Make a Paper Plate Heart Purse

Valentine's Day means an avalanche of cards and candy, but where to put them all? This sweet purse is an absolute snap to make, and looks adorable slung over your preschooler's shoulder. A couple paper plates and a creative kid are just about all you need to get started, and it's an easy way to sneak in a bit of fine motor practice.

What You Need:

• 2 paper plates
• Markers or crayons
• Stapler
• Decorations such as beads, stickers, sticky foam cut-outs, gems, feathers, lace, or buttons
• Glue
• Ribbon
• Hole punch

What You Do:

1. Start by having your child color and draw on the paper plates using markers or crayons.
2. When she's done, fold each paper plate in half. Holding one paper plate in each hand with the folded edges facing away from each other, nest one of the plates inside the other at an angle so they form a heart.
3. Staple the plates together at the bottom and at the top of each side of the purse to secure them together.
4. Let the decorating begin! Let your child have at the decorations, gluing on beads, lace, buttons, and whatever decorations she has. The more the merrier, so don't be shy!
5. Punch a hole near the top of each side of the purse and thread the ribbon through.
6. Cut the ribbon to the desired length and tie off in a bow.

Come Valentine's Day, your preschooler will love watching her purse fill up with valentines.