Valentine's Day

I John 4:8 explains that God is love.  But what is love? 

Valentine's Day is a wonderful time to discover what love is and how to share it with others. 

Enjoy the following activities...

How to Explain Valentine's Day to Children

For some Valentine’s Day is a day set aside to enjoy crafts, yummy foods, and even fun Valentine’s Day Scavenger Hunts. But how do you help children understand the meaning of the holiday and love?

Valentine's Day Scavenger (Treasure) Hunt

Using riddles, your children will find nine clues in the refrigerator, by shoes, and throughout the house leading them to understand God's love for them.

Valentine Affirmation Hearts

Place hearts on our child’s doors or in a special place to affirm their uniqueness and gifts, and to share spiritual truths.  

I Love You to Pieces

Make Valentine's Day Cards using markers, glue, scissors, etc.  Use this activity to review shapes, colors, and have your child practice writing his name.  image by susan

Contact Paper Heart

Fold a piece of red construction paper in half and cut out a heart. Set aside the outside paper.  Leaving the heart folded, cut out a second heart by cutting parallel, 1" from the outside of the first heart.  You are left with a smaller heart and a 1" wide heart frame.  Set the full heart aside.  Cut a piece of contact paper slightly larger than the heart frame.  Peel off the backing of the contact paper and center the frame on the sticky side of the paper.  Lay small squares of tissue paper inside the heart, on the sticky contact paper.  When the heart is filled, lay a second sheet of contact paper on top of the heart (sticky sides together).  Avoid wrinkles or air bubbles.  Leaving a 1/4" border, cut away the excess contact paper.  Hang on the window, or hole punch and hang with string. 

Heart Handprint Cards

Let your child practice writing their name on the Valentine's. Be sure to give yourself plenty of time to write on each Valentines. Depending on how many Valentines that you need to make, it may help to only do a few a day.

Paper Heart Chain

This activity will require an adult to align the papers but the child can help cut and staple.

Cut a piece of paper in half creating two 11"x4 1/4" pieces.  Cut eleven 1" strips of colored paper measuring 4 1/4" long.  Lay two stripes together and staple at the bottom.  Fold the unstapled ends down and around to form a heart.  Lay another strip on each side of the bended stripes.  Align and staple the four-layer end.  Fold the unstapled ends to form a second heart.  Continue the process to form a chain of hearts. Sometimes construction paper is too stiff to bend.  You may also use felt. 

Image directions available here.

Handprint Calendar

Turn the handprint heart into a Handprint Calendar.

Heart Boy or Girl

Make a Heart Boy or Girl using the Heart Template.  Click here for directions.

Tissue Paper Heart

Enjoy the fun of a making a Tissue Paper Heart.  Click the link for directions.

Valentine's Day Bags

I love the idea of classroom making Valentine's Bag instead of boxes because children of any age can decorate a bag!  Click the link for ideas.

Love... Printables

Print and place in your home or classroom to remind yourself and your family what love is based upon I Corinthians 13:4-8.  Use with:

• Biblical Discipline Video Series
• How to Explain Valentine's Day
• Character Education - Love
• Easter

Choose to print either Option #1 with Heart Background or Option #2 with Heart Border

Make Kiss Cookies

Kiss Cookies are peanut butter cookies with candy kisses on top.  Allow the child to unwrap the kisses - a great fine motor activity - and put them on after baking the cookies.

Heart Pancakes

Serve heart pancakes for breakfast or supper.  Our kiddos love them! After pouring the batter on a hot skillet, use a utensil to spread out the heart shape.