Allergies and Pinterest have made choosing what to hand out for Valentine’s day complicated. 

No one really wants their child coming home with a load of candy, which can be hard for families with food allergies anyway. “Non-candy” Valentines became all the rage in recent years. However, “non-candy” usually means clutter. Cheap toys and useless trinkets are still clutter, even if they are paired with a cute card and clever saying. 

The popularity of the Marie Kondo special on Netflix proves that we, as American and moms, are just plain tired of all the clutter. Let’s just do all the parents of kids in your child’s class a solid this Valentine’s day. Forgo the pixie stix and junky “allergy-friendly” toys.

There is a better alternative.

Here are 15 practical and clutter-free valentine ideas for kids.

Psssst…most are allergy friendly and include a free printable.

You’re welcome.

1. Bandaids

Just used some washi tape to tape a couple of fun bandaids to the kids’ favorite character cards. We did this last year and they were a hit with kids AND moms. Use this “I’m stuck on you” free Valentine printable if you want to be all Pinteresty.

2. Seeds

Don’t we all need a little reminder that spring is just around the corner? Check out this free printable seed packet valentine. If you are feeling ambitious, these DIY seed paper valentines are a great project to do with your kids!

3. Bird Feeders

Bird feeders are a unique and completely useable gift that you can have fun making together. They are a bit messy to make, but certainly not hard! Check out these adorable bird seed hearts your child can make and had out to friends and teachers.

4. Fruit

Not only is fruit a clutter-free Valentine gift, but a guilt-free one for parents, too. Load up your child’s classmates with some nutrients while cold and flu seasons is still going strong. Check out these free printables for applesauce cups, cutie oranges, mandarin orange cups, or bananas. 

5. Juice Boxes

Just wrap up a juice box using a printable like this one or this one and you’ve got a sure winner for Valentine’s day! 

6. Temporary Tattoos

Temporary tattoos are perfect: You put them on. It washes off. The end. Check out the printable tattoo Valentine cards here. 

7. Stickers

Stickers are always fun and usable, no matter what your age. These cute “I’m stuck on you!” Valentines can pair perfectly with whatever stickers your child chooses.

8. Pen or Pencil

This is the time of year teachers will tell you that they are are running out of school supplies. A pencil or pen is an easy and practical item any school-age child can use. There are SO many choices for fun printable. Get “write to the point” and check out this butterfly, an inchworm, mechanical pencil valentine, or just a simple flag printable to add to a pen pencil. Donate any leftover pencils to the teacher! 

9. Eraser

Make no mistake, this is an easy one. Just find a pack of any type of erasers and attach to this free printable card. 

10. Crayons

Just do a couple crayons per kid, and spring for a box of Crayola. Every other type of crayon is just a waxy stick of disappointment. These interactive valentines are perfect to pair with the new crayons secured by some festive washi tape. Choose from the free printable color by number or an “a-maze-ing” maze Valentine cards.

11. Glue Stick

Replenish the sad supply of dried up and missing cap glue sticks in your child’s classroom with these fun “Stuck on you” printable valentines. 

12. Chocolate Play Dough

This homemade chocolate play dough smells like brownie batter. It’s the real deal. Print this play dough Valentine card to go with it. 

13. ChapStick

Sometimes kids’ “lips hurt real bad!” Watch Napoleon Dynamite while printing out these cards to supply chapstick to the whole class.

14. Book Marks

This one is for the crafty kids! Check out these three DIY book marks your child can make for their class: Watercolored, marbled, or ribbon book marks. Unique, thoughtful, and useable for each child in his or her class. 

15. The Good Chocolate

When in doubt, just stick a piece of good chocolate to a card. Whatever you choose, go for the good stuff. No one is going to let that clutter up their house for long! Here is a free printable for mini Hershey’s wrappers, if you must, but the chocolate is all anyone really wants. 

Whether you are looking for easy, allergy-friendly, crafty, Pinteresty, crunchy, or just plain practical… you are covered with one of these 15 ways to win at Valentine’s day this year. 

What will your child give out on Valentine’s day?

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