Paper plate heart crafts are one of those activities that look impressive, take hardly any planning, and don’t require a cupboard full of craft supplies. This is exactly why we love them!
This paper plate heart craft for toddlers is simple, slightly messy, and perfect for little hands that don’t care about perfection. It works brilliantly as a Valentine’s Day craft, but it’s just as good for any time you want a quick activity themed around love, kindness, or feelings.
All you need is a paper plate, some pens or paint, and whatever decorations you already have lying around. No templates, no stress, and no expectation that it will look “Pinterest perfect” — because let’s be honest, toddler crafts rarely do.
We’ve made plenty of paper plate crafts over the years, and this one always goes down well. It’s easy to adapt, quick to set up, and gives kids plenty of freedom to do their own thing… even if that means painting everything except the plate.
If your child loses interest halfway through, that’s fine.
If the heart looks more like a blob, also fine.
Ours definitely did on the first attempt.
Valentine’s Day Heart Craft Supplies
You don’t need anything fancy for this. We just used what we already had at home.
- Paper plate
- Red or pink paint (or crayons / felt tips if you prefer less mess)
- Scissors (adult use only)
- Glue
- Black crafting card (for cutting out the smaller hearts)
- Optional extras: stickers, tissue paper, glitter (only if you’re feeling brave)
That’s it. No specialist craft supplies. No trip to the shop.
How to make a paper plate heart
This is not a precision craft. Think approximate heart shape rather than perfection. It’s the personal thought that counts for Valentine’s day and nobody expects a masterpiece from their toddler!
1. Cut the paper plate into a heart shape
Fold the paper plate in half and cut out half a heart shape, then open it up.
This part is definitely one for adults. Once you have the heart shape, it’s time to let your toddler loose!
2. Decorate the heart
This is where toddlers really get involved.
We used pens, but crayons or paint work just as well but can be a lot messier and require more cleaning up.
The first job is to colour the entire heart red. Robbie actually really enjoyed doing this, that kid is lethal with a pen!
3. Add the smaller hearts
For our design we went with a real focus on hearts, though you can really do whatever your toddler feels like once you have the red heart shape.
Robbie drew heart shapes onto black card and I cut around the outline. It took a while for him to get the heart shape right but he mastered it eventually by writing a large ‘M’ and then joining it with a ‘V.’
We then glued these hearts towards the bottom of the heart shape.
4. Add a message to the heart
There is one simple message on Valentine’s Day so it just made sense to add “I love you” to the craft.
I’m a little ashamed to admit that the handwriting is my own, rather than my toddler’s though it could easily be confused!
I wrote the message on a spare paper plate, though crafting card or paper would work just as well. You can even write straight onto the plate if your toddler is losing interest with the cutting and glueing by this point.
Again, I cut around the message and glued it on to complete our design.
You can also:
- Write names in the middle
- Add a short message
- Let them stick on absolutely everything they can reach
This is usually the point where the table needs wiping down.
5. Add String to Hang Your Heart
Not essential, but it is low effort and really adds an extra layer to this Valentine’s craft. We used a small holepunch to make a couple of holes at the top.
Luckily for us, we had some red and white string which was ideal to thread through the holes and make perfect way to hang our paper plate love heart on display.
Is this paper plate heart craft suitable for toddlers?
Yes — this craft is great for toddlers with a lot of supervision.
Age guide:
- 2–3 years: decorating only, adult does the cutting
- 4+ years: more independence, but still supervised
It’s short, simple, and flexible, which is exactly what you want when attention spans are unpredictable.
Simple variations to try
If you want to make this paper plate heart craft slightly different (or keep things interesting), here are a few easy ideas:
- Finger painting: messy but fun
- Tissue paper collage: scrunch and glue
- Sticker overload: toddlers love this
- Kindness heart: write one nice word or name in the middle
These small changes are also great if you’re making more than one heart and want them to look different.
Why we like this craft at home
This is one of those crafts that works because there’s no pressure. Regardless of who you are making the heart for, you know they are going to love it because it was made by your toddler.
It isn’t about getting everything perfect. It’s just about sitting at the table together and doing something, even if that something ends up slightly wonky.
It also reminds me of when we used to make things like little paper plate cars and race them around the house, back when the table was smaller and the mess felt easier to clean up.
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More paper plate craft ideas
If your child enjoyed this one, you might also like:
I’ll be adding more paper plate craft ideas over time, all with the same aim: simple, low-pressure activities you can actually manage at home.
Paper plate heart craft FAQs
Can I make this without paint?
Yes — crayons, markers or even colouring pencils work perfectly and are much less messy.
How long does it take?
About 10–15 minutes of actual interest, which is usually the sweet spot for toddlers.
Is this a good Valentine’s Day craft for toddlers?
Definitely. It’s simple, recognisable and easy to adapt for different ages.
Final thought
If your heart ends up lopsided, covered in fingerprints, or abandoned halfway through — you’ve done it right.
That’s real crafting at home.
More Toddler Crafts To Try
