Valentine’s Day: Gifts from the heart

Are you feeling the love in the run up to Valentine’s Day? Get your little ones involved in the preparations by making some sweet treats or a homemade card, and spread the love among your friends. ACE has put together a list of some cute gifts you can make and share with your loved ones this Valentine’s Day – and the kids will love joining in with the making process! Once you’ve finished creating your gifts, clean up the kitchen and remove any food colouring or paint stains with ACE.

Show them your sweet side

We know that family-friendly activities for the little ones are important to you, and what better opportunity than with Valentine’s Day baking? These cute heart sugar cookies from Sally’s Baking Addiction will make delicious gifts and a cute Instagram picture to share with your friends (if you can stop yourself from eating them first!). To make your heart cookies follow these simple instructions:

1. Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together in a medium bowl.
2. In another bowl mix the sugar and egg together.
3. Combine the dry ingredient mix with the sugar and egg mix.
4. Roll out and cut in to heart shapes.
5. Leave them to set in the fridge for 1-2 hours.
6. Bake in the oven until golden (about 10 minutes at 350°F).
7. Ice and decorate once they are cool.

Make their heart flutter

What’s the most heartfelt way to show that you care? A handmade card of course! These handprint cards are sure to make the receiver’s heart flutter and will be fun and quick to make. All you will need is some coloured paper/card, some paint, googly eyes and pipe cleaners. Make your cards with these four steps:

1. Cut two large hearts for the wings, one small heart for the head and one long oval for the body out of the coloured paper.
2. Dip your child’s hand in the paint and stamp it onto both big hearts and leave to dry.
3. Once the paint is dry, attach the two big hearts to the back of the body and write your message on the front.
4. Attach the head and give your butterfly a bit of character by adding some googly eyes, pipe cleaner antennas and a smile!

Your very own little love bug

Love really will be all around with your little love bug buzzing through the house. Your kids will love making these love bug hats and will look super cute too – you can even use the leftover pipe cleaners from making the handprint cards – what a result! Here’s how to transform your little monkeys into little love bugs…

1. Make a headband out of card that will fit round your little one’s head.
2. Print the word ‘love bug’ onto some paper to stick on later.
3. Let the kids loose with stickers and glitter for decorating the hats (don’t worry, you can clean up with ACE later!)
4. Stick on the love bug letters you printed earlier.
5. Attach the pipe cleaners for ears.
6. Stick the hat together at the back and you’ve got yourself an adorable little love bug.

Make their heart pop

Need a Valentine’s treat that is super easy – and that the kids will love to help make? These marshmallow pops will be loved by everyone who’s lucky enough to try them! All you need is a bag of marshmallows, chocolate, sprinkles, lollipop sticks and these three simple steps…

1. Push a lollipop stick into each marshmallow
2. Dip into melted chocolate and sprinkles (we know it’s hard but try not to eat them first!).
3. Leave to set – or pop them in the fridge to speed it up – and share with your loved ones.

How will you be celebrating Valentine’s Day this year? Let us know at @ACECLEANUK on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Don’t forget to pick up a bottle of ACE in Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose (and lots of other retailers!) when you’re getting the chocolates in for the special day!