Animals

• Have adults use tape to cover shoe boxes with colored construction paper and cut rectangular slits on the tops. Instruct the kids to cut out a large heart from the same color construction paper and glue it onto one of the box ends. Cut two triangle ears for a cat or two long, floppy ears for a dog out of construction paper and glue them at the top of the heart. Add on googly eyes, a heart-shaped construction paper nose and a mouth with black marker. Cut a tail out of construction paper, bend the end and glue it on the back. Glue on several small construction paper hearts for spots.
  
  

Painting

• Tissue boxes already have a precut opening. Paint the outside of an empty tissue box with gesso to prepare it for painting. A second coat may be needed. Once dry, paint the boxes with any creative Valentine design. Glitter might also be added.
  
  Small, plain wooden woven baskets (with or without handles) can also be directly painted on by children in any design. Stretch fabric tightly across the open basket at both ends, fold it over the sides and glue it in place. Have the fabric pieces cut short so that a vertical hole is left in the middle of the basket for the cards to be placed inside.
  
  

Characters

• Shorten the height of a paper grocery bag with scissors. Glue the bottom of a large heart cut from pink foam paper onto the upper back of the bag. Add googly eyes onto the heart, a red heart-shaped foam paper nose and a smile with black marker. Accordion fold two long strips of white construction paper, glue red construction paper hearts at the ends for hands, and attach these arms onto the sides of the bag.
  
  For another mailbox, staple together the fronts of two large paper plates along the edges. Cut the top off to create an open pocket. On the upper back, glue the bottom of a large circle cut from peach construction paper. Draw on eyes, a nose and mouth with markers, and glue on strips of yarn for hair. Attach a heart-shaped doily onto the front pocket. Have the kids trace their own hands onto peach construction paper and cut them out. Glue hands on both sides of the front pocket holding the heart.
  
  

Decorative Cans

• Have adults cut rectangular slits on plastic lids of empty coffee cans and cut strips of construction paper to the height and length of the cans. Lay the paper flat and have the kids decorate them by gluing on strips of ribbon, hearts cut from foil paper, heart-shaped doilies, sequins and other craft materials. Provide Valentine stickers to use as well. Have the preschoolers wrap their decorated paper around their cans and glue or tape it in place.