Kid's Craft: Valentine's Day Marbled Picture Frame

This is a very simple Valentine's Day Craft that teaches color theory (mixing red and white makes pink), patterns, letter/word recognition and /or letter writing. With a few simple materials, turn an ordinary photo mat into a work of art.

Classified: Easy!

What you need:

1.       Various shades of pastel paper

2.       Pencil

3.       Scissors

4.       Glue Stick

5.       Marbles (5-8 of them will do)

6.       A Shoe Box

7.       White Acrylic Paint

8.       Red Acrylic Paint
9.       Markers and or crayons
10.     Photo mat- any size

What to do:

    1. In a shoe box, place the picture mat face up on the bottom, along with the marbles. Drip a few drops of red paint to one side of the shoe box and then drip a few white drops on top of the red.
    2. Place the lid on the shoe box and have your little one shake it up! Before you open the lid, ask "What color do you think red and white make when the marbles mix them together?" Allow them to answer and open the box. You should see different shades of marbled pink on top of the white picture mat.
Set aside to dry.

3. While the mat is drying, cut out several small hearts in various shades of pastel paper. My children decided to sort the colors and divide it amongst the two of them. I wanted to reinforce patterns like the one I made above. My 4 year old insisted that he created a pattern by doing one color on top and another on the bottom of the photo mat. How could I argue with that? "It's the process, not the product........................" 4 year olds!
4. Write a special message with one letter per heart. My four year old wrote his own, while I wrote each letter to my two year old and had her rehearse what she saw (review of uppercase letters). 
5. Glue your special message onto the mat and allow to dry.
6. Adhere photo to mat and keep for yourself or give away as a gift.
Optional: have scrapbook scissors? Add some flavor by cutting the hearts out with different edges.

He drew a picture of himself on one heart!

She knows her letters!