Valentine’s Day Classroom Gifts That Aren’t Food

It’s almost Valentine’s Day!

It seems to me that for many parents, Valentine kid crafts are the source of both sweet memories and headache-inducing, epic messes.

A few years ago, the fun Valentine’s Day classroom parties in my daughters’ school allowed sweet Valentine treats. These days, food is no longer allowed in the classroom for holidays and birthdays, so when we’re tasked with helping to plan a special celebration that kids will love, non-food treats are the only option. 

When I have the time, it feels so good to sit down on a Sunday afternoon with my girls and lose ourselves in glue, paint, stamps and whatever else we’re using for our giant mess of crafty fun.

Okay, maybe I don’t love the mess part so much...

Actually, that’s why I was so excited when my intern, Kersten Lane taught me about these DIY Valentine’s Day Origami Paper Heart Bookmarks. They are mess-free, sugar-free, food-free, allergen-free, and with the exception of the cost of the paper…free.

In fact, this Valentine's Day Heart Paper Bookmark is a great Valentine's Day craft idea for a classroom gift because it's not food, it's inexpensive, and it promotes reading (teachers will appreciate you!)

In the article below, you’ll find step-by-step instructions on how to make DIY Valentine’s Day Origami Paper Heart Bookmarks. Check out this post on Instagram to see how to make 4 other ideas for “Valentine’s Day Classroom Gifts That Aren’t Food, including Pencil Heart Wands and Emoji Magnets.

If you are looking for the FREE PRINTABLES that you’ll need to make the Melted Crayon Hearts and 5 Things I Love About You Scratch Offs, here you go!

Should Parents Avoid Giving Kids Valentine’s Day Sweets?

Food-related Valentine’s Day treats may not be an option in my daughters’ elementary school, but this doesn’t mean I’m opposed to serving sugary sweets and treats on Valentine's Day or other holidays. As a pediatric dietitian, I’m a firm believer that all foods can fit into the context of a healthy, balanced diet, including candy. And studies show that over-restricting a child’s diet can actually lead to greater fixation on the food that is being restricted. The role sweets play at home can also influence a child’s desire for them, so it’s important not to ascribe any sort of moral value to sweets, but to characterize them as just another food among a variety of foods we eat.

In my work, I’ve found that so many parents struggle to find this balance with sweets and treats - if you’re among them, know that you are not alone and that if you’re looking for some support in this department, my picky eating course has an entire module dedicated to navigating sweets and treats.  

Which Valentine’s Day candies parents should avoid giving to kids?

Are there any Valentine’s Day candies or treats for kids that SHOULD be avoided? Yes - any candies they are allergic to and any specific candies that are choking hazards if they are under the age of 4 (i.e., anything hard and round, caramels and taffies or other similar sticky candies, and candies with whole nuts).

If you find yourself with extra candy at the end of a holiday season, consider repurposing it! I like to freeze extra candy and find a time later in the year to melt down the extra chocolate for dipping fruit, or melting extra lollipops for stained glass cookies, or even food processing the extra chocolate for simple no-bake chocolate truffles that the kids and I can make together.

Now, back to the Valentine non-food crafts! I know what you're thinking…origami is too complicated. And I will admit, I had the same hesitation. But I promise you this heart craft is easier than it looks. I’ll walk you step by step through the instructions on how to make Origami Valentines Paper Heart Bookmarks as Valentine’s day gifts for your child’s classmates.

I hope you enjoy making them as much as I did!

Step 1

Start with a square piece of construction paper, card stock, thick wrapping paper, or another paper option you have on hand. You can choose a patterned paper or get the kids to color a Valentine’s Day pattern on one side. The patterned paper pictured is scrapbooking paper I found at our local dollar store.

Step 2

• Fold the page evenly in half one way, then the other so that you have quartered the whole page.

• Next, fold the bottom half in half again up to the middle.

Step 3

• Flip your paper over.

• Fold up the corners to the center. Take care to make sure these are even and match at the center point, or your heart may be lopsided down the road.

Step 4

Flip your page over again, and fold the point up to the top of the page. (This part may be a bit harder to fold for younger kids).

Step 5

• Flip the page over again. Now you are going to make the top of your heart. Push the flaps at the bottom out, as pictured in the photo.

• Fold the corners of the tabs you have made inward, so they are pointed.

• Then fold those points into the center. You can tape or glue these down if they don’t want to stay put.

Step 6

• You're almost there! Fold in the sides of your heart bookmark so that they meet in the center. Tape together.

• Flip over and witness your masterpiece!

Step 7

• Add a tail if you like, just tape it on the inside front of the heart so that your heart bookmark opens properly.

• Have fun with the design! Add ribbons, yarn, glitter, or try making them out of different kinds of paper. Maybe a bookmark made out of a book page? Newspaper? What about wrapping paper? The possibilities are endless!

Enjoy!

Have fun with this origami heart bookmark. Your kids can gift them just like this, or with a kind note or sticker slipped inside. 

Check out this post on Instagram to see how to make 4 other ideas for “Valentine’s Day Classroom Gifts That Aren’t Food, including the Pencil Heart Wands and Emoji Magnets.

And here are the FREE PRINTABLES you’ll need to make the Melted Crayon Hearts and 5 Things I Love About You Scratch Offs.

Before I sign off, for more tips on feeding kids (and for more guidance on how to handle sweets and treats), grab my FREE guide to reducing picky eating. Better yet, sign up for my online course, Solve Picky Eating, a pediatrician-endorsed resource for parents that will help you navigate picky eating behaviors in your kiddos and set them up for a lifelong healthy relationship with food.

Looking for even more ideas on healthy lunches for your kiddos? Grab my free guide below!

And if you're looking for personalized nutrition support for yourself, your babies, and/or your kids, I am currently accepting new clients in my virtual private practice. Looking forward to meeting you online!