Sponge-Stamped Valentine’s Day Card

Looking for a Valentine’s Day craft that’s easy enough for your toddler to make? This sponge-stamped Valentine’s Day card is both super cute and super simple to make—and the DIY heart-shaped stamps can be reused again and again!

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Do anyone else’s kids call Valentine’s Day “Love Day”? Our eldest has been calling it that ever since we explained to her what it was a few years back, and it’s way too adorable for us to correct.

On the morning of February 14th, we like to leave a little heart-shaped bowl on the counter and fill it with cinnamon hearts and little heart-shaped chocolates for the kids. It’s not much, but it makes them happy and we love creating our own family traditions.

But beyond the candy and chocolates, what the kids want is to feel involved. And why wouldn’t we involve them in a day that celebrates love? So we always make sure to do plenty of Valentine’s Day crafts and activities.

Sometimes that involves simple activities like our Valentine’s Day Magic Paper Towel Experiment. Other times we’ll do fun sensory activities like Rose Petal Play Dough, which is a fun way to repurpose Valentine’s Day roses instead letting them wither and die.

And other times, we make cards together to give to all our friends and relatives!

There are lots of homemade card ideas out there, but we love this one because sponge painting is so simple that even a toddler can do it unassisted (once the DIY stamps have been created).

And since the stamps are reusable, you can make as many cards as you like or even save them for other Valentine’s Day projects (or even for Mother’s Day projects)!

So if you have young kids at home (or in your classroom) and you want to wish someone a happy Valentine’s Day with a handmade card that the little ones made themselves, this craft is the perfect way to do it.

Required Materials

Here’s what you’ll need to make a DIY heart-stamped Valentine’s Day card at home:

• Pink cardstock
• Sponge (we bought a pack of 3 from the dollar store)
• Pen
• Scissors
• Washable kids’ paint

How to Make a Sponge-Stamped Valentine Card (Step-by-Step)

1. Draw Hearts on Sponge

Start by drawing some hearts on one side of the sponge using a pen. I was able to draw two similar-sized hearts on the sponge, but the number of hearts you can draw will depend on the size and shape of your sponge.

I drew two hearts of approximately the same size, but feel free to draw several hearts and vary their size and shape to make your card more unique.

2. Cut Sponges

Once you’re happy with the shape of your hearts, use a pair of sharp scissors to cut along the lines you drew.

This is actually a little tricky, especially if the sponge you’re using is really thick. You’ll need to use sharp scissors, and for safety reasons, I recommend that this step only be completed by an adult.

Just don’t worry about making the shape perfect. Start by cutting out a rough shape and you can always round it out afterwards using the edges of your scissors. (You’ll only need to do this on the side of the sponge that will be used to make the prints.)

If you’re making this card at your daycare centre or in your classroom, simply prepare this part of the project in advance. Then, all you’ll need to do is let the little ones use the stamps to decorate the cards!

3. Create Heart Prints

Pour some washable kids’ paint onto a paint palette or ceramic plate. If needed, combine two shades of paint using a paintbrush until you achieve the colour you want. (I combined some red and purple paint to create a darker shade of red.)

Then, dip a heart-shaped sponge in one of the colours of paint and press it down onto the pink cardstock.

Repeat this step as many times as you like, and with as many different colours as you like. I chose to keep things simple and use white, red and dark red, but feel free to use other colours.

You can also create patterns using the different colours, though once again I chose not to do this.

If you plan on letting some of the hearts spill out over the edges of the cardstock, make sure you protect your work surface. I protected mine with parchment paper, but newspaper can also work.

4. Let Dry

Once you’re done decorating the card, wait several hours for the paint to dry completely before moving on to the next step.

5. Fold Card

Once the paint is completely dry, fold the card in half. Then, write a message for Mom, Dad, Grandma, Grandpa or whoever else you’re planning on giving the card to!

This easy homemade Valentine’s Day card is super cute, but it’s also super simple for kids to make. And the sponge stamps can be reused as many times as you like provided you wash them in between uses! (You can use them for your Mother’s Day crafts as well.)

But the best part is that once the DIY sponge stamps have been created, you should be able to give your kiddos free rein and let their creativity shine. And because this project is so simple, even toddlers and preschoolers can complete it without any help!

Related Valentine-Themed Crafts

Looking for more Valentine’s Day crafts to make with your kids? Check out these articles:

• Bubble-Painted Valentine’s Day Card 
• Glitter Handprint Valentine’s Day Card
• Pom-Pom Love Bugs
• Torn Paper Strip Hearts

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