Celebrate the month of love with your child by making a Valentine's Day craft. Lowcounry Child asked Sandra Walsh, second-grade teacher from Hilton Head School of the Creative Arts, for an easy, affordable and fun art project anyone can do. Heart necklaces, made with Elmer's Glue, yarn and a little bit of glitter, make great homemade kid gifts for far-away grandparents or friends.

Below are step-by-step instructions, along with a video. Click and print here to save the craft for a later date. 

These animals are all made out of hearts. They can be used for homemade Valentines or just for fun.

When you encourage your child to use his or her imagination to write a story, it not only fosters artistic expression and creativity, it helps them to clarify their thinking. Most importantly, it helps them learn the essential skills of reading and writing.

Is your precious little one not being, ahem, precious? Need a moment to clear your thoughts, decompress or grab a quick bite to eat? Lowcountry Child is here to save your day or at least buy you enough time to save your sanity! Click here for some time-saving, downloadable coloring pages and thought-provoking games brought to you exclusively from Lowcountry Child.

Parents are riddled with tips on how to feed their kids. At the base of these suggestions is the specter of the obesity epidemic. It can be easy to believe that a diet of anything other than organically grown, trans-fat-free, gluten-extracted vegetables served with lactose-stripped, vitamin-enhanced-soy-whey will lead to 30-year-old offspring that bankrupt the healthcare system, while being too fat to leave our basements. So, when my 2 year-old screamed “McDonalds!” upon spying the golden arches during a recent car trip, I was understandably panicked.

What do you do when toys or DVDs don't entertain your baby, toddler or preschooler? You asked. We answered.

Let’s face it. We’re not all super parents. You know, the ones who can make a smiley face mask with a page from an old magazine and a piece of hair? Well, maybe they're not exactly like that, but there always seems to be that special parent who can entertain a child for hours without breaking a sweat (or their partner’s neck at the end of the day). I am not one of those parents. After playing with my son, Cole, for half an hour, I start to wonder, "What now?" 

As much fun as it is to point that registry gun at your favorite store, how do you know you're selecting the items you'll really need and use? For first-time moms or for those who have been out of the game for awhile, it’s important to seek guidance from other moms to discover which tools of the trade are the most important. As I’ve learned from trial and error, there is no right or wrong when it comes to baby items but some just work better than others. And there are those must-needed items that no mom should be without.

One of the nicest things about living in the Lowcountry is our year-round access to fresh, organic vegetables. Have you ever tried a smooth, savory winter squash soup? How about roasted brussel sprouts or braised leeks and collard greens?

These make great gifts for grandparents!