Toddler Valentine Crafts offer a wonderful way to celebrate holidays like Valentine’s Day while fostering creativity, motor skills, and bonding time. Toddler Valentine crafts are a fun and engaging activity that help little ones express their love in a hands-on way. Toddler Valentine Crafts not only promote fine motor development but also teach toddlers about colors, shapes, and textures. With Valentine’s Day around the corner, crafting together can turn into a memorable and meaningful experience for both children and caregivers.
For a toddler-friendly Valentine’s Day celebration, try simple crafts that are easy to do and safe for little hands. Some ideas include heart-shaped stamps using sponges, handprint art to create love-themed keepsakes, or decorating paper cards with stickers and markers. You can also create a heart garland by cutting out hearts from construction paper and stringing them together. Toddler Valentine Crafts not only encourage toddlers to express their emotions but also allow them to explore their creativity while having fun.
Toddler Valentine Crafts
Toddler Valentine crafts are simple, fun, and creative activities designed to celebrate love and affection during the Valentine’s season. Toddler Valentine Crafts are perfect for little hands, offering opportunities to explore different textures, colors, and shapes. Activities might include making heart-shaped cards, decorating with stickers, creating handprint art, or assembling giftable items like personalized bookmarks or love-themed sensory bottles. Toddler Valentine crafts not only promote fine motor skills and creativity but also encourage early learning through play and bonding with caregivers. Toddler Valentine Craftscan be easy to do at home or in a classroom setting.
Valentine’s Day Suncatcher
This craft will brighten up your home with colorful suncatchers that toddlers will enjoy making and hanging up.
Materials Needed:
- Contact paper
- Tissue paper in red, pink, and white
- Scissors
Steps:
- Cut out a heart shape from the contact paper.
- Let your toddler tear or cut the tissue paper into small pieces.
- Stick the tissue paper pieces onto the sticky side of the contact paper.
- Once done, hang the suncatcher in a window and enjoy the colors shining through.
Heart Button Art
This is a fun and easy activity for toddlers to explore textures with buttons, creating a colorful heart pattern.
Materials Needed:
- Red, pink, and white buttons
- Cardstock
- Glue
Steps:
- Draw a heart outline on the cardstock.
- Help your toddler glue buttons inside the outline, filling it up with color.
- Let it dry completely before displaying it.
Love Message Jars Art
Create a jar filled with love notes or sweet messages for family members to read
Materials Needed:
- Small pieces of paper
- A jar
- Markers or pens
Steps:
- Write short, loving messages or draw pictures on small pieces of paper.
- Place the notes in a jar.
- Each family member can take a note out to read for a daily surprise of love.
Handprint Valentine’s Card Art
A memorable way to celebrate the occasion, this card features your toddler’s handprint as part of the design.
Materials Needed:
- Cardstock
- Red, pink, and white paint
- Markers
Steps:
- Paint your toddler’s hand with red or pink paint.
- Press their handprint onto the cardstock.
- Let the print dry and decorate it with a Valentine’s message.
Love Bug
A fun craft where toddlers can create their own “love bug” with hearts, pipe cleaners, and googly eyes.
Materials Needed:
- Red and pink construction paper
- Googly eyes
- Pipe cleaners
- Glue
- Scissors
Steps:
- Cut out two heart shapes from the red or pink construction paper for the bug’s body and wings.
- Glue the hearts together and attach googly eyes to the top.
- Twist two pipe cleaners into antennae and glue them to the top.
- Let your toddler’s love bug dry before displaying it.
Valentine’s Day Treat Bags
Toddlers can decorate their own treat bags for Valentine’s Day, ready to hold their little gifts.
Materials Needed:
- Brown paper bags
- Red, pink, and white markers
- Stickers
Steps:
- Let your toddler decorate a paper bag with Valentine’s Day designs using markers or stickers.
- Fill the bag with treats or small gifts.
- These personalized treat bags are perfect for gifting to friends or family.
Heart Handprint Art
This sweet craft uses the child’s handprints to create a beautiful heart shape. It’s a fun way to celebrate Valentine’s Day while creating a keepsake.
Materials Needed:
- Red and pink paint
- White cardstock
- Paintbrush
- Markers or pens
Steps:
- Use a paintbrush to paint the toddler’s hands with red or pink paint.
- Help them press their painted hands down onto a piece of white cardstock in a way that their fingers form the sides of a heart.
- Once the handprints are dry, use markers or pens to add extra designs or writing to the art.
- Let it dry completely before displaying or gifting it!
Valentine’s Day Sensory Bags
This activity is perfect for toddlers who love to squish and explore with their hands. The sensory bags will keep them entertained while engaging their senses.
Materials Needed:
- Ziploc bags
- Red, pink, and white glitter or pom-poms
- Corn syrup or hair gel
- Heart-shaped stickers or cut-outs
Steps:
- Fill a Ziploc bag with clear corn syrup or hair gel.
- Add the glitter, pom-poms, and heart-shaped stickers or cut-outs.
- Seal the bag tightly and tape the edges to ensure there’s no leaking.
- Let your toddler squish, poke, and explore the bag to enjoy the sensory experience.
Pom-Pom Heart Craft
Pom-poms are a great material for crafting. This simple heart-shaped craft encourages toddlers to practice their fine motor skills while having fun with textures.
Materials Needed:
- Red and pink pom-poms
- White cardstock or foam
- Glue
Steps:
- Draw a heart shape on the cardstock or foam.
- Help your toddler glue the pom-poms onto the heart shape, covering it completely.
- Let the heart dry before displaying it as a Valentine’s decoration.
Valentine’s Day Stamps
Create a homemade stamp by cutting shapes from sponges or potatoes, perfect for toddlers who love to create patterns with colors.
Materials Needed:
- Sponge or potato
- Knife (for cutting the shapes)
- Red, pink, and white paint
- Paper
Steps:
- Cut the sponge or potato into a heart or other fun shapes.
- Dip the cut-out shapes into paint.
- Let your toddler stamp the shapes onto paper, making a pattern or picture.
- Allow the paper to dry and display the art.
Paper Plate Heart Mask
This craft turns a paper plate into a Valentine’s Day mask, which toddlers will love to wear and play with.
Materials Needed:
- Paper plate
- Red and pink construction paper
- Glue
- Scissors
- String or elastic
Steps:
- Cut out a heart shape from the paper plate’s center.
- Help your toddler glue pink and red construction paper to decorate the mask.
- Attach a string or elastic to the sides so they can wear it.
- Let it dry, and your toddler can wear their heart mask for Valentine’s fun!
Valentine’s Day Beaded Necklace
This craft combines creativity with motor skills as toddlers string beads to make their very own Valentine’s Day necklace.
Materials Needed:
- Red, pink, and white beads
- String or yarn
- Scissors
Steps:
- Cut a piece of string or yarn to your desired length.
- Help your toddler thread the beads onto the string, arranging them in any pattern.
- Once the necklace is complete, tie the ends securely.
- Your toddler can wear their new Valentine’s necklace!
Valentine’s Day Coloring Pages
Perfect for a calm and creative activity, Valentine’s Day-themed coloring pages give toddlers the chance to create their own Valentine’s designs.
Materials Needed:
- Valentine-themed coloring pages
- Crayons, markers, or colored pencils
Steps:
- Print out Valentine’s Day-themed coloring pages.
- Provide your toddler with crayons, markers, or pencils.
- Let them color in the pages however they like.
- Display their masterpieces once completed.
Heart Shaped Crayon Art
This simple and creative craft uses leftover crayons to make a colorful heart-shaped art piece.
Materials Needed:
- Old crayons
- Heart-shaped mold (silicone works best)
- Oven
Steps:
- Break the crayons into small pieces and place them into the heart-shaped mold.
- Preheat the oven to 250°F (120°C) and place the mold inside.
- Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the crayons are melted.
- Let the crayon hearts cool completely before using them for a fun activity or gift.
Valentine’s Day Fingerprint Art
A great way to capture little hands, this fingerprint craft uses paint and your toddler’s fingerprints to create cute designs.
Materials Needed:
- Red, pink, and white paint
- Cardstock or canvas
- Marker
Steps:
- Dip your toddler’s fingers in paint and gently press them onto the paper to form heart shapes.
- Allow the prints to dry.
- Once dry, use a marker to draw additional details or write a Valentine’s message.
Heart-Shaped Salt Dough Ornaments
Make a lasting memory with salt dough that toddlers can help shape into heart ornaments to hang up as decorations.
Materials Needed:
- Salt dough (flour, salt, water)
- Rolling pin
- Heart-shaped cookie cutter
- Ribbon
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 250°F (120°C).
- Roll out the salt dough and use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to make shapes.
- Bake the shapes for about 2-3 hours.
- Once cool, tie a ribbon through the hole and hang them as ornaments.
Valentine’s Day Paper Chains
A fun way to decorate, toddlers can help create paper chains in festive colors for Valentine’s Day.
Materials Needed:
- Red, pink, and white construction paper
- Glue or a stapler
- Scissors
Steps:
- Cut the construction paper into strips.
- Help your toddler glue or staple the ends of the strips together to form a chain.
- Continue linking the strips to create a long chain.
- Hang the paper chain as a fun Valentine’s Day decoration.
Valentine’s Day Painted Rocks
Turn ordinary rocks into festive Valentine’s Day art with paint and a little creativity.
Materials Needed:
- Small smooth rocks
- Red, pink, and white paint
- Paintbrushes
Steps:
- Have your toddler paint the rocks with hearts or other Valentine’s designs.
- Let the rocks dry completely before displaying or gifting them.
Heart Window Clings
This fun, mess-free craft lets toddlers create heart-shaped window clings to decorate your home.
Materials Needed:
- Clear contact paper
- Red, pink, and white tissue paper
- Scissors
Steps:
- Cut heart shapes out of the contact paper.
- Tear the tissue paper into small pieces and let your toddler stick them onto the contact paper.
- Once the hearts are filled with tissue paper, place the sticky side against the window.
Valentine’s Day Rocking Card
Create a cute, interactive Valentine’s Day card with a simple rocking motion.
Materials Needed:
- Cardstock
- Scissors
- Red, pink, and white paper
- Glue
Steps:
- Cut a heart shape out of the cardstock.
- Create a small rocker using a strip of paper and glue it to the bottom of the heart.
- Decorate the card with additional heart shapes and stickers.
- The heart will rock back and forth when gently tapped.
Valentine’s Day Flower Bouquet
Create a beautiful flower bouquet with tissue paper and craft sticks for a lasting gift.
Materials Needed:
- Red, pink, and white tissue paper
- Craft sticks
- Glue
- Green construction paper for leaves
Steps:
- Cut the tissue paper into squares.
- Crumple the tissue paper and glue it onto craft sticks.
- Cut out leaves from green construction paper and glue them to the sticks.
- Arrange the flowers into a bouquet and present them as a gift.
Love Letter Envelope Craft
This craft allows toddlers to create a love letter and envelope, perfect for Valentine’s Day.
Materials Needed:
- Construction paper
- Markers
- Glue
- Scissors
Steps:
- Cut a small envelope shape from construction paper.
- Help your toddler decorate the envelope with markers or stickers.
- Write a Valentine’s Day message inside the envelope, and fold it closed.
- Your toddler can give this cute love letter to someone special.
Valentine’s Day Bingo
A fun and interactive game where toddlers can match symbols or pictures related to Valentine’s Day.
Materials Needed:
- Printable Valentine’s Day bingo cards
- Small objects or candy hearts as markers
Steps:
- Print out Valentine’s Day-themed bingo cards.
- Mark each space with a small object or candy heart as your toddler matches the symbols on their card.
- Celebrate with a small prize when they complete a line.
DIY Valentine’s Day Stickers
Create Valentine’s Day-themed stickers with simple supplies that toddlers can use for various crafts.
Materials Needed:
- Printable Valentine’s Day stickers (designs online)
- Sticker paper or regular paper
- Scissors
Steps:
- Print out Valentine’s Day-themed sticker designs.
- Cut out the shapes to make stickers.
- Your toddler can now use these stickers to decorate cards or crafts.
Red and Pink Collage
A fun art activity that encourages toddlers to use their creativity to make a heart collage.
Materials Needed:
- Red and pink construction paper
- Glue
- Scissors
Steps:
- Cut out various shapes from red and pink construction paper.
- Let your toddler glue the shapes onto a piece of paper to form a heart or abstract collage.
- Once complete, let it dry and display it.
Valentine’s Day Paper Cup Craft
Turn a simple paper cup into a Valentine’s-themed craft with some creative additions.
Materials Needed:
- Paper cups
- Red, pink, and white paper
- Markers
- Glue
Steps:
- Decorate the paper cup with Valentine’s Day designs using markers.
- Cut out hearts or other shapes from construction paper and glue them to the cup.
- Display the decorated cups or use them for a fun game.
Love Bug Cup Craft
This cute craft uses a simple paper cup to create a Valentine’s Day love bug.
Materials Needed:
- Paper cup
- Googly eyes
- Pipe cleaners
- Red, pink, and white construction paper
- Glue
Steps:
- Glue googly eyes to the top of the paper cup to form the face.
- Attach pipe cleaners to the cup for antennae.
- Decorate the cup with heart-shaped paper and more pipe cleaners for legs.
- Let it dry before displaying or playing with the love bug.
Heart Bookmark Craft
Toddlers will love making these cute heart-shaped bookmarks, perfect for Valentine’s Day.
Materials Needed:
- Cardstock
- Red, pink, and white markers or stickers
- Scissors
Steps:
- Cut a strip of cardstock to create a bookmark.
- Decorate the bookmark with heart shapes using markers or stickers.
- Laminate the bookmark (optional) for durability.
- Let it dry, and your toddler has a lovely Valentine’s Day bookmark.
Valentine’s Day Footprint Art
Capture your toddler’s adorable footprints to make a special Valentine’s Day keepsake.
Materials Needed:
- Red, pink, and white paint
- White paper or canvas
Steps:
- Paint your toddler’s feet with red or pink paint.
- Press the painted feet onto the paper to create heart shapes with the footprints.
- Allow the print to dry and decorate it with a cute Valentine’s Day message.
Valentine’s Day Sticker Art
A simple craft where toddlers use Valentine’s Day stickers to create their own art pieces.
Materials Needed:
- Valentine’s Day-themed stickers
- White paper or cardstock
Steps:
- Give your toddler Valentine’s Day-themed stickers.
- Let them stick them onto the paper however they like, creating a beautiful collage.
- Once complete, the artwork is ready to be displayed.
The Fun and Benefits of Crafting with Toddlers
Crafting with toddlers is not only a fun activity but also an opportunity for early development. Engaging in simple crafts together allows young children to explore their creativity while learning new skills. Toddlers love the tactile experience of working with materials like paper, glue, paint, and fabric, and these activities offer a great bonding experience for parents and caregivers. But beyond the fun, crafting offers several developmental benefits that can help toddlers grow in different areas of their lives.
Benefits of Crafting with Toddlers:
- Improves Fine Motor Skills:
- Crafting activities like drawing, cutting, gluing, and painting help toddlers improve their hand-eye coordination and strengthen their fine motor skills, which are essential for tasks such as writing or tying shoes.
- Encourages Creativity:
- Crafting gives toddlers a chance to express themselves through art. They can create freely, explore colors, shapes, and textures, and develop their own unique ideas, fostering creativity.
- Boosts Cognitive Development:
- Engaging in crafting activities helps toddlers develop problem-solving skills as they figure out how to put materials together. It also helps with spatial awareness as they learn about shapes, sizes, and proportions.
- Promotes Language Skills:
- When crafting, toddlers often narrate their process or describe what they are doing. This provides opportunities for language development, as they learn new vocabulary related to colors, shapes, and actions.
- Enhances Focus and Patience:
- Crafting requires toddlers to focus on tasks for extended periods, which can help them develop patience and the ability to concentrate. Completing a craft project also fosters a sense of accomplishment.
- Strengthens Parent-Child Bonding:
- Crafting is a wonderful bonding activity that allows parents to spend quality time with their toddlers. It provides a safe space for positive interactions and strengthens emotional connections.
- Fosters Social Skills:
- In group settings, crafting encourages sharing, cooperation, and communication. Toddlers learn to take turns, share materials, and work with others, enhancing their social development.
- Boosts Self-Esteem:
- Toddlers take pride in their creations. Completing a craft project helps build their confidence and reinforces a sense of accomplishment and self-worth.
Encouraging Toddlers to Give Their Crafts to Family Members or Friends
Encouraging toddlers to share their homemade crafts with family members or friends can foster a sense of generosity, pride, and connection. This simple act not only helps them develop important social skills but also enhances their emotional intelligence by encouraging them to think about others’ happiness. Here are some ways to encourage toddlers to share their creations and the benefits that come with it:
1. Promote Sharing and Generosity
- Giving a craft to someone else teaches toddlers the value of sharing. It helps them understand that the joy of giving can be just as rewarding as receiving.
- Encourage toddlers to think about who might enjoy the craft. For example, ask if they want to give it to grandma, a friend, or a neighbor, which allows them to connect their creation to a specific person.
2. Boost Confidence and Pride
- When a toddler gives a craft, they often feel proud of their creation. Sharing it with someone special can boost their self-esteem and reinforce their efforts.
- Compliment them on the thoughtfulness of their gesture, showing them that their art is meaningful and appreciated by others.
3. Strengthen Relationships
- Sharing crafts can strengthen the bond between toddlers and family members or friends. It gives them an opportunity to connect on a deeper level, whether it’s through a family member’s joyful reaction or a friend’s excitement.
- Toddlers learn that their actions can bring happiness to others, building empathy and emotional connections.
4. Foster Gratitude
- When toddlers give their crafts, they often receive gratitude in return, whether through words, hugs, or smiles. This helps them understand the importance of being thankful and recognizing the joy they bring to others.
- Encourage them to say “You’re welcome” or “I’m happy you like it” to practice social interactions and polite behavior.
FAQ
What are some simple Toddler Valentine Crafts?
Some easy and fun Toddler Valentine Crafts include making heart-shaped handprint art, decorating paper plates to create a Valentine’s wreath, or creating heart collages using colorful paper, stickers, and glue.
What materials do I need for Toddler Valentine Crafts?</h4>
You can use basic materials like construction paper, washable markers, crayons, scissors (if your toddler is able to safely use them), stickers, glue, glitter, and foam shapes. Craft supplies that are safe for toddlers and easy to clean up are best.
Are there any safe craft tools for toddlers?
Yes, there are toddler-friendly craft tools available, such as safety scissors with rounded edges, non-toxic glue sticks, and washable markers. Always supervise toddlers during crafting to ensure they use materials safely.
How can I make sure the Valentine crafts are age-appropriate?
Choose crafts that involve simple tasks like gluing, coloring, or sticking. Avoid crafts with small parts that could be a choking hazard. Opt for projects that involve fun sensory activities, like finger painting or stamping.
Hi, I’m Victoria, an art and craft teacher at Newark City Schools, where I have the joy of working with middle school students to help them explore their creativity and develop their artistic talents. I believe that art is a powerful way for students to express themselves, and I strive to make every lesson a fun, engaging, and inspiring experience.
I created this website to share the art and craft projects, techniques, and resources that I use in my classroom, hoping to inspire both educators and young artists alike. Whether you’re a teacher looking for new ideas or a student eager to try something new, I’m excited to provide creative tools and projects that anyone can enjoy.
When I’m not in the classroom, I love experimenting with different art forms and learning new crafting techniques. My goal is to help others discover the joy of making things with their hands, and I hope my website serves as a space for everyone to explore their creative potential.