If your February calendar looks anything like mine, it’s packed with practices, clubs, homework, meetings, and about a million other things. And then… surprise!…Valentine’s Day shows up.
If you’re short on time but still want your child’s Valentines to be cute, personal, and affordable, these easy DIY ideas are for you. Most of them can be done in under 30 minutes and printed for less than $10 at Walgreens.
Yes, really.
The MVP Trick: Use a Photo You Already Have
You do NOT need a fancy photoshoot.
Just snap a quick picture of your kid doing what they already love:
- In their sports uniform
- Holding their bat, stick, or ball
- Playing outside with a shovel or digger
- Building with Legos
- In their Brownies or Scouts vest
- With their favorite book
- Holding a game controller
- Wearing their favorite hoodie
Then pop it into Canva, add a simple phrase, and boom… you’ve got a custom Valentine that looks way more complicated than it actually is!
Easy Personalized Valentine Sayings
You don’t need to overthink the wording. Simple always wins.
Sports-Themed
- “You’re TOP SHELF!”
- “You’re a total HAT TRICK!”
- “You’re a SLAM DUNK!”
- “You’re a HOME RUN!”
- “You’re a GOAL-getter!”
General + Hobby-Based
- “You’re BUILDING my heart!” (Legos)
- “I DIG you!” (outdoor kids, trucks, shovels)
- “You LEVEL me up!” (video games)
- “You’re a SWEET friend!”
- “I’m stuck on you!” (perfect for sucker Valentines)
- “You are DOH Best!” or “You are A-DOH-ABLE!” (perfect for sample size play-dohs for preschoolers)
The Easiest Hack: Pop-Through Lollipop Valentines
This is one of my favorite quick wins.
- Add your child’s photo to a Canva template
- Print at Walgreens (same day, usually under $5, and they always have coupon codes)
- Cut a tiny triangle using an exacto knife to run the sucker stick through (I’ve found the key is to have the point of triangle facing direction sucker will be)
- Slide a sucker stick through to the back
- Add a small piece of tape on the back to keep the sucker from sliding out or in position to give the intended effect
That last step is KEY. The tape keeps everything in place and saves you from reassembling 25 Valentines in the morning.
All the samples above were all made in Canva, printed at Walgreens, and assembled in under 20 minutes… half effort written names included.
Where to Grab Supplies Quickly (and CHEAPly)
You don’t need to run all over town OR even do the sucker trick – you can print and tie the cards as “tags” to various items that fit your theme/budget or just straight up tape to a bag of skittles / tiny jar of play-doh / page of stickers.
Amazon
- Lollipops
- Mini candies
- Sunglasses
- Treat bags
- Ribbon
- Temporary Tattoos or Stickers
Target
- Dollar Spot goodies
- Mini toys + trinkets
- Valentine candy
Oriental Trading Company
- Bulk Valentines
- Themed favors
- Class packs (tons of ideas for allergy + food free options!)
Why Personalized Beats Pinterest-Perfect
Kids love seeing themselves on their Valentines. It doesn’t need to be fancy. It just needs to feel like them.
When you use:
- Their interests
- Their hobbies
- Their personality
It becomes special… even if it took you 12 minutes!
Last but not least… Let’s Talk About the Real Mom Version
Now for the most important part of this post.
No judgment here.
If you are tired.
If this is your third child.
If you have lost the will to razzle dazzle.
If you are choosing your battles wisely.
You are doing GREAT.
We absolutely sent in 30 packs of Nerds to my daughter’s class, many with just her initial or a few letters written on them (because she was too tired to write her full name), and honestly? It was not a hill worth dying on and I did not give a you know what about it.
Did anyone complain? Nope.
Did they still get candy? Yep.
Did she still feel included? Absolutely.
That’s a win.
And if this year is a “grab the box of Valentines at Target and call it a day”… That is ALSO a win.
