Try these DIY Valentine's Day Gifts - Learn Robotics (2024)

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, and what better way to show someone you care than to make them a gift by hand. In this article, I’ve compiled a list of DIY Valentine’s Day gifts that will surely impress your girlfriend or boyfriend or that special someone in your life!

1. Soldering Valentine’s Day Gifts

When I think of Valentine’s Day projects, I think of LEDs and soldered circuit boards. You can opt to use a soldering kit or design an LED heart necklace or badge from scratch. There are lots of options out there, so I recommend selecting the path that makes the most sense for your skill level and interests. If you’re brand new to soldering, I recommend going the heart kit route. On the other hand, if you’re looking to challenge yourself, wiring up a perf board or creating a custom PCB, might be more appropriate.

Soldering Heart Kits

For this project, you’ll need to pick up a soldering kit and have access to a soldering iron, snips, and solder. I recommend choosing a kit that you think looks cool and matches your soldering skill level. If you’re entirely new to soldering and wanted a reason to learn, this is a great project to start with!

Here are a couple of kits worth checking out.

[amazon box=”B07K274PPX,B0778JQP78″ template=”list”]

Once you have your kit, heat up your iron. A pair of helping hands makes things a whole lot easier. If you plan to solder quite a bit, then this is a must-have tool to add. Then use the included schematic to lay the components out on the board. Make sure they sit flat on the PCB and that they look nice before you solder them down.

Design an LED Heart Necklace or Badge

Another soldering project is to create a custom electronics Valentine’s Day gift. You can use a perf board, wire up some LEDs, and solder it together. Then program an Arduino to control the LEDs in a variety of patterns and brightnesses.

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Or you can take the project a step further and design a completely custom circuit board using EDA software such as KiCad, Altium, or Eagle. Then, you can have your board printed for a reasonable price on Oshpark or PCBWay. Oshpark also has Shared Projects, like this 8bit Heart, that you can use for inspiration.

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There are so many options when it comes to creating custom projects like this, so be creative, and think about personal touches that will make the gift unique to your significant other.

Materials for this Project

[amazon box=”B07G243C86,B000AS28UC” template=”list”]

2. 3D Printing Valentine’s Day Projects

If 3D printing is more of your forte, or if you’re looking for a reason to use your 3D printer, then these DIY Valentine’s Day projects will be right up your alley.

3D Printed Heart Mugs

The first project is a 3D printed set of mugs. While I don’t know the durability or usability of these mugs, they do look very cool. I wasn’t able to find the exact STL file for immediate print, but if you plan on making this project yourself, you can use Fusion 360, SketchUp or your favorite CAD software to model a custom set of personalized heart mugs. You’ll also gain hours working in CAD, which is an added bonus!

3D Printed Candy Hearts

Another idea is a 3D printed spin on the classic Candy Hearts. These are very affordable (roughly $0.25 per dozen) and you can make them 100% customized for the recipient. Use some red PLA filamentfor added flair.

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First, download the STL File from Thingiverse. You can make modifications to file including the conversation phrase and thickness. Then import it into your favorite 3D printing slicer. I like to use Cura.

Adjust the infill settings to about 10%. I scaled the model to 1″ (25.4mm) so that they’re smaller Valentine’s, but you can make them whatever size you’d like. Lastly, I used the multiplier tool to add additional copies of the part to the print layout. If you’re planning to do batches, it’s a good idea to let the slicer figure out the optimal placement for the multiples.

Prep your 3D printer, load the file, and watch the candy hearts print!

3. Arduino Valentine’s Day Projects

Arduino is one of the most popular prototyping platforms. It’s no wonder you’d want to make something for Valentine’s Day with it! In this section, I’ve listed a few ideas for making DIY Valentine’s Day gifts using Arduino.

IoT Connected Valentine: Send a Valentine from Anywhere

One of the coolest, Arduino Valentine’s Day projects is the “Internet Valentine.” There are two ESP8266 devices that send and receive “Valentines” via the Internet. And while you could just send a heart emoji or give someone a quick call instead of making this project, I think there’s plenty to be said about the power of IoT devices. Plus, this is just pretty darn cool!

You can make the devices using breadboards, perf boards, or even developing custom PCBs. The possibilities and features are limitless, but this should give you a good starting point if you’re looking for a more “high-tech” Valentine’s Day gift to give your girlfriend or boyfriend.

Materials for this Project

[amazon box=”B073Z84243″ template =”list”]

Heartbeat Art: Share a Piece of Your Heart

Give someone a piece of your heart(beat) this Valentine’s day.

Using Arduino and an EKG sensor, you can “record” your heartbeat and print it out as a gift. All you need to do is configure the EKG shield with your Arduino, take a couple of readings, then copy the EKG wave into a photo editing software. Add Valentine’s Day sayings, print it out, and voila! you have a very unique and heartfelt gift!

Materials for this Project

[amazon box=”B00YXCKA4C” template =”list”]

4. DIY Valentine’s Day Projects for Kids

In this section, we’ll explore a DIY Valentine’s Day projects for kids. The best part about these projects is that they don’t feel like work. So if you’re a homeschool parent, STEM teacher, or are looking for ways to tie Valentine’s Day into technical learning, then here are some tangible ideas.

Light-Up Circuit Valentines

What better way to introduce electronics to kids than to have them build their own circuits! This project replicates Candy Hearts but with an electronics flair. The Light-Up Circuit Valentine’s are super easy to make that even early Elementary school kids can get involved!

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Materials for this Project

[amazon box=”B01IO2NDDG,B07G49PJLG,B0042A9UXC,B071JKLFXX” template = “list”]

First, design the hearts on the computer. Add some phrases to make the Candy Hearts more conversational. Some examples are “You’re Electric,” or “You light up my life.” Then, print the hearts on colored construction paper.

Place the LED and resistor on the heart. Next, attach the battery with some copper tape. Then, draw an outline around the edge of the heart to connect the LED to the battery. You can fold over a piece of construction paper with copper tape to create a switch to control the LED.

The original project doesn’t use a resistor. But because the circuit isn’t continuously on, there is less chance of burning out the LED. If you want to use this project in the classroom, you can relate it back to Ohm’s Law. Here’s the math to help with your lesson plans.

(1) $ V = IR $

(2) $ R = \frac{V}{I} $

(3) $ R = \frac{3V – 1.8V}{0.025A} = 48Ω $

Note: The forward voltage of Red, Yellow, and Yellow-Green LEDs on 3V is 1.8V and the desired maximum current draw from an LED is 25mA or 0.025A.

48Ω isn’t a standard resistor size, so we jump to the next common resistor size available (51Ω). 100Ω is fine too, just know that the higher the resistor value is, the dimmer the LED will appear.

Spinning Hearts Device

LittleBits are a great way to teach kids electronics because they’re easy to connect together and build circuits. Similarly to the IoT project, you can press a button on one device and it will spin the heart on another. The recipient can then send a valentine back by pressing a button on their device.

This project works anywhere so long as both devices are connected to the internet. I recommend giving this project a try if you have access to littleBits or you’re looking for something more challenging than the Valentine’s Day Light-Up Cards.

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Materials for this Project

[amazon box=”B00ECWSL0I” template=”list”]

What did you build for Valentine’s Day?

Let me know in the comments below. And, if you’re hoping to receive one of these projects as a gift, feel free to send this article to that special someone to drop them a hint. ?

Try these DIY Valentine's Day Gifts - Learn Robotics (2024)

FAQs

What is the most gifted thing on Valentine's Day? ›

What are the most popular gifts to send for Valentine's Day?
  • Flowers & Chocolates. ...
  • Cook a Romantic Dinner Together. ...
  • Treasure Hunt. ...
  • Couples Activity. ...
  • Make Your Own Card.

Which gender spends the most on Valentine's Day? ›

Valentine's Day spending statistics

Not only that, Valentine's Day tends to be the most popular day to get engaged. Spending differs by gender and age. Men spend more on Valentine's Day ($200+), while women usually spend less.

What are the top 7 best selling products or services for Valentine's Day? ›

What to Sell on Valentine's Day?
  • Chocolates/Sweets. Nearly 30% of US adults wished to receive chocolate and sweets on this occasion. ...
  • Flowers. How can we celebrate Valentine's Day without a luxurious bouquet of roses? ...
  • Gift Cards/Vouchers. ...
  • Clothing. ...
  • Perfumes. ...
  • Valentine's Day Cards. ...
  • Jewelry. ...
  • Lingerie.
Jan 16, 2024

What is the most popular candy on Valentine's Day? ›

First, What's the Most Popular Valentine's Day Candy? According to Candystore.com's annual report from 2023, conversation hearts made a stunning comeback, being the top Valentine's Day candy choice for 17 U.S. states.

How are things so cheap at Dollar Tree? ›

One key approach is bulk buying from suppliers. By purchasing millions of units to distribute across their numerous locations, they can acquire products at a lower cost, similar to the savings Costco offers its customers through bulk purchases. Another method dollar stores use is sourcing liquidated items.

Does Family Dollar have Valentine's stuff? ›

Show that special someone how much you care with Valentine's Day gifts, greeting cards, candy, stuffed animals, and more at your local Family Dollar and online. Stay loyal to your budget with delightful deals that will take your breath away.

What is trending for Valentine's Day in 2024? ›

Nostalgic jewelry is trending, particularly lockets for holding cherished memories. Worn patinas and vintage styles make them romantic and practical. Heartfelt charms on necklaces are gaining popularity too, with charm options to cater to various interests, from sports to cooking, adding a personal touch to the trend.

Should I get my son a Valentine's gift? ›

Yes, giving your child a Valentine's Day card or treat is a lovely thing to do. Those who include their children in Valentine's Day tend to go all out on presents and special meals and messages of caring and kindness. "We have little presents and special dinner," says Stephanie M. "My little boy calls it Love Day."

What is a nice Valentine's Day quote? ›

I fell in love with you because of all the small things you don't even realize you're doing. Thank you for making me laugh and smile every single day since the day we met. Like you and me, some things are just meant to be. Here are all the ways I'm a better person because of you.

How to make a horse Valentine box? ›

DIY Horse Valentine Box

To make: Wrap a rectangular papier-mâché box in white craft paper; cut a slot in the top. Cut one end a shoe box at an angle to create a neck; wrap in white craft paper. Cut a second shoe box to create a muzzle; wrap in white craft paper. Hot-glue parts together.

How do you make a Valentine's Day basket? ›

Fill your gift basket with a variety of packaged sweets: we suggest popcorn drizzled with Candy Melts candy or candy-coated pretzels. Complete your basket with a few romantic DVD's and a big, cozy blanket!

What is bought most on Valentine's Day? ›

Beyond The Classic Heart-Shaped Bouquet And Chocolates

While flowers, candy and greeting cards still top the list of main gifts, younger generations are shifting the way Valentine's Day is being celebrated, looking beyond traditional gifts.

What is more given in Valentine's gift? ›

1. Chocolate. The NRF survey unveiled that 50% of respondents would be giving their loved ones chocolates or candy this Valentine's Day, making it the most popular gift for the holiday.

What is the gift of Valentine? ›

Respondents demonstrated an evident passion for traditional offerings when asked about their preferred gift for Valentine's Day. Chocolate emerged as the most popular choice, with 14.63% expressing a preference for it, closely followed by flowers at 14.41%. Jewellery and watches ranked third, with 12.46%.

Who should be gifted on Valentine's Day? ›

Valentine's Day is a celebration for everyone, regardless of gender. It's a day when both partners can express their love and appreciation for each other. It is the celebration of your love story. It is the celebration of your partner for who they are and how lovely their presence is!

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