Valentine’s Day & St. Patrick’s Day Crafts
February 1, 2024
During my years teaching at a day care/preschool and teaching elementary Sunday school classes, I found that boys liked to create craft projects just as much as the girls. In the winter, many parts of the country have evenings that are too cold to venture outside. Other parts of the country have milder winters. Below are several Valentine’s Day and St. Patrick’s Day craft ideas for your Ranger Kids and Discovery Rangers groups.
VALENTINE’S DAY CRAFTS
RANGER KIDS
I tried to select craft projects that K–2nd graders could complete with little individual supervision. If you are the only leader with several boys, you will need crafts that boys can work on with some independence, allowing you to focus on the younger boys in the class.
Love You Card
The is a great craft that is very simple. The basic supplies of construction paper, pencils, scissors, and glue will let your Ranger Kids make this simple card. Markers and stickers are optional. You can trace each kid’s hands or have them trace each other’s hands on construction paper if you have a larger class. The website shows using transfer letters, but you could use stickers for the same effect. You could also have the boys write the words with markers.
https://tiffkeetch.blogspot.com/2010/06/this-much-card-and-kid-canvas.html
Bouquet of Hearts
You don’t need many craft supplies to make this beautiful bouquet. You’ll need white card stock, construction paper or colored paper, markers, ribbon or yarn, and glue. Depending on the size of your class, you could precut some of the hearts for the boys decorate. Before class, cut different colors of construction paper or colored paper into smaller squares, which will help the boys to cut the hearts out faster. When looking at the final project, remember not to glue the hearts flat to the paper.
https://makeandtakes.com/bouquet-hearts-card-valentines-day
DISCOVERY RANGERS
I tried to select craft projects that 3rd–5th graders could complete with little supervision. If you are the only leader with several boys, you will need crafts that boys can work on with some independence, allowing you to focus on the boys who may need extra help.
3D Flower Card
I know this is a lot of pink but think of the boys giving this to their moms. The supplies of various shades of red and pink construction paper, white card stock, glue, hot glue, and scissors (regular and scalloped, optional) will allow your Discovery Rangers to create some beautiful flower cards. You will also need a box of conversation hearts. The scalloped scissors I listed as optional because they can be difficult to use, which could cause frustration.
Rose Filled Heart Card
This could be a project the boys work on over two weeks. Ou’ll need colored paper (pink, red, and orange), scissors, glue, and pencils. There is a template if you can’t draw the perfect heart. If you want to do this over two weeks, the boys can make most or all the rosettes the first week. Then, they can fill in the heart with the rosettes the second week. If you only have one week, you may consider making most of the rosettes before class.
https://www.easypeasyandfun.com/rose-filled-heart-card/
Template: https://www.easypeasyandfun.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/rose-heart-template-1.pdf
RANGER KIDS & DISCOVERY RANGERS
This section was too good not to keep from 2021. These are great activities the Ranger Kids and Discovery Rangers can do together, especially for a Christmas party.
Yarn Heart
You’ll need yarn (pink or red), cardboard, pencil, and tape. No matter the age, I recommend cutting the hearts out of cardboard before class. Starting to wrap the thread around the cardboard heart can be frustrating at first, especially for boys that don’t have good hand dexterity yet. However, it will help if you tape one end of the yarn to the cardboard.
https://www.tidbits-cami.com/valentine-yarn-heart/
Snack Idea: Tic Tac Toe Cracker
If you want to make a special snack for Valentine’s Day, then this is simple. You’ll need graham crackers, candy melts (pink, red, or white), plastic sandwich bags, and conversation hearts. The link shows using to colors of cany melts; however, for ease, you could use one. After melting the candy melts and transferring the chocolate to the bags, snip a tiny piece of the corner. You can make the tic tac toe board or allow the boys to make their own. They will have a fun placing the different conversation hearts on their boards.
https://www.sippycupmom.com/valentine-tic-tac-toe-snack-craft/
Coloring Pages
Here are some coloring pages if you have time at the beginning or end of class.
- Bear: https://www.coloring-page.net/pages/valflower.html
- Elephant: https://www.coloring-page.net/pages/valentine-13.html
- Bee: https://www.coloring-page.net/pages/valentine-04.html
- Puppy: https://www.coloring-page.net/pages/valentine-03.html
St. Patrick’s Day Crafts
RANGER KIDS & DISCOVERY RANGERS
Tissue Paper Shamrock
I think this is a great craft for all ages. With simple supplies of green tissue paper, white card stock, glue, and scissors, this craft project will keep any boy busy. This is also a template for the shamrock. This could be worked on over the course of two weeks. If you want to save time, you can cut out the shamrocks before class.
https://www.theresourcefulmama.com/crepe-paper-shamrock-st-patricks-day-kid-craft/
Template: https://www.theresourcefulmama.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Shamrock-template.pdf
Shamrock Stamps
You don’t need many supplies. With pipe cleaners, clothespins, green paint, plates, and construction paper, any boy can make a St. Patrick’s Day card with this stamp technique. The hardest part will be shaping the pipe cleaners into the shamrock shape. Don’t forget to have old shirts or trash bags to use as smocks. Boys tend to enjoy getting messy.
https://www.sunnydayfamily.com/2015/02/shamrock-stamps.html
Dad Joke Cards
With limited supplies of construction paper, scissors, glue sticks, markers (optional), and the printed templates, the boys can make several St. Patrick’s Day cards. The site doesn’t give any instruction, so you can make the cards a couple of different ways. Once the boys choose the jokes they want for their cards and cute out, they can cut a piece of construction paper in four squares. Then, they glue the joke onto the construction paper. Finally, they trim the construction paper so that it looks like a frame around the joke. Another way is to make a traditional card by folding a piece of construction paper in half. Have the boys glue the joke to the front. They can write a message inside if they want.
https://www.sunnydayfamily.com/2015/02/shamrock-stamps.html
Four-Leaf Clover Sun Catcher
This project could take more prep time before class. You’ll need contact paper, scissors, tissue paper (shades of green and gold), white card stock. What I like about this project is that each one will be a unique expression of the boy’s artistic ability, and that’s makes them all beautiful. Depending on your time in class for the project, I recommend printing and cutting out the four-leaf clover shapes. Remember, you must cut out the shape and cut out the inside, leaving only the outline of the shape. As you will see on the website, she cute the tissue paper in tiny squares. However, you can simply tear the tissue paper into small pieces before class. You could also have the boys cut or tear the tissue paper for their projects.
https://threelittleferns.com/2016/03/four-leaf-clover-sun-catcher.html
Templates: https://threelittleferns.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/clover.png
Leprechaun Hat
You’ll need large craft sticks, glue, card stock, colored paper (black and yellow), green markers (optional), green paint (optional), foam paintbrushes (optional). This craft could be completed on one or two weeks. If you want to complete it in one week, you may want to glue the craft sticks to the card stock before class. With the one-week option, I recommend having they boys use green markers to color the hat. With the two-week option, you could have the boys paint the hats the first week and decorate the hats the second week. Don’t forget to have old shirts or trash bags to use as smocks.
https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/a46344/leprechaun-bait-recipe/
Snack: Leprechaun Bait
You’ll need Corn Chex cereal, pretzels, Lucky Charms cereal, green M&M’s, white chocolate chips, green sanding sugar, large bowl, and spatula. This is like any puppy chow recipe. You’ll need to melt the chocolate before pouring it over the other ingredients and mixing. All the boys will want to help.
https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/a46344/leprechaun-bait-recipe/
Coloring Pages
Here are some coloring pages if you have time at the beginning or end of class.
- Shamrocks: https://www.coloring-page.net/pages/st-patricks-day-07.html
- Pot of Gold: https://www.coloring-page.net/pages/st-patricks-day-08.html
- Hat: https://www.coloring-page.net/pages/st-patricks-day-09.htm
Sandra Blanchard
Administrative Assistant to the National Director
Royal Rangers USA
Royal Rangers USA