Valentine's Day is the perfect time to show your family how much you care, but you don't have to count on expensive gifts or elaborate plans to make things special this year. In fact, some of the simplest touches can actually be the sweetest. This sweet and whimsical greeting card, created by tracing your child's hand, is proof. Enjoy an afternoon with your family creating a special surprise for parents, grandparents or a special teacher. This handmade card says it all!

What You’ll Need:
• Construction paper
• Pencil
• Scissors
• Art supplies (crayons, colored pencils or pens, glitter and glue, etc.)


Step-by-Step:

1. Start by folding a piece of construction paper in half. Lay your child's hand down with her thumb and index finger on the folded side. Trace that cute little hand lightly with a pencil.

2. Cut out the hand shape, leaving the thumb and index finger fold intact.

3. Hold the card with the fingers pointing down and open it to reveal a big surprise...
... a heart-shaped cut-out between the hands!

4. Encourage kids to decorate the outside of their cards in their own unique styles.


Words to Go With:
Need a few Valentine's slogans for your creations?

How about, “My heart belongs to you”?

More Sweet Nothings:
Below are some more fun messages.

Outside: Gotta hand it to you, Valentine...

-or-

Inside Left: You've won me over, Valentine...

Inside Right: Hands down!

Sharon Cindrich is a mother of two and author of E-Parenting (Random House, 2007) and A Smart Girl's Guide to the Internet (American Girl Publishing, 2009). Her new book, A Smart Girl's Guide to Style, debuts in 2010.