Valentine art activities are so much fun for kids. They get to craft and create at the same time as they explore and discover. Fine motor control is very much in the developmental stage at this age level so some activities are too tricky for wee little ones but there are still lots of them that younger toddlers can do. These three ideas following kept a 3 year old busy this week practicing fine motor control and developing attention skills which are helpful for kindergarten readiness.
Pink playdough is easy for hands to squish and smoosh. Little fingers worked hard to stick in some small pink items for a pink sculpture on a plate. This would be doable by younger preschoolers, as long as they are past the putting-things-in-the-mouth stage.
I saw the toilet paper roll valentine paint stamping on In Lieu of Preschool. It looked simple and easy. A stamp pad didn’t make hearts as distinct as paint but a toilet paper tube does bend into a heart shape and make a neat, disposable paint-brush. Paint on a sponge is another option.
Using a paint dabber must have been quite rewarding because L. covered the entire cereal box side. I had expected some dabs scattered on the paper but there were so many we had to leave it to dry. When it was ready I needed to help with the cutting because it was so stiff. Then we looked through the box of sewing and other scraps to choose some treasures to glue on. I thought this would be more exciting than the dabbing, but it had to be done a little bit here and there. Sometimes what we think is the boring part is what kids like to do the most.
There is no doubt that kids like to create. They love to show and share their work, too. Helping them feel a healthy amount of pride in what they can do is more than readiness for kindergarten; it’s at the very heart.