hearts

Eye Dropper Heart Art

February 26, 2023 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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This eye dropper heart art project is bound to put a smile on the face and joy in the heart of each of your little learners. It works well for a Valentine’s Day theme but would be a hit any time of the year.

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Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning ideas.

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Supplies To Collect

Easy to set up eye dropper heart art that will bring a smile to the face and joy in the heart of each participant.

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There are just a few supplies to gather for this art project and you probably have them around your home. You will need:

eye droppers or pipettes
paint jars
neon pink and purple food coloring
red food coloring
paper towel roll
heart template
spoons
scissors
pencil
plastic tablecloth or newsprint paper

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The Eye Dropper Heart Art Project

Super pretty eye dropper heart art that will bring a smile to the face and joy in the heart of each participant.

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To prepare this art project, trace and cut out large hearts from a roll of paper towel. Make sure you have at least two paper towel hearts for each little learner participating.

Next, add water to small paint jars. Baby food jars work well for this art activity.

Mix a few drops of food coloring in each jar. I feature watercolor paints made with red and neon pink and purple food coloring.

A fabulous eye dropper painting process art activity with food coloring paint and paper towel hearts.

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Then stick an eye dropper or pipette in each jar of colored water.

Afterward, cover a table with newsprint paper or a plastic tablecloth and set up art stations.

Invite participants to use the eye droppers or pipettes to drop paint colors onto their paper towel hearts. They will absolutely love this process art invitation and will want to make a few eye dropper heart art projects.

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Note: It looks like turquoise paint was included on these hearts, a color I was thinking of adding to the mix. But the turquoise color appeared after neon purple bled into the paper towel shapes. This was a delightful surprise.

If little learners have had a chance to drop paint on a few paper towel hearts and there are paint colors left over, roll out long paper towel pieces across the table to allow them to paint large scale.

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More Eye Dropper Painting Art Activities

Earth Day Heart Art

Eye Dropper Leaf Art

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More Valentine’s Day Activities

Valentine’s Day Owl Craft

Origami Heart Valentines

Salad Spinner Heart Art

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[Read more…]

Valentine’s Day Pretend Play

February 21, 2023 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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Early learners absolutely love dramatic play and eagerly embrace new seasonal accessories in a play kitchen. Here’s a heart-filled Valentine’s Day Pretend Play tablescape your little charges will be excited to explore.

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Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning ideas.

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Supplies Collected

Lots of hearts and red and white loose parts make this Valentine's Day pretend play tablescape fun to play in.

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The following economical supplies were gathered for this seasonal play tablescape:

valentine-themed cups and disposable plates
heart-shaped measuring spoons, serving plate, and silicone mold
heart-themed ice cube tray, spatula, canister, and a small tin
cookie pan and valentine’s muffin tin
purple, red, and magenta craft foam hearts
red, white, and black stuffed felt hearts
large red and white pompom balls
valentine erasers
red gem hearts
white pearl beads
metallic red beads
vase with red hearts and white flowers
white tablecloth

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The Valentine’s Day Pretend Play Tablescape

A super fun Valentine's Day pretend play tablescape with lots of heart-themed accessories.

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Dollar stores are a handy place to find many of the supplies featured in this tablescape.

Foam craft hearts and stuffed felt hearts make great “cookies.”

Loose parts such as valentine erasers, gem hearts, and pearl and metallic beads allow early learners to exercise their imagination.

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These Valentine’s Day-themed supplies can be set up as a tablescape or spread around play kitchen appliances and shelves.

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More Valentine’s Day Play Tablescape Ideas

Heart-themed accessories take center stage in this Valentine's Day dramatic play invitation.

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In this next Valentine’s Day tablescape, heart-themed plates, bowls. and cookie cutters are included, as well as sunglasses and a purse.

Heart-shaped reusable ice cubes, a Valentine’s-themed tea towel and oven mitt, and cupcake play food would also make great additions to a Valentine’s Day pretend play tablescape.

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This simple and pretty Valentine's Day dramatic play tablescape is filled with hearts and red and white loose parts.

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Related:

Valentine’s Day Store

Valentine’s Day Treasure Blocks

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[Read more…]

Loose Part Jewelry Heart

February 19, 2023 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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Do you have some costume jewelry you no longer wear? Have you picked up vintage jewelry at a garage sale or second-hand store? It will be perfect for this beautiful loose-part jewelry heart invitation to create.

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Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning ideas.

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Supplies To Collect

An invitation to create a gorgeous loose-part jewelry heart with costume jewelry pieces. This is an all-ages transient art project everyone will enjoy.

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For this easy-to-set-up transient heart art activity, gather the following supplies:

large wooden canvas frame
wood heart plaque
vintage costume jewelry
small containers

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The Loose Part Jewelry Heart Play Invitation

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To prepare this gorgeous loose part play invitation, first, select a large wooden canvas frame. My frame is approximately 12 inches wide and 16 inches long.

Flip the frame over and use the backside.

Note: A serving tray or an art frame with the back removed also work well for this activity.

Next, put a wood heart plaque inside the frame.

Then cut costume jewelry into pieces suitable for loose part play. Make sure there are no rough edges on the jewelry.

Place the jewelry bits into small containers and set them in the corners of the canvas frame. Add more jewelry pieces around the frame if available.

Finally, set the canvas frame on a table and invite little learners to take turns decorating the heart with jewelry treasures.

A gorgeous loose-part jewelry heart created with costume jewelry pieces. This is an all-ages transient art project everyone will enjoy.

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Benefits Of Loose Parts Play

In this loose part jewelry heart play invitation, early learners get to:

engage in open-ended play
practice sorting, counting, and color matching
strengthen finger muscles by moving and arranging jewelry pieces
experience beautiful objects with different colors and textures
create unique patterns and designs
focus on a task and be mindful
develop higher thinking skills

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More Loose Part Heart Decorating

On another day, offer this loose part heart invitation to create with polished agate slices and precious rocks and gemstones.

A gorgeous loose-part precious rock heart created with polished agate slices. This is an all-ages transient art project everyone will enjoy.

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An invitation to create a loose-part precious rock heart with polished agate slices. This is a gorgeous all-ages transient art project.

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Related:

Jewelry Sensory Tray

St. Patrick’s Jewelry Sensory Bin

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[Read more…]

Llama-Inspired Valentine Sensory Bin

February 12, 2023 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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You may have noticed a pair of adorable llama ornaments in a winter sensory bin a few posts back. With their pastel pink blankets, these woolly animals are easily repurposed in a llama-inspired valentine sensory bin.

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Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning ideas.

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Supplies Collected

Loose parts for an adorable llama-inspired valentine sensory bin with a rice base.

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The following supplies are in this oh-so-fun blue, pink, and white valentine sensory bin:

two non-breakable llama ornaments
storage container in a heart shape
peg family
pink heart necklace strips
blue and pink gemstones
heart-themed cookie cutters
valentine-themed heart erasers
blue foam hearts
pastel pink and blue pompoms
pink spatula
heart-shaped measuring spoon
“U-R Great” treat basket

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The Llama-Inspired Valentine Sensory Bin

A cute Valentine's Day rice sensory bin inspired by llamas. There are lots of fun loose parts to explore in the bin.

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White glutinous rice is the base for this pretty bin. It is a go-to sensory bin base because of its bright white color.

As in the llama-inspired winter sensory tub, the bin is a white food bus bin, also a common item in my sensory activities.

The llama ornaments are foam-based, so are suitable for early learners to handle and explore. Thqt being said, all sensory activities for little ones should be closely supervised by a caregiver.

Heart necklaces cut in strips make attractive loose parts.

A heart-shaped storage container is a happy Dollar Store find and matches the color theme of the bin.

The pink heart-shaped measuring spoon offers little learners a chance to scoop and pour.

A little wooden peg family is accented with blue, pink, and silver acrylic paint.

The valentine-shaped basket has a positive message.

Blue and/or pink foam hearts, cookie cutters, and pompoms round out the loose parts in the bin.

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Llama Facts

Llamas are popular in art and home décor. Llama-themed arty goods can be scooped up in any season of the year. Here are Ten Fast Llama Facts about these appealing animals.

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Valentine’s Day Water Play

Valentine’s Day Treasure Blocks

Heart Doily Gnome Valentines

Valentine’s Day Sensory Tubes

Valentine’s Day Process Art

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[Read more…]

Celebrate Diversity Heart Art

February 10, 2023 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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With so many skin-tone art supplies available to explore, it is easy to provide art activities that celebrate diversity. In this post, I feature three “Celebrate Diversity” heart art projects: one with chalk, another with pencil crayons, and a third with metallic markers. These are all low-prep, low or no-mess art projects everyone can do. To help out, there is a free heart template to download.

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Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning ideas.

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Skin Tone Sunburst Heart

A "Celebrate Diversity" sunburst heart art project with skin tone pencil crayons. An all-ages, non-messy, stunning art activity.

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Only a few inexpensive supplies are needed for this mini art project:

set of skin tone pencil crayons
ruler
white cardstock paper
heart template

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Steps to make a "Celebrate Diversity" sunburst heart art project with skin tone pencil crayons. An all-ages, non-messy, stunning art activity

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To start off, cut white cardstock paper into 5-inch or 6-inch squares. With this size of paper, the whole project can be done without having to sharpen the pencil crayons.

Next, use a pencil or pencil crayon to trace around a small heart template in the middle of the square. Feel free to download the template further on in the post for the art project.

Then add lines that extend from the heart to the edge of the paper in a sunburst design.

Tips from a blog post by ARTBAR were helpful in making the sunburst lines that protrude invisibly through the heart from one side of the paper to the opposite one. The technique took me a few tries to get right but the effort is worth it.

Afterward, use pencil crayons in skin-tone hues to color inside the lines.

You may want to trace around the small heart template once again at the end to make sure the heart is defined and stands out.

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Skin Tone Chalk Heart Art

Make a "Celebrate Diversity" heart art project with skin tone sidewalk chalk. An all-ages, stunning art activity.

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For this second art project, gather the following supplies:

8 ½ x 11-inch light blue fadeless construction paper
large and small heart template
skin tone sidewalk chalk
painter’s tape
table cover

First, select a heart tracer that is a little smaller than the construction paper.

Lay the heart on the construction paper and tack it down gently with a piece of painter’s tape.

Next, use sidewalk chalk in various skin tones to color in the area around the heart.

Note: An alternative is to trace the heart first and remove the template before using the chalk sticks.

Afterward, gently smudge the chalk lines in an outward fashion.

If desired, trace a smaller heart in the center of the larger one using one of the chalk hues and color it in.

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A variation of this art activity is to dip the chalk sticks in water before decorating the paper.

Make a "Celebrate Diversity" heart art project with skin tone sidewalk chalk dipped in water. An all-ages, stunning art activity.

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For both chalk activities, it is advisable to lay down newsprint or an old tablecloth first to protect the work surface and make clean-up easier.

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Metallic Marker Concentric Hearts

Make a "Celebrate Diversity" heart art project with skin tone metallic markers. An all-ages, non-messy, stunning art activity.

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Supplies to gather:

8 ½ inch x 11-inch white cardstock paper
metallic markers in skin tones
heart template
scissors

For this third project, start by tracing the large heart template, and then draw smaller hearts inside it with metallic skin tone markers.

If you do not have metallic markers in all the hues, substitute regular ones. I use a regular marker for the black hue.

Note: For little learners, you can offer non-toxic washable markers in skin tones instead of the permanent metallic markers featured in this art activity.

Downloadable Heart Template

Here is a free heart template to download for the art projects featured in this post:

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Heart Art PrintableDownload

This printable is for individual or one classroom use only.

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These three heart art projects give participants a chance to celebrate diversity by experimenting with different art media. They are a good fit for Black History Month, a Valentine’s Day theme, or a special time set aside to celebrate diversity.

Do you have questions about any of these art projects? Leave a comment below.

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Three Black History Month Crafts

Celebrate Diversity Butterfly

Black History Month Yarn Art

Celebrate Diversity Paper Craft

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[Read more…]