Valentine, Valentine, Who Do You Love? with Fabulous Friday Find!

It's a flurry of hearts and pink and red in the day care right now. We are having our Valentine party today, but we've been talking about love, singing about Valentines, and doing lots of heart activities this week, and I thought I would share a few ideas that can be used by parents, grandparents, teachers, providers, anyone!

I love using tunes the children already know for new songs. This week we've used the tunes B-I-N-G-O and If You're Happy and You Know it.

For the BINGO tune we've sung Please Be Mine!

My friend gave me a valentine.
It's message is so fine-o!
Won't you please be mine?
Won't you please be mine?
Won't you please be mine?
Please be my Valentine-o!

If You're Happy and You Know it becomes If You Love Me and You Know It!

If you love me and you know it, clap your hands!
If you love me and you know it, clap your hands!
If you love me and you know it,
and you really want to show it,
If you love me and you know it, clap your hands!

Other actions:
Say "I love you!"
Blow me a kiss
Give me a hug

We have to have games for our party:

~Pin the Heart on Cupid's Arrow~
On a poster board draw a Cupid with his bow and arrow, or use a Valentine decoration cut out. Cut out enough small hearts for each child to have one or two and place a tape ring or tacky tack on the back of each. In turns blindfold the children and let them try to pin the heart to Cupid's arrow.

~Counting and Sorting Hearts~
Use conversation hearts for counting, sorting, color identification and matching. I always supply a small amount for snacking too, they're just too irresistible!

~Heart Matching~
From a deck of cards remove all heart cards. Cut each in half, either straight across, or using different patterns such as zigzag or wavy, or even use different decorative scissors to cut them apart for instant patterns, then children match up the card and count how many hearts there are on each pair.

Art is sooo much fun any time, but holidays are especially fun.

~Red and White Make Pink Hearts~

This activity is an easy way for children to learn about color mixing. Start by lining a shallow box with newspaper to catch any leaks. Lay out a piece of waxed paper that more or less fits inside the box (doesn't have to be exact). Drizzle white and red paint around the waxed paper and top with another sheet of waxed paper approximately the same size. Children mush and goosh, and swirl the colors together between the waxed paper. Once they feel the paint is sufficiently mixed, set aside to dry. Once dry use a heart pattern to cut two construction paper heart frames, then use the same pattern to cut a heart shape out of the dried waxed paper/paint 'sandwich' (do not peel apart). Glue the heart frames to each side of the 'sandwich' and display once glue dries. These look great hanging in a window!

~Thumbody Loves You~
Take a picture of each child holding a heart that says "I Love You". Cut out a construction paper heart for each child or have them cut out a pre-drawn heart. Fold heart in half to form a card. On the front write "Thumbody loves you, do you know who?" and have children make thumb prints all around the half-heart. On the inside glue the picture of the child and write "Me, that's who!"

This week's Fabulous Friday Find ( the first ever on my blog!) is a Stained-Glass Valentine Heart Kid Kit from the shop of And Then ...



This is an adorable project that kids of all ages can have fun with! And it couldn't be simpler when you purchase a kit that has all the cutting, measuring, etc done for you!
There are many fun kid kits in her shop and they are all "made with love and kid-tested!"

And lastly, what's a party without fun food??

~Valentine's Day Roll-Ups~

Have children spread cream cheese and strawberry jam onto a taco-sized flour tortilla. Roll them up into a 'log' and children can cut them into slices using a plastic knife.
Yummmm!

Valentine's Day is a great time to show the kids in your life that you love them, but more importantly, remember to show them EVERY day!

I'd love more ideas to add to my collection for next year, please leave a comment with your favorite Valentine activity!