We got into the Valentine's Day spirit this week with these simple and minimal prep activities!
1. FROZEN YOGURT HEARTS ACTIVITY
What you will need:
- Yogurt
- Silicone molding tray (I got the small one from dollarama and the heart puzzle one from Micheals)
- Various trays and containers
Fill your silicone molding trays with yogurt and leave it in the freezer over night. They will easily pop out the next day when you are ready to set up. I liked the idea of using different trays to present it in, so that my little one could easily dump the yogurt hearts into the different trays/container. I also included a whisk for an extra bonus!
What I like about this activity is that it works well for teething babies and it is edible. Which we all know that with infants the objects almost always end up in their mouths.
2. PULL AND TUG VALENTINES CUPS
What you will need:
- Paper cups (these are from the dollar store)
- Pipe cleaners
- Scissors
- Tray and/or container (optional)
Use the scissors to poke holes in the cups where you would like to put the pipe cleaners through. I used two pipe cleaners per cup, but you can use more if you would like. I liked the idea of using two different sized pipe cleaners (large and regular) to allow for different grasps and fine motor opportunities. My little one really enjoyed pulling on the pipe cleaners and grabbing them. This kept him quite engaged for a while. I also put out some extra cups for him to play with.
3. FLOWER PAINTING
What you will need:
- Flowers (real or fake)
- Washable paint
- Containers
- Brown craft paper (optional: to contain mess)
- Scissors
- Paper
- Sharpie
Cut the flowers leaving a little bit of the stem on, so that it can be grasped easily. I pre-dipped the flowers in the paint for him, but depending on the age of your child it might be fun to let them do that part. In one container I had the pre-dipped flowers and in the other I had the extra cut flowers.
And voila! Let your child create his/her beautiful Valentine's Day masterpiece.
Full disclosure: I did a more hands on hands method at times to help guide him onto the paper.
4. FROZEN FLOWER SENSORY TRAY
What you will need:
- Real flowers
- Silicone molding tray
- Trays and utensils of your choice
I placed petals from the flowers in the silicone tray then filled it water. You can also put the full flower head if you wish. Place the tray in the freezer overnight and that's it; you have a simple sensory activity ready to go!
I hope you and your little ones enjoy these simple and quick Valentines themed activities!