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Spread the love!
The last thing our kids need is more sugary treats, especially when they are at school. Do teachers a favor and send kids to school with one of these creative treat-free valentine ideas (with cute printables). These fun projects will engage little hands and minds while winning the hearts of classmates. And they’re easy to pull off!
Click the arrow above the image or the link at the bottom of each page to view our entire roundup. Or, skip to the Valentine’s Day non-sweet treat (complemented with an easy, printable card) that you think your kids will love on the list below:
- Toy airplane card
- Lip-shaped whistle
- Crazy straws
- Valentine’s Day pencil and maze
- Valentine’s Day stickers
- Color-by-number picture and crayons
- Rubber band bracelets
- Watercolors
- Glow sticks
- Paper airplane
- Heart-shaped erasers
- Whistle
- Bouncy ball
- Paper mustache
- Paper heart necklace
Up first: High-flying valentine
More Valentine’s Day ideas:
Editor’s note: This article was originally published a few years ago and updated most recently with new valentine ideas in January 2025 by ParentMap’s associate editor, Kari Hanson. This article contains affiliate links. If you purchase products through links on our site, ParentMap may earn an affiliate commission.
High-flying valentine
Kids will have a great time with these small foam planes that make a great Valentine’s Day (or any day!) treat. Simply print out the card at the Simple Every Day Mom blog, attach a foam plane and get ready to duck!
Up next: Blow me a kiss
Blow me a kiss
These lip-shaped whistle valentines from the Persia Lou blog are the fastest way to bliss, at least for the kids who discover them in their pile of valentine cards. If you play your (valentine) cards right, you’ll make just enough for your child’s classmates, which means all that whistling bliss will be happening at other homes, too!
Up next: Sip sip hooray!
Sip sip hooray!
If you aren’t yet old enough to vote, chances are you find it endlessly fascinating to watch liquid make its way through a silly straw. So will your child’s classmates with this simple valentine.
Up next: Ah-MAZE-ing
Ah-MAZE-ing
Teachers will be thrilled with a valentine that engages kids in strategic thinking, like this one from Kara Creates. But the kids won’t notice the happy smile on their teacher’s face; they will be too busy making their way through the maze with their new pencil.
Up next: I’m stuck on you
I’m stuck on you
Notebooks, shirts and car windows are all on their way to a freshening up, as the lucky children receiving these valentines get busy decorating with their own sheet of stickers. Stickers will never go out of style thanks to Kiki & Company!
Up next: Color my heart
Color my heart
This valentine from A Mom’s Take involves a cognitive task that is perfect for kindergarteners through third graders. However, kids of any age will have fun watching their picture emerge as they match color to number.
Up next: Rainbow Loom valentine
Rainbow Loom valentine
If you joined the Rainbow Loom mania at some point and now have a million tiny, colorful rubber bands all over your house, then seize the moment! Paging Supermom’s idea will help you keep your child busy, get all of those rubber bands turned into bracelets and (even better) out of your house.
Up next: You make me happy when skies are gray
You make me happy when skies are gray
Close your eyes for a moment and remember the feeling of getting a brand-new watercolor palette, each glossy color still in its rightful place, not yet muddied by adjacent colors. Oh, the endless creative possibilities! Smart School House’s cute valentine will inspire that delight in every child who receives one.
Up next: Glow stick valentine
Glow stick valentine
Short on time, money or both? Mommy Gaga has a valentine that is a bargain, and once you’ve printed off the hearts, your child can pretty much handle putting these together. Not only that, you can also get an evening to yourself with the leftover glow sticks — just mention glow-in-the-dark tag and send them into the backyard!
Up next: Paper airplane valentines
Paper airplane valentines
A little mayhem now and again is good for the soul. Imagine all of the happy mayhem that will take place when a roomful of kids engage in flight testing their new paper aircraft, thanks to No Biggie. Maybe this is a good one to hand out just before recess!
Up next: Can’t erase friendship
Can’t erase friendship
At the beginning of the year, students had nice, tall pencils with good erasers, but by February they are all biting the ends of their pencils to coax out a bit more eraser (you remember, don’t you?). Thanks to this cute printable box on Etsy, classmates will appreciate the new eraser they receive in this valentine in the middle of the school year. Pop in a classic pink eraser or any fun shape your heart desires.
Up next: Blown away valentine
Blown away valentine
I can’t say if the parents of your child’s classmates will appreciate this valentine from Dukes & Duchesses, but I can guarantee every child will love it. Who knows — this gift may even unearth a musical prodigy. Kids approach most instruments with an amazing tenacity to create music, so long as lessons aren’t involved.
Up next: You make my heart bounce
You make my heart bounce
Okay, confession: I have never outgrown my love of bouncy balls. Whenever one makes its way into our home, I delight in making it hit the floor and then the ceiling. It’s equally delightful to watch my kids try to chase it down as it goes haywire after the initial floor-to-ceiling bounce. We’ll be making these valentines from The Crafting Chicks. I think I’ll buy a few extra balls … you know, just in case.
Up next: I mustache you …
I mustache you …
Who knows how a mustache craze started, but there’s no denying one has taking place. These cute handmade cards from A Mom’s Take are so fun. Sweethearts of all ages will have fun snapping pictures with these photo props (get creative and encourage kids to make other photo props for these cards too).
Up next: Spreading the love
Spreading the love
We love this cute take on festive leis from Makezine. Kids will enjoy spreading the love as they write short messages on the hearts, making these feel-good accessories sweet and stylish.
