When I was in elementary school, one of my favorite days was the one that I got to exchange valentines with my classmates. It was such a thrill to go to the grocery store with my mom and pick out a box of Care Bear or Rainbow Brite themed foil valentines. I’d rush home and carefully tear them apart. Then, I’d spend hours addressing them to my friends, taking extra care to make sure that each one expressed the perfect sentiment for each friend. After we traded them at school, I’d treasure the new valentines I brought home for months.
So when Zack started preschool (what seems like ages ago), I reverted back to my elementary school ways. I was giddy to choose a box of Tonka Truck (his then obsession) valentines for him and was delighted to address them to his new friends. These valentines even came with stickers as favors to include, which I thought was perfect for his little class of 2-year olds.
On Valentine’s Day, Zack came home from preschool with a paper bag he had decorated, and it was full of valentines. Where they simple foil valentines like I had sent? Oh, no. Y’all, I had fallen victim to my first experience with mothers trying to out do one another. There were homemade baked goods, handmade paper valentines and “bouquets” of lollipops. Apparently, my cute Tonka truck valentines made me look like I was just phoning it in. Gah! What a stress for a first-time mother.
When did preschool Valentines become such a big deal? At the time, I blamed Martha Stewart. But now that we are in the age of Pinterest, creative handmade valentines are all the rage. Zack is now in elementary school and Emma is in that same 2-year old preschool class. As I’ve matured as a mother, I no longer feel the pressure to produce the class’s best valentine. But as a sometimes crafter, I can’t help but want to try…
This year, I’m ahead of the game with our valentines finished a month before Valentine’s Day. Write this in your calendars, folks, because I am NEVER early with anything! I designed a cute little valentine for both of my kids to hand out to their classmates. It is unbelievably quick and easy to assemble, and it is inexpensive to boot.
I came up with the sweet sentiment of “Your Friendship is a LifeSaver” and created a little folded tent card to fit onto a snack sized baggie. The back of the card says “Your Friend,” so that we could fill in either Zack’s or Emma’s name. I left a space on the back left side of the card so I could go back and label each one with a classmate’s name once our teachers send the valentine list home.
I bought a few bags of wild cherry flavor individually wrapped LifeSavers (because they were red) in the candy aisle of our grocery store. The candy was less than $2/bag, and I used about three bags to fill 30 valentines. I put five LifeSavers in a snack size baggie – I used Ziploc brand, but I think all brands are basically the same size. Emma had fun helping me fill the bags, and we got a little counting lesson out of the task, too!
Then, I printed on white letter-size cardstock the printable that I designed and cut each one out on the thin black lines. The printable below is available to you as a free download by clicking here. Please be sure to let me know if you have any trouble with the download – I uploaded it as a Zip file to save you the download time, but you can double click the downloaded zip file to open it. Zack wrote his name on his valentines with a red felt marker, and I did the same for Emma’s valentines.
I folded the zippered part of the baggie over so that the bag wasn’t so tall, and stapled a tent card on each side over the zipper. The result is quite adorable, if I do say so myself!
You are welcome to use the above printable and make the same valentines for your child to take to school this year. I’d love to hear if you use this idea!
Have you thought about school valentines yet this year? What kind of cute things have you done in the past?
Those valentines are so cute and I love that they are inexpensive. I have 4 kids in school and the treat giving at Valentine’s day can get expensive. We may be making tons of those. Thanks for the great idea!
You’re so welcome, Michelle! I bet all the treat giving does get expensive with 4 kids – it’s bad enough with just my two!
these are clever, simple and heartfelt! i intend to make them for my good friends — all of us long, long out of pre-school! thanks so much!
Oh, that’s sweet, Jo! How nice to think of your friends on Valentine’s Day.
thank you so much! these are perfect for my 11 year old daughter’s classroom valentines!
You’re so welcome, Alisha! I hope she likes them!
These are awesome! I am for sure making some!
Thanks, Kole! I appreciate it!
These are great! I am going to make these for my fellow teachers that have helped me so much this year! (My first year back after an extended hiatus staying home with babies.
) ) Thank you for sharing them.
Oh, what a sweet thing to do. That’s nice of you, Allyson! I’m sure they’ll enjoy getting those from you.
My husband are teachers at a small Christian school in our little town of London, KY. I am going to make these for our students. Thanks for the free download!
That makes me as happy as I know your students will be, Lisa!
*and I*
:):):)
We’ve been using the store-bought boxed cards for 4 years now, and I must say, I am ready for a change
This is the perfect Valentine gift idea, it works for both girls and boys, so my 8-year old doesn’t have to stress about giving a boy a “mushy” Valentine! Definitely going to use these this year!
Yes, I definitely can relate to the mushy boy valentines. LOL My son is almost 7 and he would be horrified if someone gave him a mushy valentine. HAHAHA!
Simply adorable!
Thanks, Kristin!
Awesome toppers! I didn’t even know Lifesavers came in individual wrapped packages!
The kids here mostly come home with store bought Valentines. Maybe a couple homemade ones in preschool but not many at all. And in preschool we don’t even have to write the names of the receivers on the tags. The teachers say it is easier for the kids to just put one in each bag rather than the teachers/parents trying to sort and bag all of the treats!
Oh, that’s nice, Amy! I think that it would be easier to do it without names! Last year in Kindergarden, my son had to write the names, but I think it was to get some more writing practice in. I guess we’ll find out soon about 1st grade!
Linsay, these are inspired! I’m way older than elementary school mom age, but some projects have multiple applications. As a few of your other commenters have said, these can also be given to adult friends. Also, there’s no reason they have to be only for Valentine’s Day. They’d be cute for a mini surprise or thank you for a friend at any time! If you didn’t need to keep to a Valentine look, other Life Saver colors could be used, too. I intend to make some to keep on hand at home and in my desk at work. I’ll be brightening some days with them. Thank you so much for this clever, inexpensive idea and printable! You’re the best!
That’s a cute idea, Susan! I love the thought of you keeping some on hand just to brighten someone’s day. If I knew how to type that little heart symbol on my keyboard, I’d do it right now.
Thanks so much for the download!!
You are so welcome, Melissa!
thank you forsharing the neat idea!