(NAPSA)—It’s that time of year again, when Cupid’s arrowspierce the hearts of romantics everywhere. This year, you can get your kids in the Valentine’s spirit by making Valentine’s Daygifts. Children often pass out candy and write Valentines to those they cherish. Valentine’s Cookie Pops serve as an excellent canvas for a child’s creative Valentine’s Day messages, plus they are easy to bake and fun to decorate. They make terrific gift for the special people in their lives, from neighbors to teachers to grandparents. Start by pressing cookie dough into one of Wilton’s Round or Heart Cookie Treat Pans. Insert a cookie treat stick into the dough and bake in a preheated oven according to recipe instructions. While the cookie pops bake, set up an area of the counter or kitchen table as a work zone for your devoted decorator. Gather kid-friendly decorating supplies such as brightly colored icings, sprinkles, edible food markers and spoonsfor spreading. Let the kids preview the materials and plan their design as they wait for the cookies to cool. Here are some great Valentine’s Day gift project ideas to get you started: * “Love Thy Neighbor”’—Get friendly with the neighbors by making cookie hearts with each of their names. Have the kids personalize the pops with colors and pictures that remind them of their friends next door. Deliver a cookie bouquet in a small flower pot filled with Valentine’s Day candies. * “Teacher’s Pet”—Create a colorful pop for a teacher by drawing a small heart at the center of the cookie with icing. Have your child trace the heart with different colored edible markers until the cookie is filled with a giant, rainbow-style heart. Wrap the cookie in cellophaneor a sandwich bag and tie with a ribbon for easy handling. * “Number One Grandkid’— Help your young decorators ice a cookie using the back of a spoon. Give Grandma and Grandpa a sweet treat by sprinkling colored sugars on the iced cookie. Place in a Valentine’s Day coffee mug to makethegift complete. Enjoy the time working together in the kitchen and be sure to make extras so you can sample the Valentine’s Day treats when you're finished. For additional entertaining and decorating ideas, visit www.wilton.com.
