The simple joy of expressing love for family and friends is both mood-boosting and heart-warming in the colder and grayer months of the year! Set aside some time during the week leading up to Valentine’s Day to make a few easy crafts with your little one. Spending sweet time with your child to make something together can be so much fun! Here are a few ideas to celebrate Valentine’s Day with craft projects:
Construction Paper Heart Friends
Your preschooler will enjoy practicing their fine motor skills with cutting and gluing to make this cute little heart-shaped pal! Set them up for success by tracing the hearts for them to cut and helping with the accordion folding for arms and legs if needed. Add a little message to the back if giving this project as a valentine. They make cheerful decorations for the holiday, as well! You can find a helpful tutorial here.
Heart-Shaped Stamp Valentines
This sweet paper craft project is quick to set up. If you have a heart-shaped rubber stamp and ink pads on hand, wonderful—you’re all set! But if not, you can make stamps for paint by cutting one out of a household sponge, whittling one out of a potato, or even shaping one out of an empty toilet paper tube! (The cardboard tube option is especially good for very young artists who are practicing their fine motor skills.) After you’ve made the stamp, you can provide a blank tote bag, piece of canvas, or construction paper for your child to stamp their hearts out. The designs can turn into valentines or gifts for teachers, family members, and friends!
Tissue Paper Wreath
This charming craft project for a heart-shaped wreath is easy and satisfying for little hands and only requires a few supplies. Your child will love to see the progress from a flat, blank base to a colorful, textured final product. This handmade decoration will help bring feelings of warmth and love to your house. You can even use it to build a ritual by asking children to stand under the wreath and share one thing that made them feel loved. You can repeat this each day of the week leading up to Valentine’s Day.
Valentine’s Day Love Bugs
With a little red or pink yarn, scissors, an egg carton, and some googly eyes, your family can make adorable pom-pom “love bugs” to celebrate the season. Begin having your child wrap yarn around a piece of cardboard many times. A parent can step in to help make the pom-pom by tying the yarn together and cutting through all the loops at once. Then, use a pipe cleaner to attach the love bug to an egg carton. When you have a basic love bug shape, it’s time to decorate! Add googly eyes and a little red nose to your love bug. This video can walk you step-by-step through the process.
Classic Shoebox Mailbox
One of the best parts of Valentine’s Day is receiving valentines from family and friends. Help your child make and decorate a mailbox using an old shoe box, construction paper, and a few decorations. While the design doesn’t need to be elaborate, it can be so fun to make a special receptacle for all the valentines your child will receive. Check out a few of these ideas to make your shoebox unique!
The Gardner School Helps Preschoolers Share the Love
However you choose to celebrate, you’ll make lots of memories while you’re making these crafts. Valentine’s Day is the perfect holiday to show your children just how much you love them and to teach them how to share the love with others. It’s no secret that parents and preschoolers alike love The Gardner School. If you want to see for yourself all there is to love, contact us today to schedule a tour at The Gardner School nearest you.
