Animal Lovers

Materials:

Thin cardboard
Scissors
Colored paper or card stock
Pencil
Glue stick
Wiggly eyes and stickers
Colored markers

Pushpin
Ribbon or string

Instructions:

Step 1:

Cut a heart-shaped template, about 2 1/2 inches high by 2 1/2 inches wide, out of thin cardboard. Your child can trace around it in pencil to make the shapes he'll need.

Step 2:

To make a mouse, cut out two-colored paper or card stock hearts (one for the body, one for the head) and glue them together, as shown. To accent the ears, glue a different shade of paper semicircles to the upper curves of the head. Then fold the ears so they'll stand upright. Attach wiggly eyes and a sticker nose. Use the pushpin to make a hole for the tail. Thread ribbon or string through it and knot the ends to keep them from slipping back through. Finally, print a Valentine's message on the mouse's body.

Step 3:

For an elephant, trace around the template, then, before cutting out the shape, draw a curved trunk that extends directly from the bottom of the heart. Cut out the head as one piece and flip it over so the pencil lines won't show. Glue the tips of two heart-shaped ears to the back of the head. Attach wiggly eyes and decorative stickers. Then add your message.