A Sweet DIY Valentine’s Day Banner Kids Can Make and Hang With Pride
There is something so charming about handmade holiday decorations. I love walking through our home and spotting little pieces the kids created, tucked into corners or displayed proudly on the fridge. Namely there is something especially sweet about Valentine’s décor. It’s soft, colorful, and full of meaning in a way only hearts and doily-covered crafts can be.
This DIY Valentine’s Day banner has quickly become one of our favorite February traditions. It checks all my boxes as a mom:
• easy setup and cleanup
• uses simple supplies
• works for multiple ages
• keeps the kids engaged
• doubles as meaningful décor
But the real reason I love this banner is because it becomes a true reflection of who my kids are right now. Carolynn’s hearts always end up thoughtful and detailed. Camden’s are full of stickers and scribbles that feel wonderfully chaotic. Hanging them together feels like a snapshot of their personalities this season.
Why Handmade Decorations Mean So Much
Store-bought decorations are pretty, but handmade ones feel personal. They tell a story. They show the creativity and excitement of the season in a way nothing mass-produced ever could.
Every year when February arrives, the kids start asking, “Can we make our heart banner today?” They know it marks the beginning of Valentine’s season in our home. It’s the first step in sprinkling a little sweetness around the house.
This simple craft becomes a tradition not because of what it looks like, but because of what it represents — time spent together, creativity flowing, and tiny hands proudly contributing to our home.
The Perfect Craft for Kids of All Ages
What I love about this banner is how easily it adapts to each child’s abilities.
For older kids (like Carolynn):
• tracing heart shapes
• cutting hearts from paper
• choosing color themes
• creating patterns
• adding small details and designs
For younger kids (like Camden):
• decorating with stickers
• coloring the hearts
• painting with washable paint
• helping thread the banner
• handing over supplies like a happy assistant
Both kids feel like they’re contributing something important, and they truly are. This banner only becomes what it is when each of them adds their own authentic touch.
Supplies You’ll Need
Everything required for this craft is inexpensive and easy to find. Many of these items are probably already in your craft drawer.
Here’s what you’ll need:
• Construction paper or cardstock
• Safety scissors
• Hole punch
• Twine, string, or ribbon
• Stickers, crayons, markers, washable paint
• Optional: pom poms, glitter glue, doilies
You can keep it very simple with just hearts and string, or go all out and let the kids raid your craft bin. One of the beautiful things about this project is its flexibility.
Step-by-Step: How to Make Your DIY Valentine Banner
1. Create Your Heart Shapes
Carolynn loves this part. She traces heart shapes onto construction paper, sometimes using heart-shaped cookie cutters as guides and sometimes free-handing them.
If drawing hearts isn’t your thing, you can also print templates online. But for us, the slight imperfections in hand-drawn hearts only make the banner even more special.
2. Cut Out Each Heart
Older kids can handle this independently. Camden sits beside us during this part, watching with curiosity and occasionally trying to “help” by handing over papers.
3. Decorate Each Heart
This is the part where creativity meets chaos in the best way.
Some ideas:
• stickers
• crayon designs
• washable paint
• marker outlines
• glitter glue (if you’re feeling adventurous)
• layering small hearts on large ones
• adding a child’s name or initials
It’s so fun watching how seriously both kids take this part. Carolynn always tries to make each heart different, while Camden sometimes decorates one heart entirely with stickers from edge to edge. Each approach is perfect in its own way.
4. Punch Holes at the Top of Each Heart
One hole on each side creates space for the string to thread through.
5. Thread the Hearts Onto the Twine
This step always ends up being teamwork.
• I hold the twine.
• Carolynn threads the holes carefully.
• Camden hands her the next heart bouncing with so much excitement.
Watching them collaborate reminds me of why we do these little traditions in the first place.
6. Hang It Up and Admire Your Work
We hung ours along the kids’ door frame giving them something to admire all month long. The kids’ faces when they see their artwork displayed never gets old. That pride is everything.
The Beauty in Imperfect Crafts
Something I’ve learned as a mom is that art made by kids isn’t meant to be perfect. It’s meant to show who they are.
Some hearts will be carefully curated.
Others will be scribbled and chaotic.
Occasionally there will be sticker explosions.
Some will be covered in glitter glue that takes three days to dry.
And every single one tells a story.
When I hang the banner, I don’t rearrange the hearts to make it “look right.” I let them choose the order. I let them tell me which ones go where. It becomes their creation, not mine.
That’s the heartbeat behind Valentine’s Day crafts for kids — celebrating creativity, individuality, and the joy of making something together.
Why This Banner Has Become One of Our Valentine Traditions
Traditions don’t always start intentionally. Sometimes they begin because something feels good, simple, and connected. This banner became part of our Valentine season because the kids asked to do it again the next year, and then the next.
Now, creating our heart banner feels like flipping the switch from winter to Valentine’s season. It becomes a sign of warmth and love in the middle of cold days.
And I know someday, when the kids are older, I will look back on these handmade, sticky, beautiful heart banners and remember the little hands that made them.
Ways to Customize Your Valentine Banner
This craft can be as simple or elaborate as you want it to be. Here are some fun twists:
Name Banner
Let kids write their names or a sweet message like
• “Love”
• “Be Kind”
• “XOXO”
Photo Banner
Add small printed photos of each child in between the decorated hearts.
Pattern Banner
Assign each child a color theme or a style (polka dots, stripes, rainbow hearts, etc.).
Layered Hearts
Glue smaller hearts onto larger ones for added dimension.
Mixed Media Hearts
Use felt, fabric scraps, doilies, or pom poms for texture.
These little variations can transform the banner into something unique every year while keeping the same beloved structure.
Letting Kids Take Ownership of the Craft
When I watch my kids make this Valentine’s banner, I see their confidence grow. Crafting gives them a sense of ownership, creativity, and pride. It lets them make decisions, express themselves, and see their contributions displayed in our home.
For toddlers, participating in ways they can manage (handing over hearts, pressing stickers, coloring soft strokes) helps them feel included. For older kids, having more responsibilities shows them that their skills matter.
There is nothing quite like watching siblings work together on a shared project. It’s messy and sweet and everything in between.
How to Display Your Banner
Some cute ideas:
• across the fireplace mantle
• above a kitchen window
• along a playroom wall
• on a bedroom headboard
• around a reading nook
You can also hang them at kid-height so they can admire their own work whenever they walk by.
And yes, every visitor gets a full tour.
Turning This Craft Into a Keepsake
I often save a few of the most meaningful hearts each year and tuck them into a memory binder. It’s amazing how quickly their art evolves as they grow. Carolynn’s early hearts had wide strokes and simple shapes. Now they’re detailed and intentional. Camden’s hearts are full of toddler charm with stickers layered in ways only he would think to do.
These little paper hearts become treasures — snapshots of who they were that year.
Final Thoughts: The Heart Behind the Craft
To sum up, this DIY Valentine banner is so much more than decorations. It is hands-on connection, that allows you to slow down for the afternoon . Its sibling collaboration, toddler enthusiasm and the proud little smiles when the banner is finally hung.
These are the moments I hope my kids carry with them — the simple traditions that whisper “you belong,” “your creativity matters,” and “our home is a place you help create.”
This is what Valentine’s Day is really about.
Check out more Valentines Day Crafts here! Easy Toddler Friendly Valentine’s Day Craft Your Kids Can Make in 10 Minutes
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