Hearts, Hearts, Hearts... Valentines Activities

With Valentine's Day approaching there are so many activities you can create!

 

Keep in mind that all of the ideas below can be done with other shapes as well,

such as eggs, stars, circles, etc.

 

 

1.  Puzzle - Do you have two Valentine's Day cards left over?  Why not create a puzzle?  Glue or tape one card onto the front of an envelope.  Cut the second card into pieces (less pieces for a younger child, more pieces for an older child).  Store cut pieces inside the envelope and remember to write on the envelope back how many pieces are in your puzzle. 

 

 2.  Draw a thick dark line shape of your puzzle outline with a marker or crayon onto a plain piece of paper.  Card stock or cardboard works best.   Cut apart your shape and store the pieces in an envelope or plastic bag.  Make sure you write down how many pieces are in your puzzle somewhere on the outline piece .  Remember, younger children need less pieces and older children enjoy more pieces.

3.  Cut out any number of heart shapes.  Cut those shapes in half with different patterns.  Put together the broken hearts.(This is great for egg shapes too.)  Stickers and/or a kiss can be added to the different sides of the hearts to assist in putting the puzzles together.  Find an appealing container to hold your broken hearts.  Empty candy boxes make great storage containers for heart games!

 

 4.  Using wall paper samples, construction paper, wrapping paper or fabric, cut out two of each pattern or design.  Cookie cutters are great help to draw your shape. 

This can be a lotto game where every shape is upside down and the players take turns trying to find pairs. 

Younger children are challenged with just finding the two that match. 

To pair children into partners:    Randomly pass out hearts and ask children to find the person who has the heart that matches theirs.  Or, take one set and hide them in the room.  Pass the other set out to the children and have them go on a scavenger hunt to find their match.

Have Fun! 

This blog post was inspired by the book:
Miraculous, Magical Moments in Minutes :
Over 500 Quick, Easy Activities for Adults and Children to Share

by Becky B. Baxa available from Amazon.com

180,full color, pages of non-stop fun!

Candy Canes Second Time Around!

There they sat. 
Each time I opened the pantry the little pile seemed to beg me to pay attention.
It was sad really. 
A reminder of that warm, happy time of year that always produces feelings of love and joy. 
And yet, this left-over pile that was a treat relished during the holiday season  sat abandoned and forlorn just days after.
 

Surely there was something that could be done with my leftover candy canes! 

 

"Round Two" for Candy Canes!

Grandma had always crushed candy canes inside a plastic bag and then sprinkled it through my tapioca pudding.  I suppose the same thing could be done with instant vanilla pudding.


But, I needed more ideas, so the search began.  Here are some ideas you might like to try as we approach Valentine's Day.

1.  Candy Cane Art - leave messages of love in crazy and unexpected places, and/or on top of
     presents. 

Photo source: 
www.christynelson.net
 

    Place a sweet heart treat on top of your loved one's pillow
    Tape a candy cane heart to the top of their notebook or briefcase. 
    Arrange a heart in the center of tonight's dinner plate. 

    Look for other places to leave this "sweet heart" surprise.

Photo Source:  from the book: 
Miraculous, Magical Moments in Minutes:  Over 500 Quick, Easy Activities for Adults and Children to Share
by Becky B. Baxa
 Available from www.Amazon.com
 

 

 

 

2.  Candy Cane Sweet Heart Pops or Candy Cane Sweet Heart Treat

 

How to get started:

 

1.  Collect all of your left-over candy canes from the holiday season.

 



2.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or waxed paper.

3.  Arrange your left over candy canes on top of a cardboard pop stick (purchased at a craft or cake store) as illustrated in the photos at the bottom of this post.

4.  In a double boiler, melt chocolate wafers  or chocolate bark, usually found at the grocery store in the baked goods aisle.  White, dark or milk chocolate can be used.  You can even add food coloring to the white chocolate and make it any color you want!



Photo source:
 http://www.glorioustreats.com
 

5.  When the chocolate has melted and is a smooth consistency, drop one spoonful at a time into your heart shapes. Smooth the surface within the heart "frame" with the back of the spoon and spread the chocolate to the edges.

Or, you can use a pastry bag to fill the hearts as shown below. 

If you don't have a pastry bag:

1.  Clip the corner off of a Ziploc baggie and use it as a pastry bag. 
2.  Or, use parchment paper. Cut out a triangle piece, then roll it into a cone shape. Tape the sides, cut off the pointed tip, fill with chocolate and pipe the chocolate into your hearts.


Photo Source: 
www.zimonawhim.com

6.  Sprinkle with crushed candy, commercial sprinkles of any color combination or leave plain.  You could even add a few miniature marshmallows for a variety.

7.  Allow candy to sit until completely cool.  At this point the candy should peel easily off the paper.

8.  Serve pops in a clear glass container filled with colorful candies (like M & M's) using your heart pops like flowers in a vase.  This would make a fun centerpiece or gift for someone.

Note:  if you don't have pop sticks, make your sweet hearts without the stick!  These would make lovely favors at each person's plate on Valentine's Day.

 

Photo Credit and Original Source for a complete set of instructions

that include using your oven to make these treats,

visit this website.

  http://sprinklesomesunshine.blogspot.com/2012/01/sweet-heart-valentine-pops-party.html

 

 

Keep in mind.... You don't have to wait until Valentine's Day to tell someone you love them! You could surprise your family with these treats any time! 

 

Use candy cane pops or treats as a gift for someone special.

 

Photo source: 
http://barbschram.blogspot.com/2012/01/stamp-simply-ribbon-inspiration.html
see more lovely ideas on this blog site!





 

Photo source:
www.mismbs.wordpress.com

 

 

 

This blog post was inspired by the book: Miraculous, Magical Moments in Minutes : Over 500 Quick, Easy Activities for Adults and Children to Share

by Becky B. Baxa available from Amazon.com

180,full color, pages of non-stop fun!

Where's the Pair?

 Oh where, oh where, is my other green sock?

Matching games build observation and classification skills through left–right association

(for the socks and mittens), size relationship, and color differentiation.   

You can match anything! Hearts, stars, Easter eggs, flowers, animals, socks, mittens, etc.

    Younger children select one shape, then find the matching shape to make it a pair.
 

 

    For the older child, make this simple matching game of finding two that are alike into a:

Lotto Game

     Objective:  To find the pictures that match and put into pairs. 

                       This game increases memory and observation skills.  

     Directions:  Players place all the cards face down in a pile.  Take turns trying to find a pair. 

                        If successful, the player gets to keep the pair and take another turn. 

                        If not, place the cards back into the pile face down.

                        Then the other player gets a turn.                 

                        Continue until all the pairs have been paired up.

                        The player with the most pairs wins the game. 

 

Directions on how to make your matching game:

 Use cookie cutters or stencils to trace and then cut out two matching shapes. 

Use:  old wallpaper books, cardstock, heavy wrapping paper or construction paper. Make as many pairs as you wish.

 

You can also use pictures:  photos, images from the computer, greeting cards etc.

 

   

Storage:

Store your game in creative containers. 

A heart shaped box left over from a Valentine's treat is fun to store matching hearts.

Empty metal containers that cookies and candy came packaged in, are great for storing games. 
You can also use envelopes, plastic sheet protectors, ziploc bags, etc.  Be creative.

Keep in mind... how you store games, activities and toys 

sends a silent message to your children on how that item should be treated. 

Nice container= treat the thing inside with care. 

Special storage containers also help children with clean up.  It becomes a matching game. 
Example:  storing small plastic animals in a container that has animals printed on the outside. 

If you are having trouble finding the perfect container, you can add your own pictures to containers to help children match what is being stored to the container. 

Evaluate every food container before your throw it away. Ask:  Can I use this to store something? 

Use pictures from the computer OR... take a photo of the actual toy then print the photo.
Cut it out and tape it onto the container with clear packing tape.

Creating matching games is only as endless as your imagination!  Having trouble thinking of more ideas?  Ask your children!  They are the best when it comes to creativity and imagination.  Have fun making these matching games TOGETHER and then playing with them.  Prepare yourself for many hours of fun!

 

Broken Hearts

   

Broken Hearts Matching Game

Create heart warming activities this Valentine's Day 

with red construction paper,stickers and a pair of scissors. 

Here's how:

Idea Number One:

Decide how many hearts you would like in your game.  Trace and cut out hearts that are all the same size.  Cookie cutters can be used to make a heart shape.

Add a lipstick kiss in the middle of some hearts (or maybe just one!) and a Valentine's sticker in the center of the remaining hearts.  Randomly cut the hearts apart using a different cut on each one.

Mix up the pieces and it is then time to let the children put the hearts back together.  

The kind of cut and the sticker in the middle give children clues on how the pieces fit together.

Storage:  Use an empty holiday candy container for storage and 

you have a game that will provide lots of fun for many years.

Idea Number Two:

Using a thick marker, trace a heart shape onto a piece of card stock (the back of a cereal or other food box would also work).

Cut out another heart the exact size from any color paper  (red, pink or lavender are nice colors for Valentine's Day).

Cut out the colored heart in random pieces.  

*Remember the older the child the more pieces, the younger the child the less pieces. *

 A toddler may have 2 or 3 pieces, a five year old may have 6 or 7 pieces and an older child may have many more pieces.  Design your puzzle for the child's age.

Put the puzzle together by placing the pieces inside your heart shape. 

STORAGE:  Pieces can be stored in a plastic storage bag or envelope.  

An envelope can be taped to the back of the puzzle board.  

A plastic bag can be attached at the corner with a brass fastener.

Candy Cane Art

Did you have lots of candy canes left over from Christmas?  

Are you tired of moving them around in your pantry?  

Here is a way to "re-purpose" your extra candy canes.

Use leftover candy canes to make hearts for Valentines' Day.

Use the hearts for creative name tags on gifts.

Leave messages of love in crazy places for your loved ones to find.

 

 

 

A heart center can be created out of a piece of pretty stationary/computer paper.

What other ideas can you think of?