Kids can make Valentines for their class

Teachers and room parents send out lists of students in the class to insure everyone gets a valentine during the class party. The list also doubles as a way for kids to learn and practice spelling their classmates' names.

But, parents don't have to head to their nearest store to purchase boxes of tiny cards that are so tiny the kids have a hard time writing their names on the back.

Parents with a supply of construction paper, scissors, basic hole punch, glue, writing utensils and maybe even a little leftover tissue paper can easily help their kids make cards for everyone in their class.

For all designs, parents (or kids, depending on their skill level) will first need to cut the base paper for the cards. In the examples, pink and black paper were used, but kids can use any color they prefer for their cards.

For a good sized card, first fold a sheet of construction paper longways in half. Then, still folded, lightly roll it then flatten it into an even tri-fold. Unfold, and there should be six fairly even rectangles. Cut along all the fold lines, then repeat the entire process until there are enough card bases.

Some children may prefer lined note cards to write their friends name and sign their own. The lines act as the guides they may be familiar with using in school. (The backs of old business cards can also be used- just use a ruler to draw the lines yourself.) The note cards can be glued to the backside of the cards before decorations are placed. If they do not use the note cards, the children will prefer to write messages on the back of the cards before gluing decorations on top.

Next, pick a design and decorate:

For this card design, use a basic hole punch to create small circles of construction paper in colors that will complement the base. (A black base really makes the colors pop.) Then, use glue to stick the circles on the base to create a design, whether it's a heart or a dinosaur. Kids will enjoy using the dots like glitter, and parents will love that dots are much easier to clean up than glitter.

Tip: When using a black as the base color, kids can write their message on the back with a light-colored crayon or colored pencil.

This is a very simple design, playing on X's and O's meaning hugs and kisses. Children can use any coloring tool they'd like to create the board and fill it in. Center square should be a colored-in heart.

For children into initial stationary, this is the card idea for them. Simply cut out the first initial of their name or their friends' names (whichever they prefer) and hearts about the same size (about an inch-and-a-half). Glue the initial and the heart on each card. For a different approach, instead of the initial, cut out U's and glue the heart and U to spell out "love you" in shorthand.

Moms with bright pink tissue paper leftover from a certain store's semiannual sale can find a way to reuse it with this card idea. First, cut the tissue paper into one inch strips. Then, rip into squares. Use glue to draw a design on the base, then either fold or twist the tissue paper and stick the pieces to the design, letting the edges stick, or pop, out.

Cut out hearts from construction paper and glue as many to the base as the child wishes. With design, the child may even want to write his classmate's name on front.

To cut out a heart, fold the paper in half and on the fold, cut a J shape with the two ends on the fold.

Kids can always mix and match the designs or make up their own with the supplies provided and any others (like googly eyes) they may have available.