Got Milk (jugs for Valentine's Day)?

If your students are anything like mine, your kiddos will walk out of your room on Valentine's Day with loads of cards and goodies.  I love to have my kiddos make their card holders out of milk jugs!

I ask my students to bring in clean, gallon milk jugs with all stickers removed.  I cut the tops off, write their names on the front in my best cutesy handwriting, and then put them out as a station at my Valentine's party for them to decorate.  We use permanent markers and stickers to make them all lovey-dovey... and then we attach a ribbon to the handle just for kicks!

At the end of the party station rotations (because I have to have my parties done "centers style" for organization and calm) we pass out our goodies into our newly decorated holders!  They are super sturdy, easy to carry, and can be made into fun planters or storage thingies when the kids get home.  It's a win-win... great holder and a reusable!

Here are 2 pics of mine so you can see what I mean.

We've just started collecting milk jugs... and it helps to cut the tops off a few days before you plan to decorate them and I usually spray in some Febreeze then too... sometimes they come in a smidgen damp or the teeniest bit smelly... but letting them air out for a day or two and spraying in some good smelling stuff takes care of that!

What do you think?  Hopefully it's do-able for you... we love it!  :)  Since I looped up with half of my class, I debated doing them again... but they're just perfect.  My kiddos were so pumped when I told them we needed to start bringing in milk jugs and a few even said they are using theirs from last year at home still!