Don't come at me, but Valentine's is a mixed bag. There's the sentimental side of me that gets hyped for cookie decorating and cut out doily hearts - and the cynical side that raises an eyebrow at any commercially-driven, made-up holiday.
Do we really need another occasion to pump our kids with crap candy just after we spent a month purging the junk and resolving for a healthier year? OK, ok, maybe I'm a bit more salty than sweet on Valentine's Day this year, but I just stumbled on the cutest craft idea that changed my tune.
Like a cupid arrow right into the heart of the matter, this V-day activity checks all the boxes: turns trash into treasure, low mess, low cost, low commitment, fool proof and fun with small kids. We will be dolling these out this year for all three kid's classroom Valentine's exchange.
Here's what you need:
Broken crayons
Heart mold - (we used this size but you could always go larger)
Paper plates
Chef's knife
Pre-heat your oven to 200 degrees F.
Have your little helpers peel the paper off the broken crayons. Each of my kids used a paper plate to house their materials. They were surprisingly focused and entertained by this task. They can decorate their plate while they're at it.
Break, or cut, the crayons into smaller pieces and heap each heart with choice color combos of broken crayons.
Pro tip: sprinkle the the tiniest bits of crayon shreds onto the bottom of the mold for a confetti-like result.
My kids had a blast curating their hearts - each filled a designated row and felt lots of ownership over its results.
Once the mold is overflowing with crayon bits, place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and into the oven for about 20 minutes. Add time as needed - until crayons are melted and meld together.
Remove from over and let cool.
Pop out of the mold and enjoy!
We will be sharing our crayon hearts along with homemade notes with classmates this Valentine's.
Comentarios