Weekend Wonder: Simple Valentine’s Day Cards

At my former school, we advocated for the value of simple, handmade Valentine’s Day cards each year.

I think this is hard for some parents.

There are such appealing options out there! Wonderfully graphic cards, sweet sentiments, beautiful shapes and colors. So easy. So attractive.

No, thank you.

Here’s your why.

Just as we’ve said about all the kits and subscriptions that exist, pre-packaged cards limit your child’s ingenuity and creativity.

Your child doesn’t really have to think, devise, or imagine with pre-made Valentine’s.

They don’t get to make conscious aesthetic choices.

They also learn that other people do those things for them.

Let’s acknowledge that there is a level of fundamental passivity to the pre-made.

If you want to share attractive Valentine’s cards, share them yourself, with your own friends.

Let your child’s cards be a genuine act of artistic expression.

This is not about impressing anyone.

This is about supporting your child in being an active, contributive, creative being.

What you can do is foster simplicity.

Start with a limited set of good-quality materials, and set aside plenty of time for your child to construct cards with care, and without production-line hurry.

• A card foundation: limited assortment of colored construction paper (choose just a few colors with your child to constrain the palette). These can be flat cards, folded into rectangles, or folded and cut into hearts by your child with your guidance (show them how to draw a half heart, or draw it yourself, and they can cut).

• A simple approach to design: your child can draw with a limited selection of pretty colored crayons and pencils (3 - 5 colors is all you need), or collage with a selection of cut construction paper snippets / doilies / recycled wrapping paper and a small pot of glue or glue stick.

• Time, a clear work space, and a little organization.

That’s it!

You don’t need glitter, googly eyes, rhinestones, stickers, stamps, foam shapes.

Simplicity generates creativity.

Studies show that constraint leads to innovation.

Let less be more.