Looking for a Valentine’s Day craft that’s equal parts adorable and affordable? “I dig you” Valentine shovels are exactly that. These charming little gifts put a playful spin on the traditional Valentine’s card—and they pull double duty as one of the most popular valentine fundraiser ideas for school programs. Whether you’re a parent, teacher, or student council organizer, this craft is simple to make, easy to customize, and guaranteed to get a smile.
The best part? No fancy supplies or crafting experience required. With a plastic shovel, some candy, and a marker, you’re halfway there. Read on for everything you need to know—from materials to step-by-step instructions and tips for turning this fun activity into a successful elementary school fundraiser.
What Are “I Dig You” Valentine Shovels?
An “I dig you” Valentine shovel is a small plastic shovel decorated with a sweet message and paired with candy or small gifts. The pun is simple, the presentation is cute, and the assembly takes just minutes—which is exactly why this craft has become a classroom staple.
These shovel valentines are popular for:
- Classroom Valentine exchanges — a creative alternative to store-bought cards
- Valentine’s Day party favors — memorable, low-cost, and fun for kids of all ages
- School-wide Valentine grams — a fundraising format where students purchase and send valentines to friends
Because materials are inexpensive and easy to source in bulk, “I dig you” valentine shovels are particularly well-suited for elementary school fundraisers and student-led projects. They carry high perceived value without a high price tag—making them a win for organizers and recipients alike.
What You’ll Need to Make Valentine’s Day Shovels
Before you start assembling, gather your supplies. Most of these items are available at dollar stores, craft shops, or online in bulk packs.
Materials:
- Small plastic shovels (any color—or use your school colors!)
- Valentine treats: candy hearts, gummy bears, jelly beans, or small candies
- Clear cellophane, cut into 10″ squares, or small plastic bags
- Ribbon or twist ties in any size or color
- Paint pen or permanent marker in a contrasting color to the shovel
- Optional: stickers, heart decorations, mini erasers, small toys, or themed trinkets
Pro tip: Buying materials in bulk significantly reduces the per-unit cost. If you’re organizing this as a fundraiser, this is the key to keeping your margins healthy.
How to Make a Shovel Valentine: Step-by-Step
Making these valentines is straightforward enough for kids to do themselves, which makes this activity perfect for classroom crafting sessions.
Step 1: Add Your Message
Using your paint pen or permanent marker, write “I Dig You!” on the front of each plastic shovel. Make sure the pen color contrasts with the shovel for easy readability. Add heart stickers, hand-drawn doodles, or other Valentine’s Day decorations for extra personality.
Step 2: Prepare the Treats
Cut your cellophane into 10″ squares. Place a small handful of candy or treats in the center of each square, gather the edges, and tie them off with ribbon. Keep the bundles small enough to attach easily to the shovel handle.
Step 3: Assemble the Valentine
Tie or attach the treat bag to the handle of the plastic shovel using ribbon. If you’d like to add a personal note, attach a small gift tag with a string. That’s it—your shovel valentine is complete!
Optional Variations
Don’t feel locked into pink and red. These valentines are highly customizable:
- Use school colors for a spirit-themed classroom exchange
- Swap candy for non-candy fillers like stickers, mini erasers, or small toys—great for schools with allergy policies or candy restrictions
- Let kids choose their own colors for ribbon, cellophane, and shovel—this turns assembly into a fun, creative classroom activity
How to Turn Valentine Shovels Into a School Fundraiser
Here’s where this craft really shines. Valentine’s day shovels aren’t just a fun project—they’re one of the most effective valentine fundraiser ideas for elementary school programs. The concept is simple, the overhead is low, and student participation tends to be high.
How the Valentine Gram Model Works
- Pre-sell shovel valentines in the days leading up to February 14th
- Let buyers personalize their valentines with a handwritten note or name tag
- Deliver all valentines on Valentine’s Day during homeroom or a special event
Student councils, band booster clubs, PTOs, and class parent groups are all natural fits for running this type of campaign.
Tips for a Successful Valentine Fundraiser
- Bundle pricing: Offer deals like “buy 3, save $1” to encourage multiple purchases
- Color-code by message type: Use different colored shovels for friendship, family, or team spirit valentines
- Set a clear deadline: Give buyers a firm cutoff date so you have time to assemble and organize deliveries
- Recruit student volunteers: Assembly goes much faster with a team, and it gives students ownership over the project
Why This Fundraiser Works
These shovel valentines hit a sweet spot that most valentine fundraiser ideas don’t: they feel special to receive, cost very little to produce, and require no special skills to make. For elementary schools in particular, the hands-on assembly is part of the appeal—kids love being involved in creating something for their classmates.
With minimal setup costs and a straightforward sales model, this can easily become a recurring valentine fundraiser idea year after year.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are “I dig you” Valentine shovels?
“I dig you” Valentine shovels are small plastic shovels decorated with a punny message and filled with candy or small gifts. They’re used for classroom Valentine exchanges, party favors, or school Valentine grams, and are especially popular in elementary settings because they’re easy to assemble and fun for kids to give and receive.
How do you turn Valentine shovels into a school fundraiser?
To use Valentine shovels as a fundraiser, sell them as Valentine grams that students can personalize and send to friends. Schools can organize pre-orders, assemble valentines in bulk with student volunteers, and deliver them on Valentine’s Day. The low material cost and high participation make it a simple, effective fundraising activity.
What can you put in a shovel Valentine instead of candy?
Non-candy alternatives include stickers, mini erasers, small toys, or themed trinkets. These are great for schools with dietary restrictions or no-candy policies. Keeping items small and lightweight makes them easy to attach to the shovel handle and keeps overall costs low—especially important if you’re using this as a fundraiser.
How many valentines can you make in one session?
With an organized assembly line, a small group of students or parents can produce 50–100 shovel valentines in an hour. Preparing materials in advance (pre-cutting cellophane, pre-writing messages) speeds the process up considerably.
Spread the Love This February
“I dig you” Valentine shovels are proof that the best Valentine’s Day crafts don’t need to be complicated. Grab some plastic shovels, fill them with candy, write a punny message, and you’ve got something that kids—and their classmates—will actually remember.
Whether you’re making a handful for a classroom exchange or hundreds for a school-wide Valentine gram fundraiser, this project scales easily and delivers big on charm. Give it a try this February, and don’t be surprised if it becomes a Valentine’s Day tradition.