Putting the Pretty In Preschool

Finding Beauty In Everyday Early Childhood Experiences

valentines

Scissor Skill Heart Collage

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Scissor skill heart collage projects give early learners a chance to strengthen finger muscles and explore luxurious craft supplies.

A simple but effective activity to plan is a scissor skill heart collage invitation. Early learners will be able to explore luxurious craft supplies with unique properties and textures and complete a display-worthy project.

Craft Supplies To Collect

Gather craft supplies that can be cut and glued in the color scheme of your choice. I feature traditional Valentine’s Day hues, but any color scheme would work beautifully. Cut the materials a little smaller if desired, but keep them large enough for little ones to trim some more.

Luxurious craft supply tray for heart collage crafts.

Included in this first compartment tray are:

pipe cleaners

crepe paper

tin foil

metallic purple paper

foam strips

heart patterned ribbon strips

thin and thick ribbon strips

lace

paper doily pieces

white and red bead garland

heart garland

scissors

Red, pink, and white craft supply tray for heart collage projects.

This second craft supply tray holds:

pink and white crepe paper

rose petals

foam pieces

Valentine’s envelopes

white yarn

cream lace

paper strips

red, gold and white ribbon

white bead garland

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Woolly Valentine’s Day Crafts

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Soft and dreamy woolly sheep Valentine's Day crafts decked with hearts and pompoms. The crafts make heart-tugging keepsakes.

Here are two, oh so cute woolly Valentine’s Day crafts your little learners will be excited to make, and loved ones will be elated to receive.

Items To Collect

Woolly sheep valentine craft supplies.

purple, pink, red and white pompoms

white glue and glue paddle

paper, foam or sticker hearts

8 ½ x 11-inch white or cream cardstock paper

12-inch x 12-inch cardstock paper

sheep template

glue stick

scissors

hot glue gun

Making The Woolly Valentine’s Day Crafts

Print the sheep template on to 8 ½ x 11-inch cardstock.

Cute sheep template for farm or holiday crafts.
Sheep PrintableDownload

This printable is for individual or one classroom use only.

Set the template on a table and invite your early learners to add sticker, paper, or foam hearts to the sheep’s body.  Then invite them to glue pompoms to the head. Your little charges will love the chance to use soft and showy pompoms in art.

Cute woolly sheep craft for Valentine's Day. Free printable included.

Print this version to include the header “I Woolly Think You’re Special.”

Cute woolly sheep template for a Valentine's Day craft.
Woolly Sheep PrintableDownload

This printable is for individual or one classroom use only.

Or cut the sheep out and have your little learners decorate one. Afterward, mount the sheep on to complementary pieces of 12-inch x 12-inch cardstock paper using a glue gun. Add a “woolly” Valentine’s Day saying of choice.

Soft and dreamy woolly sheep Valentine's Day craft.
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Painting With Chocolate

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You read it correctly: this blog post is about painting with chocolate. It’s easy, it’s fun, and your workspace will smell divine. The activities featured have a process art focus. A few embellishments will make the art display-worthy or ready to give away.

Fingerpainting, ice cube painting, and brush painting with chocolate. The process art hearts can be turned into valentines to give away. Art and Science activities for all ages.

Materials To Collect

hot chocolate powder

cocoa powder

chocolate sprinkles

bowls and spoons

sturdy white paper

waterproof felt pen

ice cubes

tray for ice cubes

paintbrush

container of water

doily heart

decorative 12-inch x 12-inch cardstock

ribbon

plastic (or real) rose

small plastic pouch

chocolates

Activity One: Painting With Chocolate And Ice Cubes

Freeze different sizes of ice cubes.

Cut a piece of sturdy paper into a large heart shape. Optional: Write the words “You and Me + Chocolate” on the heart with a waterproof felt pen.

Scoop hot chocolate powder and cocoa into bowls. Add spoons.

Set out a tray of slightly melted, very wet ice cubes along with the paper heart and bowls of chocolate ingredients.

Invitation to paint with ice cubes, cocoa, chocolate powder, and chocolate sprinkles. An all-ages art and science activity.

Start the activity off by saying that the powders are “mystery paints.” Ask your child to guess what the paints might be. Smelling the powders will give the answer away pretty quickly.

Invite your child to scatter hot chocolate powder and cocoa on the heart-shaped paper. (Chocolate sprinkles can be added later.)

Painting activity using ice cubes to swish around cocoa, hot chocolate powder, and chocolate sprinkles.
Cocoa and hot chocolate added to a heart shape. Ice cubes can be used to swish the powders around.

Ask your child to swish the powders around the heart with ice cubes, which will make spreadable chocolaty paint.

Offer a paper towel to dab on wet spots if desired. The pattern on the paper towel will add texture to the heart painting.

Heart painting made by swishing ice cubes through cocoa and hot chocolate powder.

Optional: Near the end, your child can add chocolate sprinkles to the heart. This will lead to a discovery that they make it harder to move the ice cubes around.

Activity Two: Brush Painting With Chocolate

Painting with cocoa and hot chocolate powder. The powders are moved around with a paintbrush dipped in water.

Brush painting is a less messy option if there isn’t much time for cleanup.

Invite your child to scatter hot chocolate and cocoa on a paper heart.

Offer a container of water and paintbrush. Encourage your child to add water to the dry ingredients and paint the heart.

A paper towel can be used to soak up excess liquid.

Gorgeous chocolate heart paintings made with water and hot chocolate and cocoa.
Swoon-worthy hearts painted by preschoolers.
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