How to Make a Valentine Paper Chain

No glue or staples are needed to make this cheerful chain of Valentine hearts.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Making the Heart Links

1. Cut a 4-inch by 8-inch rectangle out of construction paper.
2. Lay the paper on the table in front of you with the short side of the paper nearest you.
3. Fold the bottom edge up to the top edge of the paper to make a 4-inch square.
4. Fold the left side of the square over to the right side to make a 2-inch by 4-inch rectangle.
5. Make a light pencil mark on the bottom (folded) edge, about ¼ inch away from the left corner.
6. Starting near the top of the left (folded) edge, lightly draw the top half of a question mark with your pencil.
7. Continue this line diagonally towards the bottom fold in your paper, stopping when your pencil reaches the pencil mark you drew in step 5.
8. Make a light pencil mark on the left edge, about ¼ inch above the lower left corner.
9. Starting about ½ inch below the line you drew in step 6, draw a second curved line and continue diagonally until it reaches the mark you drew in step 8.
10. Cut along both pencil lines with scissors.
11. Unfold the paper. You will have two paper heart shapes with cutout heart centers that are attached to each other at the bottom. This makes one heart link.
12. Fold the link back together at the bottom fold, making one heart shape.
13. Continue making heart links until you have as many as you need for your chain.

Putting the Heart Links Together

14. Unfold one heart link.
15. Insert half of the link into a folded heart link.
16. Fold the link back up.
17. Unfold another link.
18. Insert half of that link into the link you closed in step 16, adding to the chain.
19. Continue to add to the chain by unfolding links, inserting them into the previous link and folding them back up.
20. Tape the last link together at the top of the heart when your chain is the desired length.

Tips & Warnings

• Save the heart shapes you cut out of the center of each link. They can also be used for Valentine decorations.
• Use the first heart link you make as a pattern for the rest.
• Use two or more colors of construction paper and alternate the colors as you link the hearts.
• Help your children count the days until Valentine's Day. Make a chain with fourteen heart links. Tape the last link to an envelope containing a special Valentine's card. Beginning on February 1, tear one link off the chain each day. Tear off the last link and open the card on Valentine's Day.