3 Fun and Skill Building Valentine’s Day Crafts
Are you stuck inside trying to chase the cabin fever away? Marissa Rahlf, OTR/L, at EA Therapeutic Health is here with three fun activities to keep the kids entertained and ready to celebrate Valentine’s Day. These art projects are great for kids ages 3+, they are easy to do at home or in a school setting, and they help build handwriting and cutting skills. Let’s have some fun with these Valentine’s Day craft ideas that also focus on coordination and development.
Love Bug Valentine’s Day Craft (Ages 3+)
Supplies:
- Egg carton
- Paint (red and white)
- Googly eyes
- Pipe cleaners
- Beads
- Glue
- Heart decorations
Child tasks:
- Stir the red and white paint together with a spoon to create pink
- Paint the egg carton
- Glue eyes on
- Place beads on pipe cleaners
- Decorate with heart decorations
Adult tasks:
- Cut out one egg cup
- Cut pipe cleaner in half
- Can do these scissor tasks hand over hand with child
*Children older than five can complete steps to this craft independently with scissor supervision
This fun craft will help children build skills in the following areas:
- Bilateral coordination
- Hand-eye coordination
- Grasp development
- Scissor skills
- Fine motor coordination
- Hand strength
Cork Love Bug Valentine’s Day Craft (Ages 3+)
Supplies:
- Cork (could use a toilet paper roll if needed)
- Pink construction paper
- Googly eyes
- Marker of your color choice
- Glue
Directions:
- Color the cork or toilet paper roll
- Trace or draw heart on pink paper
- Child or parent cut out heart
- Glue hearts onto back of cork
- Glue eyes onto front of cork
This fun craft will help children build skills in the following areas:
- Scissor skills
- Object manipulation
- Fine motor coordination
- Grasp development
- Bilateral coordination
Do It Yourself Valentine’s Sensory Box
Supplies:
- Container
- Rice
- Food coloring
- Objects to fill bins
- Heart-shaped toys (cookie cutters, marbles, bowls, containers, etc.)
- Utensils for scooping and pouring (cups, spoons, bowls, funnel, ice cube tray, egg carton, etc.)
- Hiding toys (figurines, small animals, etc.)
Directions:
- Younger kids:
- Use food coloring to dye rice, your child can help stir rice after food coloring is in
- Have child help you pour rice into container
- Have child help you pick out objects for sensory bin
- Encourage pouring, scooping, hiding and finding objects
- Older kids should be able to create a sensory bin independently with supervision for using the food coloring and assistance locating objects for sensory bin.
This fun craft will help children build skills in the following areas:
- Sensory Exploration
- Fine Motor Coordination (pouring, scooping, etc.)
- Executive Function
- Following Directions
Valentine’s day crafts are a great way to show your love and your creative side. Create a bond with the children in your life with these fun and easy Valentine’s Day crafts. While you’re at it, you’ll be providing a fun skill-building activity, too!
These crafts were compiled by Marissa Rahlf, OTR/L, at EA Therapeutic Health. EA Therapeutic Health is a non-profit organization in Rochester, MN that provides physical rehabilitation and adaptive health and fitness options for children and adults living with neuromuscular disorders, developmental delays, physical and cognitive disabilities, living on the Autism spectrum, and more. If you’re interested in more opportunities for the children in your life to develop skills, reach out to EA Therapeutic Health. We make therapy and learning fun!