Valentine's Day Ideas...

[My Daycare]

Does anyone have any ideas for infants???

[Cat Herder]

For infants I have done the "crossed hand-print heart" in a wooden picture frame, placed on wax paper, filled with plaster of Paris.

Once it dries, gently pop it out, brush over a layer of glitter paint, replace front glass and put it back in the frame. Sometimes I mount a little picture on it as well.

Simple.

[MommyMuffin]

My kiddos are mostly under 2, so our activities are usually REALLY simple. My 3 yo DD is really loving those foam stickers right now, and I found a bunch of Valentiney ones in Target's $1 section. I'm going to fold red or pink construction paper into a card (and might walk the oldest two through cutting it into a heart) and then let them use the stickers to make "valentine's" for the parents. We'll probably bake heart-shaped cookies and frost them/decorate them with Valentiney sprinkles (also from Target's $1 section), make red playdough (and put glitter in it) and play with heart-shaped cookie cutters

What recipe do you use for the playdoh? Also, when you die the playdoh and the kids play with it does the color get everywhere? I have never made playdoh before so dummy it down for me please! haha

[Unregistered]

Food coloring in playdough does not stain.

We are making cookie cutter heart paintings. Put paint and soap (YES DISH SOAP) in a bowl. Let kids dip cookie cutters in the paint/soap mixture. When they put them on paper the bubbles from the paint and soap make s neat swirl pattern.

We also marble painted. Cut out a white heart shape, put paint a marble and a spoon in a small bowl. Kids use the spoon to put the marble in a box (with a lid)- we use an old valentine candy heart shaped box. Then kids shake the box and the marble moves the paint around. GREAT FUN!

[SilverSabre25]

Playdough options and ideas!

Playdough options

This site has several different playdough recipes. I use the "Traditional Playdough" recipe linked above; the other options are on the left. Although I haven't tried it, I've heard that Kool-Aid powder makes excellent coloring for Playdough--makes it smell good too! You can also add spices (like cinnamon or ginger), extracts or essential oils (like vanilla, orange, or lavender), and things like glitter to the playdough to make it extra special and fun!

[dEHmom]

I posted on another thread with this.

But I have a 1 1/2 yo, 3 yo and 5 yo.

I was struggling to find a craft or baking I really wanted to do, especially with the variation in ages I don't want to do 3 separate, and nothing super messy.

I'll probably head to dollar store this weekend and pick up some valentines stuff but I am planning this...

http://www.makeandtakes.com/chocolat...pretzel-hearts

this is what I shall do!

and this next one is so adorable...

http://www.makeandtakes.com/mini-cookie-dipped-snowmen

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[Unregistered]

Valentines Day Activity

We are going to have a party and at our party make "Stained Glass Hearts". A very cute and easy for all ages craft that looks great on your window. Check it out at http://www.daycareheadquarters.com for instructions.
And of course CUPCAKES!!
I love Valentines Day! Any ideas for Valentines Day bags or boxes to put Valentines in. Something for all ages?

A

[Jewels]

I have been doing plaster heart handprints, and then the kids are going to paint them, and they are all passing out valentines and were going to have a movie and popcorn time., and then in our curriculum, we have a valentines project I think a bag or something for the valentines.

[kendallina]

There are so many great ideas already posted!

My Tues/Thurs preschool group had their Valentine's party today and here's what we ended up doing:

The theme for this week was Friendship and Love. I sent out a letter to families that we were going to have a v-day party today and for the kids to bring valentines for their friends.

On Tuesday, we charted who our friends are. They got to see their names on the board and it was really fun to see what everyone said. Some kids said mom and dad. Others said names of their pets or their imaginary friends.

Then we made a list of party preparations (my older group did). Again, it's always fun to write down what the kiddos say and then post it for parents.

They each decorated file folders to put in their valentines during our party Thursday.

We made bracelets for our moms and dads. http://inevergrewup.net/re-run-week-...ine-bracelets/

Then we made v-day cards for parents and sent them in the mail. We talked about how mail works, where the stamp needs to go, and we walked them out to my mailbox. The parents got them on Wed in the mail and they all thought it was such a cute idea.

For snack we had friendship soup. Each child cut up a different vegetable and added broth and made soup.

Today, we had the parents coming in at 11 for the party. So, we baked cookies and decorated them. I painted a heart on each of their faces. And the children helped me decorate my livingroom with paper chains (red and white- good for learning patterning), balloons and hearts. When the parents came in, the children served them cookies and milk and we all hung out for about 1/2 hour til it was time to go home.

Whew... I'm exhausted. Now I have the MW's party on Monday.

[mickey2]

Fast and Easy Perfect for 2 year olds!!

We made these today! I printed them out on pink card stock! It only took about 5 minutes for them to do. it took me a while to cut the pieces out but I did so while they were eating lunch. I then glued on a popsicle stick and wrapped a pipecleaner around it! I thought it was cute and easy! The children loved it!

This is a great site!!

http://www.dltk-holidays.com/valentines/mheart.html

[mickey2]

There are so many great ideas already posted!


We made bracelets for our moms and dads. http://inevergrewup.net/re-run-week-...ine-bracelets/

Thank you so much for this! My son and I are going to do this on the weekend for his friends at school!!