After a total Halloween and Christmas candy overload, this year I wanted to make my son Valentine cards that didn’t have any sweets with them. Relatively cheap and easy were also at the top of my requirement list, so after a quick Google search, Play-Doh looked like a fun way to go. (*Warning: there will be Amazon affiliate links ahead)
There are a bunch of these printables available online and the one I went with is this Free Printable from K Teacher Tiff’s Blog. Right now you’re probably thinking it should obviously have been something geeky to go with the blog theme, but I was really stuck on Play-Doh and coming up short on funny Doh puns. The best thing I could think of was Homer Simpson on there going “Doh!” but then I realized that might be weird for a bunch of three-year-olds who wouldn’t get it. So I went with something simple. You could also go with “You’re A-doh-able” or “Doh you want to be my Valentine?”
Her printable design fits two per page, but thrifty me wanted to make it four, so I downloaded it, resized and then personalized the bottom with my son’s name. I almost changed the heart to blue and then realized I was just doing that to please myself since that’s my favorite color and I know my son would go straight for hot pink if given the choice.
I printed them out on soft gloss HP Photo Paper, which has a pretty nice thick stock. I used that because I already had it, but if I was shopping for this project, I would have probably chosen a matte card stock. I got a double party pack of Play-Doh cans in the one ounce size for $12 (for 30 cans). They still sell the same two pack, but the price had jumped up to $19 last I checked. I really only needed twelve but I couldn’t pass up the deal! There’s also a 10 count Play-Doh party pack that’s only $2.99 as an add-on deal and I saw the exact same thing at the Dollar Tree after I already had mine on the way. So you might want to visit the $1 store first! Other things you might need, depending on which way you choose to make these is an X-Acto knife or a glue gun.
Method 1) Cutting a hole for the Play-Doh
This is the method I saw on a few other blogs with this project. It’s a little more involved than my preferred method, which is the hot glue gun. (Nine times out of ten, I’m hot glueing something)
- Trace a circle around Play-Doh
- Cut X in circle
- Cut cross in circle
- Push Play-Doh through hole
- Get frustrated with wonky Valentine that you can’t get to look nice like the other Valentine’s you see online, plug in the glue gun and proceed to method two
Method 2) Hot Glue Play-Doh to card
This is the one I ended up going with after I couldn’t get the first cards to lay right. I didn’t like how they were lumpy. It could have been my paper choice. But it was way easier to just glue them all on anyway.
- Plug in glue gun. I used a high-temp gun, but low temp will probably work just as good.
- Put big blob on bottom of can.
- Stick on card.
- Repeat for every kid, and done!
This is so cute! I am gonna do this with my Godson:)
Great post and super fun activity to do with the kiddos !! ❤️
https://jessierenea.com/15-ways-to-practice-self-love-mentally/