Valentine’s Day: Portrait Cards

Our children enjoy drawing and this is an opportunity to use those skills to make personal cards for classmates, friends etc. if drawing is something that your children or students like to do as well!

This activity was featured on The Crafty Crow!  Check them out for more card ideas:

http://www.thecraftycrow.net/2015/02/valentines-day-portrait-cards-kids-can-make.html

Materials

• Cardstock
• Template: card
• Paper cutter or scissors
• Pencil/ Eraser
• Thin black pen
• Multicultural pencil crayons, markers or crayons
• Drawing materials (pencil crayons, makers, crayons, felt markers etc.)
• Watercolour paint, smock, craft tray (*optional)
• Coloured paper & a glue stick (*optional)

Directions

• Print out the cards on cardstock.

• Cut them in half using a paper cutter with an adult or scissors

• Write the recipient’s name in the banner on the top of the card in pencil.  Write a positive descriptor for the recipient in the portion where it says, “I like that you are _______” (clever, brave, imaginative, creative, generous etc.). Print your name and a closing on the last blank line. (“Love, Henry” or “From, Maggie” etc.) Trace over your printing in thin, black marker, should you like.

• Draw a portrait of your classmate with pencil and an eraser and colour it in with drawing materials of your choice.  You could trace over the details with a thin, black pen.

• Paint around your portrait with watercolour paint, should you like. (Be sure to wear a smock and use a craft tray.) Allow to dry overnight.

• You could back your Valentine on coloured paper with a bit of glue as we did.

• Give your Valentine to a friend or loved one.

Purpose

• Creating exciting materials for written communication.
• Celebrating our friends, neighbours, classmates etc.

Safety Notes

• Use scissors or a paper cutter with care and direct adult supervision.  Depending on your child’s age and abilities this may be a job for the parent only to do in advance.
• An eraser can be a choking hazard, be sure to keep it out of the reach of children 0-3 years of age.
• Wear a smock and use a craft tray if you are planning on painting to protect clothing and work surfaces.