Torn Paper Strip Hearts


Published: January 21, 2021 · Updated: March 8, 2024 by Sacha

Looking for kid-made Valentine’s Day craft ideas? This framed heart craft made from strips of torn construction paper is deceptively simple to make—and it would also make a great gift to give to parents or grandparents!

Framed heart craft made with strips of torn construction paper.

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Ever since I explained to our four-year-old that Valentine’s Day is coming up, she’s been drawing hearts everywhere and asking if we can make crafts together to celebrate “Love Day”.

The garland we’ve been working on is super cute (check back soon for the full tutorial!), but it does take a little bit of time to make. So I’ve also been trying to come up with quicker projects that don’t require as much commitment.

This paper strip heart is one of those projects. It’s lots of fun, and it’s even simple enough for toddlers to help with. (What toddler wouldn’t be thrilled at being asked to tear up paper?!) Plus, it happens to make a great Valentine’s Day gift for parents and grandparents!

You don’t even need to buy an expensive frame—ours was from the dollar store and we still absolutely love how this project turned out!

Required Materials

Here’s what you’ll need to make this cute DIY Valentine’s Day gift for parents or grandparents:

Supplies to make a torn paper strip heart craft.

Note: Since we made this to celebrate Valentine’s Day, we decided to use pink cardstock and red, purple, pink and white construction paper. You’re free to use whichever colours you like best.

How to Make a Framed Paper Strip Heart (Step-by-Step)

1. Cut Cardstock (Optional)

Depending on the size of your frame, you may need to cut the cardstock down to size.

My dollar-store frame measured 8”x10”, which is a little smaller than Letter-sized cardstock, so I used scissors to cut off some of the cardstock. The cuts don’t need to be super clean since they’ll be hidden underneath the frame—just make sure to get the right fit!

2. Tear Construction Paper

Use your hands to tear up the construction paper. If you have a toddler, this is a great way to get them to participate while also channeling their destructive energies!

(And if your toddler likes to destroy things, you may want to check out these 13 low-prep activity ideas for destructive toddlers!)

Pink construction paper torn into strips.

Tip: For whatever reason, the construction paper we used didn’t tear well at all when we tried to make horizontal tears—just vertical ones. If you’re having trouble tearing yours up, experiment with different angles to see what works!

3. Glue Construction Paper to Cardstock

Use school glue to glue strips of construction paper onto one of your sheets of cardstock. Continue until it is mostly covered, alternating between the different colours of construction paper.

Torn strips of construction paper glued onto cardstock.

This step is also perfect for toddlers and preschoolers!

4. Trace & Cut Heart

Once you’re done covering the first sheet of cardstock in construction paper, you’ll have to cut a heart-shaped hole in the second sheet.

To make things easier and more symmetrical, I folded a piece of construction paper in half and used a pencil to trace half a heart. Then, I cut along the line I had traced, unfolded the paper and used it as a template for my sheet of cardstock.

Heart traced onto pink construction paper.

After tracing the heart, I simply poked a hole in the middle of it with scissors and used that as a starting point to cut out the heart. (You’ll only be needing the outline, so it’s fine if the heart itself has a hole in it.)

5. Glue Heart Outline

Once you’re done cutting, discard the heart and spread school glue around the outer edges of both the heart shape and the cardstock itself. (Note: I used liquid glue, but a glue stick would work just as well and wouldn’t soak through as much.)

Glue added to cardstock with a heart shape cut out.

Then, place that sheet of cardstock on top of the other one and gently press down to help it stick. The torn construction paper strips should be visible inside the heart-shaped hole.

6. Frame Artwork

Give the glue a little time to dry, then place your artwork inside a frame to display it!

Because I hadn’t taken precise measurements during the first step, I ended up having to shave off a tiny bit with scissors to make the cardstock fit inside the frame. Feel free to do this too if you run into the same issue!

Finished framed heart craft made with strips of torn construction paper.

Isn’t it so cute? This project would make an awesome kid-made Valentine’s Day gift!

Related Construction Paper Crafts

Looking for more fun craft ideas that use construction paper? Check out this article:

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