Valentine’s Day is a natural fit for preschoolers. They L-O-V-E it! And there’s so much more to it than construction paper hearts, especially if you know where to look. I’ve collected free educational activities, crafts, songs, books and more from around the web to make planning your time with your preschooler easier. Enjoy!
Language & Literature
Discuss what it means to love and care about someone. Ask questions like:
• Who do you love? Who loves you?
• What can you do to show someone you care?
• What does it mean to love someone unconditionally?
Check out these books on unconditional love (click on image for more info from Amazon):
Read the cute, rhyming valentine story Forest Friends by Jean Warren at Preschool Express.
Share some of these illustrated books about Valentine’s Day with your preschooler:
Math & Science
Concoct a love potion (idea from Preschool Rock): Use red and blue food coloring to make colored ice cubes. Put one red ice cube and one blue ice cube in a glass of water and watch the water turn into a purple “love potion” as the ice melts.
Match, Sort, and Count heart candies (or valentines, or anything really).
Introduce the concept of symmetry. Hearts are naturally symmetrical, so fold the paper in half before cutting the shape out. If you use slick paper (think wax or parchment) that doesn’t absorb the paint, then you can fold the heart in half and the colors will be symmetrical.
Arts & Crafts
Make and Decorate a mailbox for your child’s valentines. Help your child write his name or glue on the letters. You could also put a photo of your child on the box. A shoebox with a slit cut out would work fine, or you could buy a kit.
Hand-craft valentines for everyone you can think of. Go beyond construction paper with lace, tissue paper, ribbons, hole punches, stickers and buttons. Grandparents love these, of course, so don’t forget to mail them.
Display your valentines in a bouquet. Fill a flower pot with craft foam and tape or glue pipe cleaners to your valentines, then stick the pipe cleaners in the foam. You could also have fun painting your flower pot – just be sure not to use washable paint if you plan on using it outside (been there).
Reading & Writing
Spell the word LOVE. Cut out some letters out of construction paper or cardboard and line them up or string them together to spell the word LOVE. You can freestyle it or print free letter templates here, from Quality Kids Crafts.
Music & Movement
Sing some silly songs:
• Replace “indians” with “valentines” in the song Ten Little Indians.
• View this list of Valentine rhymes sung to the tune of classic children’s songs at Everything Preschool.
• Learn the hand movements to “Love Grows One By One,” which can be seen here. Lyrics and an excerpt can be found here.
Dance to some grown-up yet child-appropriate Valentine’s tunes:
• A Tisket, A Tasket by Ella Fitzgerald
• L-O-V-E by Nat King Cole
• Can’t Buy Me Love by The Beatles
Extras
Watch some of these valentine-themed movies:
Contribute to this theme by leaving your ideas in a comment, and if I get some good ones I will do a special contributors post (you will be credited, of course). All comments and criticisms are welcome, as long as it is in accordance with the blog comment policy – so don’t be a spammer.
