Oh the nostalgia associated with Valentine’s Day in school. The handmade valentines, the decorated bags, the classroom parties! Preschoolers are the perfect age to enjoy this sweet holiday, and what better way to do that than with fun activities and crafts? Pair a cute Valentine’s craft with a lesson on science, math, or reading. Many of the projects we’ve included in our list work on gross motor skills since students will be challenged with grasping small objects, cutting along different shape lines, and stringing yarn between two holes. Check out our list of the best Valentine’s Day crafts for preschoolers!
1. Count with love
We love how simple this math center/craft is to set up since all you’ll need are foam hearts, some red, pink, and white pom-poms, and a Sharpie. Put numbers on the hearts and lay them out on a table. Then have students place the right number of pom-poms on each heart.
Learn more: Kindergarten Smorgasboard
2. Grow a heart tree
Download the free printable, cut some hearts from card stock, then let your little ones get to work coloring and gluing.
Learn more: Nifty Mom
3. Create something scary-cute
We particularly like Valentine’s Day crafts for preschoolers that can be assembled from all the odds and ends you have in your art drawer. Give your little monsters access to a variety of materials (and a handy glue stick) then watch the fun begin!
Learn more: Glued to My Crafts Blog
4. Bee excited about spelling
These bees would be the perfect thing to decorate students’ Valentine’s Day bags. We love Valentine’s Day crafts for preschoolers that are not only cute but also let little ones practice spelling their names.
Learn more: Natalie Lynn Kindergarten
5. String together something pretty
If you’re looking to save time, punch holes in red and pink paper plates in the shape of hearts, since that might prove challenging for preschoolers. Have plenty of yarn on hand so tiny hands can practice motor skills as they “sew” their masterpieces.
Learn more: I Heart Crafty Things
6. Wear your heart on your head
Equally affordable and easy to prep, this cute headband would make for a fun craft during a Valentine’s Day party. Cut poster board into strips, then staple them to fit your students’ heads. Finally, let kids decorate them with foam heart stickers and pipe cleaners.
Learn more: Events to Celebrate
7. Filter the light with hearts
Have your students help create decorations for your classroom with this cute light-filtering craft. We especially love that using hole punchers builds hand strength for your little artists. Be sure to include a hole at the top of the heart to string the ribbon through, then hang them from the ceiling with painter’s tape.
Learn more: No Time for Flash Cards
8. Create and solve a name puzzle
This craft is so simple but teaches letter recognition, spelling, and cutting. First, cut hearts out of construction paper. Then write your students’ names on them and draw curvy and zigzag lines between the letters. Finally, have your students cut their puzzles then try to reassemble them!
Learn more: How Wee Learn
9. Make a sponge stamp
This is a messy one so be sure to have some plastic tablecloths and maybe an extra pair of grown-up hands on deck. Draw a heart on your sponge, cut it out, and then let your students dip them in paint and create valentines for their loved ones!
Learn more: Learn, Create, Love
10. Practice shapes with candy
This activity is perfect for teaching kids all different shapes in a really fun way. Be sure to check for allergies before using Hershey’s Kisses in the classroom!
Learn more: Fantastic, Fun, and Learning
11. Make a name heart
Valentine’s Day crafts for preschoolers that work on both fine motor skills and spelling are winners in our book! We love that prep and supplies are minimal since all you will need are some pipe cleaners and beads.
Learn more: Fun-a-Day
12. Practice sorting
You’ll need a good mix of red, pink, and white beads as well as some cute heart-shaped containers (there are lots of options on Amazon). Have your littles sort by color or size or even both. Finally, add some plastic tweezers so that students will really be challenged to fine-tune their gross motor skills.
Learn more: Paper and Glue
13. Wear finger props for a Valentine’s Day–themed story time
Have your students create these simple heart finger puppets, then have them count along as you read a Valentine’s Day counting book or two.
Learn more: Reading Confetti
14. Build a tower of conversation hearts
This is a fun STEM activity for preschoolers for Valentine’s Day. You can use unifix cubes or any type of stacking block for the base, or even just have kids see how high they can stack conversation hearts. Be sure to have extra candy on hand since little mouths will be sure to steal a few!
Learn more: Early Learning Ideas
15. Tell time with a Valentine’s Day clock
Begin teaching your students to tell time while also having fun making this Valentine’s Day clock. You’ll need paper plates, heart shapes, heavy paper or foam, paper fasteners, and, of course, some glue and markers!
Learn more: Learning Ideas
16. Create a cuddly teddy
Your students will enjoy creating this cuddly bear from a painted paper plate, hearts for ears, and other materials. Finally, have them write “I Love You Bear-y Much!” on the back.
Learn more: Artsy Momma
17. Open your arms for a hug
Begin by having your students paint a large cardboard heart for the body and two smaller hearts for the hands. Next, have them fold the strips of construction paper for the arms. Finally, glue everything together, and you’ll have this adorable paper hug craft!
Learn more: No Time for Flash Cards
18. Practice patterns
These pattern cards can be reusable or can be turned into a more permanent craft by using glue to hold down the pom-poms, beads, string, or buttons. Have your students create patterns (red, red, white, red, red, white) while working on gross motor skills.
Learn more: Hope Is All You Need
19. Map out your heart
Some Valentine’s Day crafts for preschoolers really speak to the heart, and this is one of them! This project is so simple yet really gets kids thinking about what means the most to them as they draw a map of their heart that includes the things they love most.
Learn more: Bartram Academy
20. Bring a touch of nature to your valentine
This project works equally well as a science or art lesson. Gather up the kids, grab the winter coats, then head out for a nature walk to collect supplies. Have fun seeing what your students come up with!
Learn more: Mother Natured
Keep up the creativity with these fun pipe cleaner crafts for kids.
Plus, check out 24 Unbelievable Things You Can Do With Broken Crayons
