Estimated time to make this valentine:
Varies, depending on depth of project.

Appropriate age group(s):
Preschool and Younger
Elementary School
Middle School

Materials:
Paper
Pen
Your creativity

Instructions:
For younger children:

1. Start with a brainstorming session to come up with rhymes to words like love, rose and heart. Decide who will receive the valentine and then think of things you like about that person. Then, find ways to express those feelings in a special note (for instance, you can always use the standard beginning ?Roses are red, violets are blue?and then come up with words that rhyme with blue).
2. Using a pre-made valentine, color or create a picture on one side and use the other side to write the poem.
3. Sign it!--even if it? only a dot or a line.

For older children:

1. Start with a brainstorming session. Find love sonnets from Shakespeare, Beatles, Rumi, etc. to inspire your own poems. Discuss concepts like love, friendship and kindness.
2. Create your poem; make sure to have a dictionary and thesaurus accessible.
3. Copy your poem(s) onto a pre-made valentine (bought or made by you).

Other comments or suggestions to consider:
Frame the poems to mount on the wall or place it on a very special someoneÆs desk.