate bar...

[The Design Confidential]

I love this this! its the cutest! Do you think I could get my 2 year old to do some of these poses? probably not, oh but I will store this away until he is 5 or 6...thanks erin!

[Jannette]

No good at games, I'm afraid (already groaning at the thought of 3 birthday parties to organize in the next 3 months..), but many thanks for sharing this - I also really like the notebooks you linked to (ah! party favours..! you're brilliant - thank you so much..)

[tracy]

super cute@