Little Puppet, Will You Be My Valentine?

Here are a few Valentine ideas to use with your group.

LITTLE PUPPET, WILL YOU BE MY VALENTINE? (Baby and Toddler)

Puppets are almost universally appealing to young children. They are approachable, interesting, and funny. There is a wide variety of beautiful commercial puppets available, however, homemade puppets work just as well and can have more “personality.” You can make this valentine puppet and it can come alive in a creative way. Cut out a 3-inch paper heart and a 1-inch paper heart from red (or pink) poster board. Make two finger holes in the top of the large heart. Draw a face on the smaller one. Overlap pointed ends of the hearts and glue these together. Accordion-fold strips of paper and glue these to the heart for arms. Place your fingers inside the holes and manipulate this heart puppet to entertain baby. Toddlers will enjoy working the puppet alone. Make up a story together about this valentine puppet or sing a favorite song.
Think “pink” for creative valentine food ideas. A drop of red food coloring can turn a child’s breakfast cereal swimming in a pink pool, pink applesauce for lunch, and a vanilla pudding turns a pretty shade of pink for dessert.


HIDE YOUR HEART: (Preschool+)

Conversation Hearts, those little heart-shaped candies with messages on them, were first made by NECCO in 1902. The messages on the candies may have changed over the years, but children still love them. They’re not only yummy, they’re fun! Hide several dozen hearts around the room. Give children small paper bags and have them decorate them with markers and scraps of ribbon and lace. Then set out on a hunt! Half the fun will be reading the messages on the hearts after the children collect them. Or, you may assign different point values for the different colored hearts. Sorting the hearts and adding up the points will be a good math exercise.
Make a “special handprint” project using conversation hearts as gifts. Type or have older children print this poem on a sheet of paper. On a heavy sheet of construction paper (or poster board) either crayon trace or paint print the child’s handprint. Write the child’s name and date next to the handprint. Now, invite children to glue on conversation heart candies as fingernails. Proceed to attach the poem paper to the cardboard print with glue (trim it to size if necessary). This makes a memorable gift to give to family and friends.

THIS ISN’T JUST ANY HANDPRINT AS YOU CAN PLAINLY SEE.
FOR IT IS A SPECIAL HANDPRINT MADE WITH LOVE BY ME.
ALONG WITH THIS HANDPRINT I SEND HUGS AND KISSES YOUR WAY.
AND WISH YOU A VERY “ HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY”.

You know those pesky “love bugs” that fly in the air, well, here is a paper love bug that your group will adore. Paint or cover an empty toilet tube with pink paper to make the body of the bug. Cut two hearts from construction paper. Add paper doily lace if you wish. Attach these with tape or glue on either side of the body. Encourage children to draw a face on the top of the tube. Pipe Cleaners make great antennae. Write a cute message on the wings such as “Valentine, you make my heart flutter.”

Make this week a special time to show love and friendship to all!

Tania Associate Editor/ EverydayTLC