Nothing says Valentine’s Day quite like hearts, candy…and love bugs, of course! This fun Valentine’s Day craft is sure to get everyone smiling. It uses household items, like an empty paper towel roll, so you may already have everything you need to get started. Who knew a TP roll could be so cute?!
Here’s what you need:
• Paper towel roll
• Pipe cleaners
• Kids’ paint
• Construction paper
• Googly eyes
• Craft glue
• Markers
• Scissors
• Skewer
• Beads (optional)
• Pom poms (optional)
• Stickers (optional)
Glitter (optional)
Here’s what to do:
- Make the paper towel roll the size you’d like. (The roll will be the bug’s body, so cut it down if you’d like a smaller bug.)
- Paint the paper towel roll and allow it to dry.
- Poke the skewer in one side of the roll and out the other side three times, creating holes for your bug’s pipe cleaner legs to go through. There will be three holes down each side.
- Cut two pipe cleaners in half. Use three of the four pipe cleaner pieces to thread through the paper towel roll to make six legs.
- Add a small bead (if available) to the end of each pipe cleaner leg to give your bug feet.
- Now it’s time to decorate your little love bug! Use markers, stickers, glitter — whatever you have! — to add some fun details to your bug.
- Give your love bug some heart wings and antennae. Fold a piece of construction paper in half and draw a medium-sized heart for the wings and a small heart with a stem coming from the bottom for its antennae.
- Cut out the heart wings and antennae while the paper’s folded so you get two of each shape.
- Attach the heart wings to the back of your bug with glue.
- Using glue, attach the two antennae to the inside back of the paper towel roll.
- Glue the googly eyes to your bug’s head.
- You can glue a pom pom right below your bug’s eyes to give it a nose. (Optional.)
- Make your love bug some buddies if you have a few more empty paper towel rolls!
Thanks for the great idea, Red Ted Art! For more information and pictures, please click here.
