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home / Blog / Activities / holidays / Sweet Kids Valentines – Mini “Stained Glass” Hearts

Sweet Kids Valentines – Mini “Stained Glass” Hearts

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January 14, 2025 by Teach Mama 15 Comments

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Have fun creating magical faux mini stained glass Valentine hearts with your kiddos—perfect for brightening any window! This fun craft combines colorful designs, heart shapes, and creativity to celebrate Valentine’s Day. Explore easy techniques using tissue paper, clear contact paper, and love-themed patterns to make unique, eye-catching decorations your kids will be proud to give and display!

Kid-made paper hearts with a clear contact paper pane in the center decorated with stamps and bits of colored paper hanging in front of a window

I love the effect of light shining through bits of color! The kids and I have made “stained glass” out of just about everything except glass! (One of days I’ll get around to real stained glass… hopefully). This is a super quick and easy, and relatively mess free, version that encourages kids to be wildly creative.

I cut out the hearts one morning over for coffee, so they were ready to go when the kids were ready. Also it’s one less thing for kids with notoriously short attention spans to do!

These hearts about 4″ x 4″ — not that big at all, so you and your littles can make a bunch of them without becoming overwhelmed.

Sweet, Mini-Stained Glass Hearts

Just like the regular-sized Stained Glass Hearts, these Mini’s required only a few supplies and a little imagination.

Gather the Supplies

  • Construction or 8 1//2 X 11 scrapbook paper
  • Tissue paper
  • Any other crafting supplies like scissors, crayons, watercolor pencils, stamps, stickers etc
  • Clear contact paper
  • Hole punch
  • Thin ribbon for hanging the heart
  • A list of all the people your kids are giving Valentines to
Child's hand stamping around the edge of a heart cut out of construction paper

How to Make the Mini “Stained Glass” Valentine

Print the printable pattern (download below) on colored paper. Fold the paper at the center of the heart pattern and cut out. If your kiddo wants to decorate the heart itself, now is the time to do that. Add the name of the person it’s going to and, like all works of art, the artist’s name. We also included a blank heart in case they want to write a special message to someone.

Child's hand decorating a heart cut out of construction paper with bits of colored tissue paper

Cut the contact paper big enough to fold over the heart, about 4″ X 8″

Place the heart face up on one end of the sticky side of the contact paper.

Use some colorful tissue paper to decorate the center hole in the heart. (This is a great way to use tissue paper left over from Christmas or birthdays past!) Overlapping tissue paper produces some really spectacular color blending effects.

When everything, including the name of who it is to and from, is the way they want it just carefully fold the other half of the contact paper on top. Smooth down and work out any wrinkles as you go. You may want to use a spatula for this.

Don’t worry if it’s a little wrinkled– it won’t show when the light is shining through it. Besides, imperfections are part of the charm of handmade things!

Trimming the excess clear contact paper from the edge of the decorated paper heart

Once that’s done trim around the contact paper about 1/4″ from the edge of the heart. If you want to hang the Valentine to display, and that is after all when they really “shine”, then punch a hole and thread a ribbon through to make it easy for the person receiving this tiny masterpiece.

And that’s it. Easy-peazy lemon-squeezy!

Give Them to Your Valentine!

Want to grab your own Mini Stained Glass Heart Pattern Printable? Just throw your email in the box below and the download link will appear in your inbox as if by magic!

Looking for More Valentine Fun?

  • Valentine’s Day Heart Bingo
  • How to Throw a Rockstar Valentine’s Day Class Party
  • Valentine Word Search
  • Musical Hearts: Reading, Moving and Crazy-Fun Kid’s Game

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About the Author

Hi, I’m Patricia, an elementary teacher and reading specialist, turned homeschool mom. I also have a master's in psychology, specializing in children's issues. Read More…

Teach Mama: View My Blog Posts
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Dana says

    February 12, 2012 at 8:09 am

    Love it! My Mil bought my guys a name stamp a while back and we love it–esp bc it’s hard to find anything with b’s name on it!

    Reply
    • amy says

      February 12, 2012 at 10:37 pm

      Dana! Thanks so much! Name stamps ROCK!!

      Reply
  2. The Iowa Farmer's Wife says

    February 12, 2012 at 8:27 am

    These are so sweet! I love the idea of stamping their name instead of writing! 🙂

    Reply
    • amy says

      February 12, 2012 at 10:38 pm

      thank you so much, my friend! totally appreciate your kind words–thank you so much for reading!!

      Reply
  3. Amy @ A Little Nosh says

    February 14, 2012 at 8:43 am

    What a fantastic idea, using those alphabet stamps. My son wrote his name on 24 (premade) cards, over the course of two nights, and he was so tired of it. But it was good practice!

    Reply
    • amy says

      February 15, 2012 at 6:14 pm

      Hey Amy! You’re right–writing names on Valentines is super-great practice–just a little bit o’ work for the little ones!

      Reply
  4. Becky says

    February 15, 2012 at 11:01 am

    Amy, these look great! It looks like you guys had a blast! You have such fun ideas to share with us.

    Reply
  5. Renee says

    January 13, 2015 at 8:59 am

    Hi,
    Looks beautiful and super fun to make.
    Just want to know how old your kids were when you made this together.
    Thanks for sharing =)

    Reply
    • Teach Mama says

      January 14, 2015 at 11:20 am

      Hi, Renee!
      I did it with a class of 2nd graders last year at their Valentine’s Day party, and I think the first time we made them (http://teachmama.com/happy-heart-decorating/) was 4 years ago, so Cora was 3, Owen was 5, and Maddy was 7.

      Reply

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Hi, I’m Patricia, an elementary teacher and reading specialist, turned homeschool mom.

After our three kids graduated high school, I went back to school to become a marriage and family therapist who has specialized in children’s issues.

I love helping families find all the fun and deep learning possible for their children.

I’m so glad you’re here on Teach Mama and I look forward to helping you on your journey!

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