Valentines - Fun Ideas

Posted on Feb 1st 2016

Fun Valentines Day Ideas
Wonderful Ideas from Nestle's Very Best Baking.com

Sweet to Eat Valentine Cards
These silly little edible Valentine cards are cute, fun to decorate and best of all good to eat! They'll be gone before you can say "I love you." This is a project for even the littlest kids. Just let them be creative. Have your little ones help you make these cards for their school Valentine exchange. They will be a big hit.

WHAT YOU NEED
Box of graham crackers
Royal Icing (recipe below)
Paste food coloring in various colors (available at cake decorating or gourmet cooking store)
Small paint brush
Small paper cups or mini ice cube tray
Spoon
Mini Chewy SWEETARTS, SWEETARTS Hearts, Mini Chewy SPREE and SPREE Hearts

HOW TO DO IT
Make Royal Icing
One egg white
1/8 tsp. cream of tartar
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
Beat egg white and cream of tartar with electric mixer until foamy. Gradually beat in sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form. Add a few drops of water to slightly thin 1/3 of the icing to paint consistency. Divide the rest of the icing into small paper cups or mini ice cube tray and add desired food coloring.
Spread thinned colored icing onto the graham cracker square using the back of a spoon. Let dry. Using a paint brush, decorate with colored icing as desired (see photo for ideas). Affix candies onto the cards using additional royal icing.

Valentine Purse-Lettes
Pretty candy filled purses will delight your little girl far beyond Valentine's Day. They're just so fancy and special, yet they are easy to make.

WHAT YOU NEED
Red and pink craft foam sheets (available at craft stores)
Craft glue
Single hole punch
Safety scissors
Satin or other decorative ribbon
Paint pens or glitter pens
NESTLÉ TURTLES Bite Size and SWEETARTS Hearts Treat Size Bags

HOW TO DO IT
Print out the template and trace the larger heart shape onto foam, twice, indicating where the holes should be punched.
Cut foam hearts out and punch holes.
"Sew" two pieces together using the ribbon, leaving enough ribbon at each end to create a decorative handle.
Trace the smaller heart shape onto the contrasting color foam sheet and glue to front of the purse.
Using paint or glitter pen, decorate the smaller heart. You might say:
o "Won't you be my Turtle Dove?"
o "Won't you be my SWEETARTS?"
Hang the little purse on your child's bedroom door handle or breakfast chair for a sweet Valentine's Day surprise.

FOLLOW UP FUN
Replace the smaller heart with a new piece of foam and add your child's name or other decoration. Your child can add this adorable "purse-lette" to a "dress-up box."

Sweet Candy Wreath
You'll "love" making this very sweet wreath to hang on your door or in your kitchen. It will delight family and friends during the Valentine season.

WHAT YOU NEED
8 inch Styrofoam heart form
4 yards of 2 inch wide, sheer, red decorative ribbon
Craft glue gun and glue sticks
Mini Chewy SWEETARTS
SPREE Hearts
BUTTERFINGER and CRUNCH Heart-shaped Candies

HOW TO DO IT
Cut one yard of ribbon and put aside to create a hanger for the wreath. Using the glue gun, attach one end of the decorative ribbon to the back of the Styrofoam heart. Wrap the ribbon around the heart form until completely covered. Glue the candies to one side of the heart, alternating between smaller and larger candies to create a random pattern. Fold the remaining yard of ribbon in half and tie in a bow. Lay the wreath on top of the ribbon, with the bottom loop of the ribbon inside of the heart form. Slip the bow through the bottom of the ribbon and pull upwards to form the hanger. Glue a BUTTERFINGER or CRUNCH Heart-shaped Candy in the middle of the bow.

FOLLOW UP FUN
Have your child help you decorate the wreath and give to his or her teacher. Make several as hostess gifts.

Be Mine Placemats and Napkin Rings
You'll set the sweetest Valentine table with easy to make placemats and napkin rings. The kids won't be able to wait to sit down for breakfast or dinner!

WHAT YOU NEED
Rectangular sheets of craft foam* (One sheet will make one placemat and napkin ring)
Craft foam hearts*
Craft glue or glue gun and glue sticks
Safety scissors
Clothespins or paper clips
Mini Chewy SWEETARTS, SWEETARTS Hearts and Mini Chewy SPREE
*(available at craft stores)

HOW TO DO IT
Cut a 1-1/2 inch wide strip from the narrow end of the foam sheet.
Form the strip into a napkin ring, just wide enough to fit around a folded cloth napkin. Glue together, trimming any excess. Hold together with clothespins or paperclips until completely dry, a few hours or overnight. Decorate edges of remaining craft foam (the placemat) and one side of the napkin ring with candies and foam hearts, using a glue gun or craft glue.

FOLLOW-UP FUN
This is a great time to discuss table manners with your kids. Teach them to place their napkins in their laps and keep their elbows off the table. Teach them the proper way to set a table. It will be lots of fun for them using the Valentine placemats.

Valentine Secret Pals
A Fun lead-in to Valentine's Day is to offer your children the opportunity to show love and kindness to family members by being Secret Pals. Revealing their identities on Valentine's evening will be the sweetest party.

WHAT YOU NEED
Paper
Envelopes
Pencils or pens
Hat
Tape
NESTLÉ WONDERBALL (one for each member of the family)

HOW TO DO IT
On the first day of February, discuss with your children how Valentine's Day is a time to express our love and kindness to those we care about. Tell children that they will draw a family member's name from a hat. That person will be their Secret Pal. Remind them not to reveal their Pal. Tell the kids to look for ways to show kindness and love to their Secret Pal, but to keep it a secret. For example, if they notice the Pal's coat on the floor, they could hang it up without telling. Or they could write a sweet note to the person and leave it on their pillow. On Valentine's Day, have a special meal together. Earlier in the day, provide everyone with and unopened WONDERBALL. Have each Secret Pal carefully open the WONDERBALL box and place a small note inside announcing whose Secret Pal they are. (Younger children may need help.)
Happy Valentine's Day Natalie!
Your Secret Pal
Andrew

Then ask them to tape their Secret Pal's name to the top of the box and hide the WONDERBALL somewhere in the house. (Parents: You may want to limit the search to just a few rooms.)
Give each family member a piece of paper and an envelope and have them write down a clue that leads to the location of the surprise that will reveal their Secret Pal! For example:
Natalie,
Look in the pocket of your favorite jacket.
Brian,
If you don't find the surprise, you won't sleep well tonight

Have each family member place the envelope with the clue inside at their Secret Pal's plate before the special meal begins. After the meal is over, have everyone open their envelopes using the clues to hunt for the identity of their Secret Pal! When everyone has found their WONDERBALL surprise, go back to the table to enjoy this special treat and talk about all of the nice things that were done by each Secret Pal.

FOLLOW UP FUN
Suggest to your kids that they choose someone in the neighborhood or at their school to be a Secret Pal. Remind them that they don't need to reveal their identity this time. They can just make someone's day sweeter!