Easy 3D Heart Paper Craft for Kids
Need a simple Valentine craft that will appeal to upper elementary kids? This 3D heart paper craft is the perfect project!
As soon as my daughter saw this cute 3D heart valentine craft, she was excited to make it. Part of the appeal is that it looks more “advanced” than typical cut-and-paste paper crafts—and that’s important to a 9-year-old, right?
The best part, though, is that it requires only basic craft supplies that most homeschool families already have on hand. No need to brave the weather to visit the craft store!
You may also like: Cute Frog Valentine Paper Craft
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What You’ll Need to Make a 3D Heart Paper Craft
- Colored cardstock: various shades of red and pink
- Pencil
- Craft glue
- X-ACTO knife
- Craft foam sheet
- Scissors
- Printable template
How to Make a 3D Heart Paper Craft
Step 1
Note: Children will need adult help for this step.
Select several shades of pink or red cardstock. (If you don’t have cardstock, you can use thick craft paper; light craft papers aren’t suitable for this project.)
Use a pencil to trace around the template patterns onto the selected cardstock, using a different shade of paper for each piece. Use an X-ACTO knife to carefully cut out the traced pattern.
Step 2
Use scissors to cut some narrow strips from a craft foam sheet (see photo below). The foam strips will be attached to the edges to lift up each layer of the 3D heart.
Beginning with the layer with the smallest heart, use craft glue to attach the foam strips near the edge of the paper on any 2 opposite sides.
Step 3
Apply glue along the top surface of the attached foam strips. Place the next smallest heart layer on top of the foam strips, aligning the edges of the 2 layers.
Step 4
Use craft glue to attach 2 more foam strips to the top of the second layer, alternating their position from the ones in the previous layer. (On one layer the strips will be vertical, on the next they will be horizontal, and so on.)
Step 5
Apply glue along the top surface of the attached foam strips. Place the next smallest heart layer on top of the foam strips, aligning the edges with the previous layers.
Using craft glue, attach 2 more foam strips to the top of the third layer, alternating their position from the ones in the previous layer.
Step 6
Apply glue along the top surface of the attached foam strips. Place the final heart layer on top of the foam strips, aligning the edges with the previous layers.
Step 7
Cut a square of paper for the base layer.
Use craft glue to attach 2 foam strips to the back of the 3D heart (the first layer).
Step 8
Apply glue along the top surface of the attached foam strips. Place the base layer on top of the foam strips, aligning the edges with the previous layers.
Flip the 3D heart over and enjoy the finished project!
More Valentine’s Day Paper Crafts
Don’t miss these other fun Valentine paper crafts!