From the Heart: Valentine's Day Activities

Candy Filled Heart Pockets

    This is the kind of Valentine kids love to make (and receive!)--homemade, and filled with love and candy.  Smaller children may need a little help punching the holes and threading the yarn. 

What you will need:
red construction paper
clear contact paper or  laminate sheet
red or white yarn
paper punch
small candies to fill the heart
plastic sheet protector (available in office supply stores)

    Remove the protective paper from the back of the contact paper or laminate sheet, and lay it upon the red construction paper, smoothing out any wrinkles or folds.  Cut a biggish heart from this sandwich of paper and laminate.  Next trace it on the plastic sheet protector and cut the heart out.  Lay the plastic sheet heart over the construction paper heart.  Holding the hearts firmly (so they don’t slide around) use the paper punch to make holes around the edges. 
    Cut around 3 feet of yarn.  Line up the holes on the heart, and beginning at the top,  weave the yarn through the holes.  Leave some space at the top to fill the pocket with candy.  When the heart is filled, continue to weave the pocket closed and tie the yarn into a bow.


Stained Glass Cookie Hearts

     Each cookie is a feast for the eyes!  These also make great treats for your child’s class at school.

What you will need:
1 cup sugar
4 tablespoons butter
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2-1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
crushed hard red candy pieces (eg. suckers, Lifesavers)  Crush the candy with a hammer in a zipper type plastic bag.

     Cream the butter and sugar.  In a separate bowl combine the flour and baking powder together.  In another bowl, beat the milk, eggs, and vanilla together.  Add the flour mixture, alternating with the milk mixture, to the butter and sugar, beating well after each addition.  The dough should be easy to handle, if not chill for one hour.
     Give your child some dough and have her roll it into a skinny snake.   Bend the snake into a heart on a foil covered cookie sheet, and pinch the ends together.  Sprinkle a thin layer of the crushed candy into the enclosed space.  Be sure the ends of the cookie dough are sealed so the melted candy won't leak out.  Repeat this process with the rest of the dough. Bake at 375 for 9 minutes.  Allow to cool, and peel off the foil.