Heart Heroes

This Valentine’s Day turn an unwanted action figure into a much-loved holiday superhero!

Supplies:
Action figure
Air-dry clay
Craft paint
Googly eyes
Small pieces of paper, felt or plastic
Lollipop stick
Craft glue
Clear tape
Marker
Scissors
Paintbrush

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Here’s How:
1.| First find a spare small action figure and then use air-dry clay to sculpt a heart-shaped head over the original one.

2.| Allow the clay to dry overnight.

3.| Once dry, paint the heart red or pink using craft paint and a paintbrush.

4.| While the paint dries, cut a cape from felt or paper, if desired.

5.| Also find small plastic objects for the nose and mouth, or use scissors to cut them from paper or thin plastic packaging.

6.| With marker, write a Valentine’s Day message such as, “Have a SUPER Valentine’s Day,” “You make me feel like a HERO,” “You make my heart FLY,” “You’re SUPER” or “You’re my HERO” on a small strip of paper. Then, use tape to attach it to the end of a lollipop stick.

7.| Now that the paint is dry, use craft paint and tape to put everything together; glue on the googly eyes, nose and mouth, glue or tape the cape to the back of the figure and stick the Valentine’s sign in its hand, using a small piece of tape to secure it if necessary.

8.| Make one Hero for someone special, or make one for everybody in class!

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More Ideas:
• Add heart heads to dolls, plastic animals or other toys.
• For a quicker face, simply draw or paint the features on.
• No lollipop stick? Use a piece of drinking straw or roll a scrap of paper into a thin tube instead.
• If there isn’t a spare action figure available, check a thrift store for an inexpensive option.
• Look for action figures in multi-packs at the dollar store for a cost-effective way to make many heroes.
• Instead of a heart head, have the action figure holding a heart with a greeting written on it, in its hands, or over its head.
• For a centerpiece make a huge hero with a larger figure.
• Set up a parade of Heart Heroes for a fun holiday display.
• Add more details to the superhero’s costume with scraps of paper, permanent marker, glitter or rhinestones.
• Add the initial of the recipient to the chest of the superhero’s costume.
• To allow the action figure to go back to normal after Valentine’s Day, don’t sculpt the heart around the head, just press its head into the back of the clay, allow the clay to dry and attach it to the toy with tape.
• Try this trick for other Holidays- adding eggheads to toys for Easter, or Jack-o-Lanterns and skulls for Halloween.