These adorable DIY love bug crafts are easy for kids to make using recycled materials, basic craft supplies and natural elements. They resemble much cuter versions of real bugs like caterpillars, spiders, dragonflies and butterflies. The finished love bug crafts can also be used as thoughtful, handmade Valentine’s gifts for classmates or friends to give out on Valentine's Day.
LOVE BUG CRAFTS FOR KIDS
Making love bug crafts is more than just a fun craft activity—it’s a wonderful way for children to develop essential skills, while also expressing their creativity. As children cut shapes from paper, glue small pieces together, and paint or decorate their bugs, they’re strengthening their fine motor skills and improving hand-eye coordination. These activities require precision and focus, which help refine their dexterity and control.
At the same time, crafting encourages imagination as children choose the colours they want to use and experiment with different craft and recycled materials. Each child's love bug will turn out unique even if they're making the same type of bug because they'll choose their own individual materials.
Pom Pom Love Bugs
The easiest way to craft adorable love bugs is to use pom poms. These pom pom love bugs can be made in just a few minutes and remind of a fluffier version of the pet rocks we used to make as kids.
Fuzzy Love Bugs
If you want to make some pom pom love bugs with a little bit more spunk and personality, make these fuzzy love bugs that have added feet and antennas. Use different antenna shapes and colours on each one to make them unique.
Caterpillar Love Bugs
If one or two pom poms just aren't enough then grab a handful of pom poms and create these cute pom pom caterpillars. I love that these look like real bugs and have the added detail of a cut out leaf.
Cork Love Bugs
These cork love bugs are a great way to upcycle wine corks, or you can buy blank corks in bulk. These love bugs are excellent for younger children as the size and straight shape of the corks are easier for them to hold and manipulate while crafting.
Heart Love Bugs
These adorable little heart love bugs remind me of little spiders, but they're much cuter. Threading the pipe cleaners to make the legs and antennas is also a great way for children to build their fine motor skills.
Pine Cone Love Bug
This pine cone love bug is another spider like love bug. If you go on a nature walk foraging for pine cones look for smaller, closed up ones that way they won't be as spiky for little fingers. If you don't want to use real pine cones you can always get artificial craft pine cones.
Stick Love Bug
These popsicle stick love bugs remind me of stick insects or centipedes with their colourful segmented bodies and pipe cleaner legs. The heart they're holding make them even more adorable. This craft is also a great way to build hand strength in little hands using a heart puncher.
Yarn Wrapped Love Bug
These yarn wrapped love bugs are also made from popsicle sticks, but are a little more tricky to make as they require lots of precise finger movements, so they're more suited to school aged children. The finished bugs can be used as stick figure puppets in imaginary play, or as pretty book marks.
Cardboard Tube Love Bugs
These adorable cardboard tube love bugs remind me of butterflies with their antennas and intricate wings. They're actually really easy to make and using paper doilies makes the wings look impressive without needing to cut out any details.
Cardboard tubes, whether they be empty toilet paper rolls, paper towel rolls or wrapping paper tubes, are my favourite craft resource because they're so readily available and a great way to reuse something that would normally end up in the recycling bin. However, if you want to do this craft in a school setting you'll probably need to use new craft tubes as most schools don't allow recycled paper rolls.
Pebble Love Bugs
These cute little pebble love bugs are the cutest little pet rocks. Collect some smooth pebbles from your garden or neighbourhood and paint them white to use as a body for your pebble love bugs. If you can't find any suitable rocks, or you need lots to make them for gifts, you can buy white pebbles in bulk.
MORE VALENTINES IDEAS FOR KIDS
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