Have some family fun with these Valentine's crafts for toddlers – from potato prints to homemade cards, decorations and more!
There's no reason why your little one can't join in and get crafty this Valentine's Day. We have plenty of fun simple creative ideas, so get ready to make some memories!
For many of these craft ideas you'll need paper or card, glue, paint and other crafty things like string, toilet rolls, and maybe some felt. ... browse through the list below and choose your favourite ideas to make with your little one.
We've also got some fun Valentine's easy baking recipes that your little ones will love help decorate – check out our heart-shaped fairy cakes and these heart-shaped Valentine's biscuits!
1. Fingerprint hearts
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These hearts are easy to make and SO cute when you use your toddler's little thumbs to make them.
Simply dab their thumbs in some red finger-paints, and then press them onto a sheet of white paper one at a time on top of each other at an angle so that they make a heart shape!
Tip: If you have too much paint on the thumb it'll be harder to see the actual fingerprint marks, which are the prettiest bit, so just dab them once lightly on a separate piece of paper first to remove excess paint.
Fingerprint hearts are perfect for simple homemade Valentine's cards for the family and little keepsake pictures.
2. Mini heart canvas
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We love these cute little canvases. you can buy them very cheaply in craft shops and they make adorable little gifts for special occasions like Valentine's Day.
Get your toddler involved in making a special painting of a heart ...
– Draw a heart on a piece of card that is slightly bigger than your mini canvas
– Cut the heart out of the card so that you have a template
– Hold the heart template in place on top of the canvas and help your toddler fill it in with a romantic colour like pink or red
Tips: Your toddler can try using a paintbrush or their fingers and hands to transfer the paint onto the canvas. It doesn't matter how messy it gets because once you remove the cardboard cutout, you'll have a lovely heart shape filled with your toddler's markings!
3. Heart-shaped potato prints
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Your toddler will have lots of mark-making fun with these homemade heart-shaped potato prints!
You'll have to carve the potato stamp, of course, and probably help to guide your toddler to dip the potato into the paint and then press it onto the paper.
This is a fun Valentine craft idea for kids and an easy way to design a homemade Valentine's card or picture from your toddler for a loved one... or even their nursery school teacher – how sweet!
4. Tissue paper hearts
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Your toddler will love helping you scrunch up tissue paper into little balls and stick them onto a cutout heart!
All you need is some sturdy card (choose the same colour card as your tissue paper to help fill in any gaps!), coloured tissue paper and some PVA glue.
When your toddler's heart is sufficiently filled in with all their efforts you can punch a hole in the top and hang their heart from a string in their bedroom.
Tip: If you have lots of tissue paper on your hands you make lots of these to construct an attractive hanging mobile – just hang them all from a wire coat hanger!
5. Painted hand love heart selfies
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This is a fun, messy Valentine's activity you can do with your kids ...
Paint your toddler's hands with poster paint and dry them off with a hairdryer – make sure it's not too hot!
Then show them how to make a heart-shape using their fingers. Alternatively you can just paint hearts onto their palms instead.
They can look at themselves in the mirror or you can take a selfie with them to send to your other half or friends to wish everyone a cute happy Valentine's from you and your little one!
6. Make love bugs
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Toilet roll crafts are a classic crafts idea for little ones – and we love these love bugs for Valentine's Day!
You can help your toddler to customise their love bug however they like ...
Here are some cute ideas:
– paint them pink or red
– cut out heart shaped wings
– cut out heart shaped antennas
– stick on googly eyes
– stick on a pom pom nose
– use biodegradable glitter
– decorate with heart stickers
– give it a name
– make it friend to spread the love!
7. Make a bunch of paper flowers
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How about this for an adorable Valentine's gift for family and friends?
If you're in a couple, one of you can help your toddler to craft a lovely bunch of paper flowers for the other – but if you're a single parent this is just as fun to do with your toddler!
You'll have to cut out most of the components for your little one, but they can help with any colouring in and sticking down.
Half of the fun is gifting the bunch of flowers to a valentine though, so why not take your toddler around to your neighbour's house so that they can wish them a Happy Valentine's Day?
8. Pressed flowers
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Pressing flowers is such a quaint, old-fashioned hobby that's perfect for Valentine's!
There's plenty of fun to be had with your toddler ...
...from going out to collect flowers from the garden or choosing some from your local flower shop ...
... to arranging the flowers in the flower press or inside a big old heavy book for pressing ...
... to revealing the finished pressed flowers a few weeks later and making pretty pictures!
You can choose to press the flowers ahead of time if you like, so that your toddler can have fun sticking them in a picture frame for a special Valentine's gift or memento.
9. Paper plate woven heart
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This craft is great for toddlers and practicing hand-eye coordination!
The beauty of this idea is that your toddler's weaving doesn't have to be perfect, symmetrical or follow any kind of pattern – they can literally weave in and out of any hole they like!
Just cut a heart shape out of a paper plate and then use a hole punch or pencil to poke good-sized holes all around the heart.
Then thread some coloured wool onto a chunky plastic needle and guide your little one to poke it through the holes, aiming for the somewhere on the opposite side each time.
These look really pretty when they're finished if you hang them in the window so that the light can shine through the woven heart.
10. Paper heart flowers
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We love these cute paper flowers made from paper hearts, inspired by Red Ted Art, and we think they're perfect to make with your toddler.
First draw and cut out all of your hearts. Your toddler can help by organising them into colours for you.
(to get symmetrical hearts, fold the paper in half and draw half a heart with the middle at the folded edge, then cut it out and unfold into the full heart!)
You'll need 4 hearts per flower and a pom pom each for the centres. Just stick them together like in the picture – with your toddler's help, of course!
11. Valentine's Day washing line
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We love this idea from Red Ted Art – it's a washing line with pegs that you can use to hang up your Valentine's cards, pictures and heart decorations!
All you need is a piece of string, several pegs and some adornments like little hearts to glue on the pegs, or you can just paint the pegs pink and red!
Clip clothes pegs to the string and you're ready to attach all your toddler's other crafts ...
– make potato print hearts to cut out and clip to your line
– make homemade Valentine's cards
– display your toddler's drawings of the family
12. Stuffed love heart
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have fun making this simple stuffed love heart cushion hanging decoration with your toddler ...
Just cut two red heart shapes from card or felt and decorate with glue and tissue/paint/ biodegradable glitter/cellophane or whatever you have to hand.
Glue or staple your hearts together and stuff with tissue for a 3D heart!
13. Decorate Valentine's biscuits
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Baking biscuits is something your toddler will love to get involved with.
They can help with the mixing, rolling and cutting ... and of course the best bit – decorating!
Use different coloured icing and let your toddler ass sprinkles. You can even help them to pipe on some icing hearts!
Tip: For an easy life just buy plain ready made biscuits to decorate! if you're baking your own use a simple recipe such as this one foreasy iced biscuits. If you have a heart-shaped cookie cutter, even better!
14. Stained glass hearts
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Try this pretty valentine's craft idea with your toddler. It's really easy, but they'll still need lots of help.
Use a clear plastic bag as your base. Tear up coloured paper and dip into a mixture of water and PVA glue. Stick onto the bag, and when dry, cut out a heart shape.
Place it in a heart frame cut from card and stick on the window to watch the sunlight coming through ... it's enough to make the whole family feel loved up!
15. Colouring in
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For a really simple Valentine's activity and an easy way to get your toddler involved in making something cute for Valentine's Day – we have plenty of free printable Valentine's cards you can print off for your toddler to colour in!
Help them to tear up bits of paper to stick down for more of a collage effect, and don't forget to add other adornments like biodegradable glitter and confetti hearts too!
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Introducing Valentine's Crafts for Toddlers As an enthusiast and expert in crafts for toddlers, I can provide you with valuable information and ideas for Valentine's crafts that you can do with your little ones. I have extensive experience in creating and executing craft projects for young children, and I have a deep understanding of the concepts and techniques involved in these activities.
In the following article, we will explore a variety of crafts that are perfect for Valentine's Day. These crafts include fingerprint hearts, mini heart canvases, heart-shaped potato prints, tissue paper hearts, painted hand love heart selfies, love bugs, paper flowers, pressed flowers, paper plate woven hearts, paper heart flowers, Valentine's Day washing line, stuffed love hearts, decorated Valentine's biscuits, stained glass hearts, and coloring activities.
So, without further ado, let's dive into the world of Valentine's crafts for toddlers!
Fingerprint Hearts
Fingerprint hearts are a simple and adorable craft idea for toddlers. To create these hearts, you will need red finger-paints and white paper. Simply dab your toddler's thumbs in the paint and press them onto the paper at an angle to form a heart shape. These fingerprint hearts can be used to make homemade Valentine's cards or little keepsake pictures for the family.
Mini Heart Canvas
Mini heart canvases are another fun craft idea for toddlers. You can purchase inexpensive mini canvases from craft shops, and they make delightful gifts for occasions like Valentine's Day. To create a mini heart canvas, draw a heart on a piece of card slightly larger than the canvas. Cut out the heart to use as a template. Hold the template on top of the canvas and help your toddler fill it in with a romantic color like pink or red. Once the paint is dry and you remove the cardboard cutout, you will have a lovely heart shape filled with your toddler's artistic markings.
Heart-shaped Potato Prints
Heart-shaped potato prints are a great way to engage your toddler in mark-making fun. You will need to carve a heart shape into a potato and guide your toddler to dip the potato into paint and then press it onto paper. This craft is perfect for creating homemade Valentine's cards or pictures that your toddler can gift to a loved one or their nursery school teacher.
Tissue Paper Hearts
Tissue paper hearts are a delightful craft activity that your toddler will enjoy. Help your toddler scrunch up tissue paper into little balls and stick them onto a cutout heart made from sturdy card. You can use colored tissue paper that matches the card to fill in any gaps. Once your toddler's heart is filled with tissue paper, you can punch a hole in the top and hang it from a string in their bedroom. Alternatively, you can make multiple tissue paper hearts and create an attractive hanging mobile by hanging them all from a wire coat hanger.
Painted Hand Love Heart Selfies
Painted hand love heart selfies are a fun and messy Valentine's activity that you can do with your kids. Paint your toddler's hands with poster paint and help them make heart shapes using their fingers. You can also paint hearts onto their palms. They can look at themselves in the mirror or take a selfie with you to send to your loved ones to wish them a cute happy Valentine's from you and your little one.
Make Love Bugs
Toilet roll crafts are classic ideas for little ones, and love bugs are perfect for Valentine's Day. You can help your toddler customize their love bug however they like. Some cute ideas include painting them pink or red, cutting out heart-shaped wings and antennas, sticking on googly eyes, adding a pom-pom nose, using biodegradable glitter, decorating with heart stickers, giving them a name, and making them a friend to spread the love.
Make a Bunch of Paper Flowers
Crafting a lovely bunch of paper flowers can be a heartwarming Valentine's gift for family and friends. If you're a couple, one of you can help your toddler create the bunch of paper flowers for the other person. If you're a single parent, this can be a fun activity to do with your toddler. Cut out the flower components and let your toddler help with coloring and sticking them down. The joy of giving the bunch of flowers to a valentine is half the fun. You can even take your toddler to your neighbor's house to wish them a Happy Valentine's Day.
Pressed Flowers
Pressed flowers are a charming and old-fashioned hobby that is perfect for Valentine's Day. You can have fun with your toddler by going out to collect flowers from the garden or choosing some from a local flower shop. Arrange the flowers in a flower press or inside a heavy book to press them. After a few weeks, reveal the pressed flowers and use them to make pretty pictures. You can press the flowers ahead of time and let your toddler have fun sticking them in a picture frame for a special Valentine's gift or memento.
Paper Plate Woven Heart
The paper plate woven heart craft is great for toddlers to practice hand-eye coordination. Cut a heart shape out of a paper plate and poke holes around the heart using a hole punch or pencil. Thread colored wool onto a chunky plastic needle and guide your little one to poke it through the holes, aiming for the opposite side each time. When finished, these woven hearts look beautiful when hung in the window, allowing the light to shine through.
Paper Heart Flowers
Paper heart flowers are cute and easy to make with your toddler. Draw and cut out heart shapes, and let your toddler help by organizing them into colors. You will need four hearts per flower and a pom-pom for the center of each flower. Stick the hearts together, with your toddler's assistance, to create the flower. These paper heart flowers are perfect for Valentine's Day and can be used as decorations or given as gifts.
Valentine's Day Washing Line
The Valentine's Day washing line is a creative and practical craft idea. Attach a piece of string to a wall or any suitable surface and use clothes pegs to hang up your toddler's Valentine's cards, pictures, and heart decorations. You can decorate the pegs with little hearts or paint them pink and red. This craft allows you to display your toddler's various creations, from potato print hearts to homemade Valentine's cards or their drawings of the family.
Stuffed Love Heart
Create a simple stuffed love heart cushion hanging decoration with your toddler. Cut two red heart shapes from card or felt and decorate them with glue and various materials such as tissue paper, paint, biodegradable glitter, or cellophane. Glue or staple the hearts together and stuff them with tissue to create a 3D heart. This craft is a fun way to engage your toddler's creativity and create a lovely decoration for Valentine's Day.
Decorate Valentine's Biscuits
Baking biscuits is a delightful activity for toddlers, and they will love getting involved in the decorating process. Let your toddler help with mixing, rolling, cutting, and, of course, decorating the biscuits. Use different colored icing and let your toddler add sprinkles. You can even guide them to pipe icing hearts. If you prefer an easy option, you can buy plain ready-made biscuits to decorate. If you're baking your own, a simple recipe for easy iced biscuits works perfectly. Having a heart-shaped cookie cutter is an added bonus.
Stained Glass Hearts
Create pretty stained glass hearts with your toddler for a lovely Valentine's craft idea. This craft is easy, but your toddler will need assistance. Use a clear plastic bag as the base, tear up colored paper, and dip it into a mixture of water and PVA glue. Stick the paper onto the bag, and once it's dry, cut out a heart shape. Place the heart in a frame cut from card and stick it on the window to watch the sunlight shine through. This craft creates a beautiful display that will make the whole family feel loved up.
Coloring Activities
For a simple Valentine's activity, you can print off free printable Valentine's cards for your toddler to color in. Help them tear up bits of paper for a collage effect, and add other adornments like biodegradable glitter and confetti hearts. Coloring activities are a great way to get your toddler involved in making something cute for Valentine's Day.
These crafts are suitable for toddlers and provide opportunities for creativity, fine motor skill development, and bonding. They make perfect Valentine's gifts and can be enjoyed by the whole family. So, gather your materials, get ready for some fun, and create lasting memories with your little one this Valentine's Day!
