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10 Easy Classroom Valentines

January 13, 2023 by Kate Ramos Leave a Comment

Valentines love flows with these 10 fun Valentine ideas for kids to take to school for the annual Valentine party! These classroom Valentines are way more creative than your average drugstore valentines cards and piece of candy.

First posted January 31, 2015. Last updated January 13, 2023

Valentine’s Day is quickly approaching and for all of you with school-age kids that means so is the big Valentine’s Day party.

The traditional message hearts are cute or you could go the store bought stickers or classroom Valentines cards route but here are ten adorable ideas from some very creative crafting bloggers that might be even more fun and, as long as you have a color printer, pretty easy to pull off, especially if you and your kids love making crafts.

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10 Easy Classroom Valentines

1. Valentine’s Day Bookmarks from Lu Bird Baby

Okay, how easy are these?! Pick up some paint card samples at your local hardware store, get a heart hole punch and some pink ribbon and voila bookmarks for all your kid’s classmates! I love this one to show appreciation to teachers or even grandparents too.

Several paint sample cards that have been turned into bookmarks with heart shapes cut out of them. — Valentine’s Day Bookmarks from Lu Bird Baby

2. I’m Nuts About You Mason Jars from Lil’ Luna

I absolutely LOVE this idea. It’s super clever, plus a lot healthier than your average kid’s valentine candy. The full pint-sized jars may be a bit cumbersome for a little one to carry to school, so you might opt for smaller 4 ounce jars or drop them off on doorsteps instead of taking to school.

A Mason jar filled with pistachios and a card on it that says I'm nuts about you. Happy heart day, The Raullis — Nuts About You Jars from Lil’ Luna

3. Bag of Chips from Eighteen25

How adorable is this unexpected Valentines gift? Many store bought Valentine’s day cards can seem corny or cliche but this cute bag of chips idea is fun and everyone loves potato chips!

A bag of potato chips with a card attached that says you are all that and a bag of chips. — Bag of Chips from Eighteen25

4. Pink Heart Cake Pops from A Mummy Too

As far as homemade treats go, these budget-friendly Rice Krispie cake pops hit all the Valentines essentials. Pink? Check. Heart-shaped? Check. Outside the box but still easy? Check and check!

Several pink heart cake pops made from Rice Krispie treats on a white wood background. — Pink Heart Cake Pops from A Mummy Too

5. Love Bugs from Shanty 2 Chic

These are a little silly and totally adorable. Gummy worms are classic but wouldn’t real bugs be even better? Impress (or gross out) your kids’ classroom with these Cricket Sucker Lollipops.

A plastic bag filled with gummy worms and a card attached with a wood safety pin that says Love Bugs. — Love Bugs from Shanty 2 Chic

6. Tiny Animal Valentines from Sweet C’s Designs

If your kid’s class has a strict no food policy, these animal toy Valentines are colorful and special. Every kid loves tiny toy bugs and dinosaurs. This is a perfect one for kindergarteners or even preschoolers, they’ll surely garner some hugs during the classroom card exchange.

Several Valentines cards that have a tiny colorful toy animal attached to each one with red and white string. — Tiny Animal Valentines from Sweet C’s Designs

7. Whoopee It’s Valentine’s Day from Paging Supermom

These diy classroom valentines are for the prankster in your life. Find the classic Whoppee Cushions in packs of 12 and let the fart jokes begin. This is another great non-edible classroom valentine idea.

A collage of several pictures of Whoopee cushions attached to Valentines day cards. — Whoopee! It’s Valentines Day from Paging Supermom

8. Friendship Bracelets from The House That Lars Built

This one might take a bit more time and may be geared towards older kids who can make friendship bracelets on their own, but perfect for the kid who loves to craft. These bracelets are great for friends…and also your crush.

Several Valentines Day cards with a hand on them and a friendship bracelet wrapped around the wrist of the hand. — Friendship Bracelets from The House That Lars Built

9. Heartfelt Valentines from Parents

Nothing says “I love you” like googley eyes. Find homemade Valentine inspiration for the quirky kid. No expert drawing skills necessary. Plus you can make a large quantity without breaking the budget. Write their message on the inside or back of the card.

Two pictures of the same Valentines Day card with the front showing a googley eye and a cut out heart and the word you. — Heartfelt Valentines from Parents

10. Tic Tac Toe Valentines from Nest of Posies

Valentines games are at the heart of a good classroom Valentines party every February, so why not bring the fun with this Valentine card and game rolled into one? A Tic Tac mint for the game and one to enjoy while playing!

Four Valentine's Day cards sitting on a white background with the words Happy Valentine's Day XOXO written on them. — Tic Tac Toe Valentines from Nest of Posies

A few recipes to try for Valentine’s Day

Classroom Valentines Have Never Been So Cute!

Try one of these kids valentine ideas this year and let me know what you think! Let me know when you do by snapping a pic and tagging me on Instagram @holajalapeno and #holajalapeno so I can see or leave me a comment below (don’t forget to leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating) ! Also, sign up for my weekly newsletter, lots of good stuff there too!

In support of this small business, ¡Hola! Jalapeño earns revenue in a few different ways. Several sponsored posts are published each month. I also earn an affiliate commission on the sales of products I link to— there are a few of those links in this post. I only feature items I genuinely love and personally use on a regular basis. This commission is an arrangement between the retailer and ¡Hola! Jalapeño (readers never pay more for products). This income allows me to run the site. Thank you!

The Easiest Sugar Skull Tutorial-Great For Kids!

September 8, 2022 by Kate Ramos 11 Comments

If you’ve been looking for a method to make a sugar skull with the kids—this is it! These simplified, super easy Sugar Skulls are basically foolproof and are perfect for little ones to decorate for Día de Muertos!

{Last updated August 16, 2022}

Decorated sugar skulls sitting on a parchment-lined baking sheet next to markers and glitter glue.

Happy Day of the Dead friends! Today I’ve got a really fun, not to mention, super easy sugar skulls project.

Sugar skulls represent a departed soul, typically with that person’s name written on their forehead. We place them on our altar or ofrenda for the Day of the Dead {Dia de los Muertos} holiday.

Make them with your children as a decoration and to celebrate the lives of our loved ones who have passed away.

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what is a sugar skull?

A little boy sitting at a wood table decorating a sugar skull with a blue marker.

Sugar skulls are one of the many ways we remember our dead family member and are an important part of the Día de los Muertos celebrations in Mexico.

They are important because the more we celebrate and include our deceased loved ones in our lives, the stronger their spirits will stay with us.

Sugar art dates back to the 17th century when the Catholic friars introduced gravestone art to the indigenous people of Mexico. The indigenous people used what they had to create their own sculptures and something they had plenty of was sugar.

Even the colors that decorate the skulls have meaning. Yellow represents death, purple represents grief, and white represents purity and hope.

Ingredients To Make Sugar Skulls

Sugar skulls sitting on top of a parchment covered baking sheet with a sack of sugar next to it and a plastic mold near by.

With Day of the Dead just around the corner I thought I’d share how to make these super easy sugar skulls or calaveras. You can buy the skull mold at a Latin market if you live in any largish-sized city. Or check out Mexican Sugar Skull. It is dedicated to all things sugar skull.

Skull mold. I used a large mold which makes 1 large skull with two sides. It is about 4 inches long.
Granulated sugar
Water
Royal icing. You will need this if you are making a two-sided larger skull to stick the two sides together and to decorate with (if you are going that route). I sometimes use writing icing instead of making my own.
Decorating supplies. These are some options: Sharpies, ribbon, glitter glue pens, feathers, beads

how to make a super easy sugar skull

A little girl in a striped sweater sitting at a wood table decorating a sugar skull with blue glitter glue.

The molds I used were large molds, about the size of a softball with a flat back. 1 cup of sugar was enough to fill 1 of these molds. You can use this recipe to make a large sugar skull or adjust the size of the batch depending on the size of your mold and how many you want to make.

step one

Wet sugar. Heat oven to 200°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine 2 cups of granulated sugar with a couple teaspoons of water in a large bowl.

Sugar mixed with water in a large bowl on a wood table.

step two

Pack the mold. Rub the water into the sugar really good with your hands then pack it super tight into the molds (front and back, if using both).

The back of a sugar skull mold filled with sugar on a wood counter.

step three

Bake. Flip the molds over onto a baking sheet and place in the oven to dry and harden for 10 minutes. If the skull breaks when you flip it. Invert it onto a small piece of cardboard first, then set that on the baking sheet. Don’t worry, the cardboard won’t burn the in oven.

The front half of a sugar skull on a baking sheet.

step four

Stick two sides together. Let cool completely and use royal icing or glue to stick the two sides of the mold together. If you are only using the front of the mold you can skip this step.

Two sides of a sugar skull facing down with blue icing all over the backs of the skulls on a piece of parchment.

step five

Decorate. Use the royal icing or whatever you are using to decorate the molds in any fun pattern you choose.

how to decorate a sugar skull

A partially decorated sugar skull sitting on top of a white piece of paper on a wood table.

As with any decorating project you can get as fancy as you please. If you love cake decorating or cookie decorating, this is your time to shine.

I wanted to stick to things the kids could easily use on their own, while simultaneously keeping the mess to a minimum. Therefore we used markers, glitter glue, and gems to decorate ours.

If you have older kids they may enjoy using sequins, paint, royal icing, or even colored foil to decorate the skulls. The important part is to use vibrant hues. You want them to be brightly colored.

Two small children sitting at a wood table with markers and craft supplies decorating sugar skulls.

how long does a sugar skull last?

A small girl decorating a sugar skull with red glitter glue.

A lot of recipes for the skulls call for a sugar and meringue powder mixture which I’ve never used but I assume makes for a harder, more durable finished product.

The skulls we made with just sugar and water worked beautifully and have now survived a long time with a very passionate two-year-old which is more than I can say about most things.

In fact, we tried these last year as well and the ones we made are still as solid as ever, even after being stored for a year. If they’ve held up this well, I’m completely sold on making them this much easier way.

what do skulls represent?

A small girl in a red and grey striped shirt holding up a sugar skull she just finished decorating.

Sugar skulls are a type of folk art made for Dia de Muertos or Day of the Dead celebrations. They represent a deceased loved one and are placed on the home Ofrenda or altar on All Saints Day.

Sculpted sugar forms, like sugar skulls, are called alfeñique and are popular in Italy, Spain, and Mexico.

when is día de los muertos celebrated?

A small child sitting at a wood table decorating a sugar skull with paint on a Q-tip with a bowl of raspberries next to him.

Similar to the Catholic holiday of All Souls Day, Day of the Dead is celebrated on the 1st and 2nd day in November. We believe the gates of heaven are opened on midnight of October 31 to allow the spirits to visit.

The tradition is a combination of native Aztec rituals and Spanish Catholic influences. November 1 is All Saints Day in the Catholic religion and Dia de los Innocentes in the Mesoamerican tradition.On this day deceased children may visit their families. November 2nd is All Souls Day in the Catholic religion as well as Dia de los Muertos. On this day adults are allowed a visit.

These very special days are a celebration of life! We honor those lives who have come before us and our own special time here on Earth.

In Mexico City and around the country on these days, small sugar skulls are placed in people’s homes on their Ofrendas or in cemeteries on loved ones gravesites.

more fun ways to celebrate day of the dead

share your creations!

When you give this sugar skull method a try, I want to see how you decorated it and what you thought. Snap a pic and tag me on Instagram @holajalapeno and #holajalapeno so I can see or leave me a comment below (don’t forget to leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating) ! Also, don’t forget to sign up for my weekly newsletter, lots of good stuff there too!

Super Easy Sugar Skulls for Dia de los Muertos

Yield: 1 large (4-inch) skull with two sides

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

These simplified, super easy Sugar Skulls are basically foolproof and are perfect for little ones to decorate for Dia de los Muertos or Day of the Dead.

Ingredients

2 cups granulated sugar
4 teaspoons water
1 recipe Royal Icing, to stick the two sides together and decorating
Decorations for the skulls (see post for ideas)

Instructions

Heat oven. Heat oven to 200°F.
Mix sugar and water. Mix sugar and water together until sugar is damp throughout (this is easiest with your hands so you can really tell if all the granules have gotten wet).
Press into molds. Press mixture into the mold taking time to press really well into all the crevices. Firmly pack it in as hard as you can.
Flip out skulls. Very carefully invert the mold onto a parchment lined baking sheet, letting the sugar skull slip out.
Bake until firm. Bake skull to harden the sugar for 10 minutes. Let cool completely.
Stick sides together. Pipe royal icing on the back of both of the skulls then press firmly together. Hold about a minute to make sure they stick. Let dry, then decorate.

How To Make Molasses Cookies (With Video)

June 28, 2022 by Kate Ramos 10 Comments

Company is coming, and you want to dazzle them with your baking prowess. These soft and chewy molasses cookies fit the bill. The secret is a touch of almond extract. Learn how easy it is to make a batch here.

Recipe first posted on January 29, 2014. Last updated June 28, 2022.

A tall stack of molasses cookies sitting on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Even though molasses cookies are synonymous with Christmas, I get a craving for their toothsome ginger bite all year long. In fact, they are the only cookie Hiro requests…ever. That boy doesn’t even like chocolate chip cookies. He was obviously switched at birth.

Or maybe he’s just my grandmother’s sweet boy. This is her recipe after all. She would bake batch after batch of this cookie recipe for just about any occasion; care packages, Christmas cookie exchanges, you name it.

These ginger molasses cookies are packed with a blend of warm spices and her secret ingredient—almond extract. A delicious and simple treat any time of year. Let’s see how easy they are to make!

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What Is The Difference Between Molasses Cookies and Ginger Cookies?

These two terms are used interchangeably which makes things a bit confusing especially when they have the same taste profile.

Generally molasses cookies refer to the soft, chewy spice cookies with the crackly top and dusted in sugar.

Ginger cookies or gingersnap cookies are the crunchier, drier cookies that are also made with warm spices and molasses. To get them crisp most recipes use butter, more flour, and less molasses or none at all. They are also baked longer.

Gingerbread cookies are the ones that we roll out and cut into gingerbread men at Christmas. These can range from soft to hard but also tend to have more flour and less molasses.

Ingredients To Make Molasses Cookies

All the ingredients used to make molasses cookies including molasses, flour, salt, ginger, cinnamon, shortening and more.

I’ve made these with all types of molasses but I find blackstrap molasses to be the most flavorful—also high in iron, which is another bonus.

All purpose flour
Baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves. I often substitute cardamom for the cloves, both are good.
Kosher salt
Vegetable shortening. This makes them dairy-free and really soft and chewy. Substitute butter if you’d like but they won’t hold their softness very long. Coconut oil will make them crunchy.
Brown sugar
Large egg, room temperature
1/4 cup molasses
Almond extract
Granulated sugar

How To Make Them

Besides being completely irresistible, these cookies are also very easy to make! 20 minutes to mix together is all it takes, but plan ahead because you will need to let them chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before baking.