VALENTINE HEART ACTIVITY
For this activity you will need scraps of fabric or paper with different textures. (ie: fake fur, velvet, corduroy, fuzzy wallpaper, sandpaper, etc.), construction paper, scissors, glue,and yarn.
Cut different size heart shapes form the different textures. Cut a few pieces of construction paper in half and glue the hearts on the paper. If desired, draw funny faces on the hearts with a permanent marker
Tie the pages together to make a book. Now you have a Valentine book for the baby to feel as you look at each page and describe what he is touching.
CRAFT -SPARKLY HEARTS
For an easy craft to make for Valentineīs Day, try out these sparkly heart decorations.
You will need aluminum foil, red or pink construction paper, cotton swabs, scissors, red paint and glue.
Cut large heart shapes from aluminum foil and glue each heart to a sheet of construction paper. Allow the children to decorate their hearts with designs by using cotton swabs dipped in red paint. Mount the childrenīs projects to the wall or windows to make a sparkly Valentineīs Day display.
CRAFT -COLLAGE CARDS
Have your kids make their own Valentineīs Day cards this year.
Red construction paper
Tissue paper (different colors)
White glue thinned with water
Paint brushes, marker
Have your toddler help you tear the tissue paper into 2 inch pieces. Cut the construction paper into large heart shapes. Have the child brush glue on the heart shape and stick on the piece of torn tissue paper. He may choose to cover the whole heart by overlapping the tissue or by leaving spaces in between. When it is dry, print a message and the childīs name on the heart using a marker, then have the child give it to his "valentine".
VALENTINE STICK PUPPETS
Using tongue depressors these stick people are fun and easy to make. Use a heart shape for the face and let the kids draw the face on with markers or crayons. You can even glue some yarn on for hair. Make your doll a dress from a paper doily!
ACTIVITY -WATER PLAY
Even the youngest children will enjoy this activity.
Sponges cut in heart shapes
Tub of water
Paper towels
Give the sponge to an infant to feel and squeeze. Then moisten it with water and let him feel the difference. Then help him make prints on the paper towel. Or play with the sponges in a tub of water. (Set the water on a towel on the kitchen floor) Supervise closely as always when water is involved.
Older children can use sponges to "stamp" designs on construction paper with paint.
CRAFT -3-D TISSUE HEART
For this tried and true art activity you will need:
Tissue paper cut in 3" squares
Pencil with eraser on end
Construction paper
White glue, scissors
Cut a heart shape out of construction paper, Spread a thin coat of glue on a small section of the heart. Using one tissue square at a time, place the eraser end in the center of of the square, fold the square around the end of the pencil. Set it down on the glued area. Glue the "fluffs" close together to make the heart look fluffy. When finished the section, spread glue on another area and continue.
VALENTINE FISH
For each valentine fish you will need one very large heart, one medium heart and three smaller hearts and one tiny heart. Glue the largest heart to the medium heart at the bottom points. (The points are placed end to end; this makes the fishīs body and tail. The three smaller hearts are glued to the top of the fish for fins and the tiny heart is glued to the dip in the largest heart for lips! We make these fish when we read "Rainbow Fish" an excellent book!
MOTHER VALENTINE POEM FOR CARDS
MOTHER VALENTINE POEM FOR CARDS
Mother dear, can you guess
Who it is that loves you best?
Iīll give you three guesses, 1,2,3.
There! I knew youīd think of me!
ACTIVITY -MAGIC HEARTS
Magic hearts
Have your child brush white vinegar on a sheet of white construction paper. Then cover the paper with small hearts that have been cut form red tissue paper. As the vinegar dries, the tissue paper will fall off, leaving red heart prints. You can vary this craft by using different colors of tissue paper and shapes. The construction paper can be used to wrap a gift after it is decorated.
PAPER HEART HATS
PAPER HEART HATS
Fold a piece of red construction paper in half. On one half of paper, draw heart with top touching the fold. Cut. Then staple the points of two hearts to 1 1/2" strip of construction paper. Adjust the strip to fit your childīs head. Tape together. If desired, write the childīs name on the heart.
VALENTINE MOBILE
VALENTINE MOBILE
Using margarine lids (you will need 3-5 of them) itīs easy to make a beautiful Valentineīs Day mobile decoration. First glue a lacy paper doily on to each side of the lids. Then glue on hearts (these should be smaller than the lace doily). Poke a hole in the top of the lids and use ribbons to hang them from a hanger.
VALENTINE FLOWERS
VALENTINE FLOWERS
Heart shapes can be used to make flower petals. Glue them onto a green pipe cleaner and insert the flowers into floral foam, or glue them to construction paper.
HEART ANIMALS
HEART ANIMALS
Using a variety of hearts in shapes, sizes and colors, create people or animals. Folding narrow strips of paper accordion-style can make arms and legs for your animals. I have seen fish made from hearts and very cute mice. This is a great activity to foster your childīs imagination.
VALENTINE BUTTERFLIES
VALENTINE BUTTERFLIES
Gluing a small heart on top of a larger heart can make a Valentine butterfly. Attach two such combinations of hearts together and then overlap with a twisted red and white pipe cleaner. Leave 1" of pipe cleaner untwisted at the ends for antennae.
RECYCLED VALENTINES
RECYCLED VALENTINES
There are a number of ways your children can save and re-use their Valentineīs. Cut out old Valentine cards and make a collage.
Punch a hole into the tops of their valentines and make a mobile.
Use them in your family memory book.
VALENTINE TREES
Find a couple of twigs or a bare branch of a tree. Have popcorn and small candy hearts to glue on branches. Using royal icing, the kind you put gingerbread houses together with at Christmas, attach the candy and popcorn to the branches. Place the branch into a pot filled with styrofoam or marbles and use for a centerpiece.
VALENTINE SACHETS
Make valentine sachets by decorating two hearts of the same size with collage materials. Put perfume on cotton balls and place between the two hearts. Staple the hearts closed. Hang from ribbon.
VALENTINE HUGS CRAFT
Paint childrenīs hands with white paint.
Stamp this on red construction paper hearts.
Punch a hole in the bottom end of each heart.
Have children spread arms wide and measure this with a piece of ribbon and cut.
Attach this yarn to each heart.
Attach the following poem:
A Valentine Hug For You
Wrap these hands around you whenever Iīm away,
So you can have a hug from me anytime of day!
This could be used any time of year, like Motherīs or Fatherīs Day. Just take out the word "valentine". How about leaving one of these for your small children when you have to go out of town on business. Divorced parents could send one to their children that donīt live with them. There are so many uses for this. Any time of year is a perfect time to tell someone you love them.
VALENTINE PUZZLES
You can recycle the pretty heart shaped boxes you receive for Valentineīs Day. Make a heart box puzzle by tracing around a heart-shaped candy box on apiece of red or pink poster-board. Your child can decorate this heart with a Valentine picture. Cut out the heart shape, then cut it into puzzle pieces. Let your child put the puzzle together, using the box as a frame. The puzzle pieces can be stored in the heart when not in use. Label the outside of your box: "Please put the pieces of my heart together."
CHALK HEART
Pink Construction Paper,
Red and white chalk, Butter knife,
Dishpan, and Water.
Cut a heart out of Pink Construction paper. Fill the dishpan with water.
Using a butter knife to grate red and white chalk onto the surface of the
water in the dishpan. Then gently place the pink heart over the water Pick it
up and place it somewhere to dry.
