Help!! I'm being invaded by LOVE BUGS!!!

Don't they look so cute and ready to spread some love? This year for Valentines Day I just didn't feel like doing the little $1/box valentines for my kids to hand out to their friends. There's nothing wrong with them, I just felt like doing something a little different this year! So I decided we should make Love Bugs.

Each Love Bug was made with a clothespin, 6 fuzzy pom-pom balls, 1/3 length of pipe cleaner (bent in half and curled into antennae) and 2 mini googly eyes. They were fairly simple to put together- I helped the kids spread a line of white glue down the length of the clothespin, then they selected the colored pom-pom balls they wanted and placed them on the glue. I bent the pipe cleaner into shape and added extra glue onto it and sandwiched it between the first and second ball, then we glued on the eyes. My only caution- the white glue takes at least 12 hours (maybe more!) to fully set, so give the Love Bugs time to rest!

I included this poem with each bug:

Love Bugs are nice,

I think you are too.

That’s why I made

This Love Bug for you!

He can clip to your shirt

Or keep love notes in place.

But he’s really here to say

Happy Valentines Day!

On the back of each note I simply wrote "To" and "From" and had the kids fill in the names of their classmates. They had fun picking out which of their Love Bugs they would give to each friend.

What I really loved about this project is that the kids were sooooo excited for Valentines Day after doing this! They weren't saying, "Oh, I can't wait to get treats on Valentines Day!" They were saying, "I can't wait to give these Love Bugs to my friends on Valentines Day!! They are going to love them!!"

The other thing I hoped was that the kids who got these Love Bugs would take them home and use them to spread love in their own families. I used some extra materials and made Love Bugs for both kids and clipped them to love notes and put them in their lunch boxes (Starlet claims her love bug ate part of her apple- ha ha!). I also made one for my sweetie and clipped it to his shoelaces with a love note so he would get it when he left for work. :-)

I also had the kids make them for their teachers and we clipped them to their gifts. I personally think teachers probably get more candy and treats than they know what to do with on holidays, so I usually try to get them something different. Socks are always a fun gift for preschool teachers, so here is one Love Bug clipped to a ribbon that I tied around a pair of rolled-up socks (you can get fun socks in sets of 3 for $3 at Wal-Mart or buy each pair separately at the dollar store). My son gave his teacher a necklace and earring set (found on clearance for $3!) which we also attached to a Love Bug.

It was a fun project that really helped us get into the spirit of Valentines Day!! How could you not feel the love with all those sweet little Love Bugs looking up at you?? :-)

Did you do anything special or fun for Valentines Day? Leave a comment and share!!