There’s an easy way to send Valentine greetings, but it's pretty plain: you can go to the store and get a box of cards, sit your kid down and have him chug through a list of names. On the other hand, with very low-tech supplies, and a little extra ingenuity, you can also help your child create a unique card, from the heart, that says a very special “I love you.” Here’s how:
What You Need:
- Red and white card stock, each page 8-1/2”x11”
- Heart template (or draw freehand)
- Pencil
- Ruler
- Silver or white marker (but black is just fine, too!)
- Exacto-knife or very sharp scissors
What to Do:
Start by folding a sheet of red card stock the “hamburger” way—horizontally—so that you end up with a card that is 8’1/2” tall by 5-1/4” wide.- Open the card. On the inside of the cover, use our template to trace a symmetrical heart in pencil.
- Now use the ruler to mark diagonal strips across the heart, in parallel lines, ½” apart.
- Cut ½” strips from the white cardstock, and then weave them into the red heart to make a checkerboard diamond design. Trim the extra white edges on the front and back of the card to the edge of the heart, but to keep them secure, you should also use your glue stick to stick them down on one edge with a dab of glue.
Invite your child to give this card as a special gift to someone who’s especially "woven” into his heart—a special teacher, coach, relative, or friend who’s really treasured. Encourage him to use the inside of the card to write why…and to do it in style. In fourth grade, that means using lots of detail and even experimenting with figurative language like metaphors. It’s also a great time to break out those shiny metallic markers if you have them on hand--there's nothing like a special art tool to remind kids to give a job their best!
By Julie Williams
Julie Williams, M.A. Education, taught middle and high school History and English for seventeen years. Since then, she has volunteered in elementary classrooms while raising her two sons and earning a master's in school administration. She has also been a leader in her local PTA.
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