Loving Hearts

Last year, I spent hours on Pinterest searching for ideas of activities to do with my kids.  There are many amazing ideas out there - so many that I got overwhelmed, and I think I ended up just having my kids stick heart and cupid stickers to cut-out hearts.  Then, to add to the embarrassment, I bought valentines from the Dollar Store, signed them, gave my kids crayons and let them scribble quickly over the valentines to make it look like they had some part in the craziness, and let them carry them to school.  Pathetic, I know. 

To save myself from getting overwhelmed this year, I decided to avoid Pinterest Valentines Day activities and instead, use my own creative mind to come up with activities.  And that, my friends, is where the Loving Hearts Activity was born.

My children are both adopted, and due to their history, it is often hard for them to understand the unconditional aspect of true love.  Therefore, we are always trying to find ways to show them our love, and we find as many ways to tell them we love them each day.  This activity is a wonderful way to visually show them that there are many people in their lives that love them beyond measure.

Materials Needed:  Picture of your child, pictures of family, friends, and animals (see below) / scissors / glue sticks / two pieces of the same color of construction paper / marker /
optional:  crayons and Valentine-themed stickers

Here Is What You Do:

1.  Print and cut out SMALL pictures (mine were about 1.5 inches by 2 inches) of your child and family, friends, and animals whom your child knows.  Be sure to include a picture of you! 

2.  Give her time to play with the pictures and dialogue about them.  Emphasize that the people and animals in the pictures love your child, and talk about special memories your child might have with them.  When you look at the picture of you, give your child a hug and tell her how special she is to you and how you love her so much.  It is a wonderful way to bond with your child.

3.  Take 2 pieces of construction paper (red or pink for the Valentine's theme or consider letting your child choose a color they like!).  Tape the two pieces together and draw the largest heart possible on the paper.  Option:  Use a poster board instead, and you can include more pictures!

4.  Give your child the glue stick (she may need assistance depending on developmental level) and let her glue her personal picture to the middle of the heart. 

5.  Lay out the stickers and the rest of the pictures on the table.   Tell your child to now glue the pictures of the people who love her around her personal picture.  My girls had so much fun talking about every person as they glued the pictures to the paper.  Optional:  Use Valentine-themed stickers to decorate.

 

 6.  After she is done, give her time to tell you about her heart.  Don't rush her through this.  Let her take her time and internalize these people in her life.

7.  Hang the heart in a place where your child will see it often.  I am going to laminate mine so that we can keep them up longer and save them in our memory box.

*  Did you enjoy this activity?  Pin it on Pinterest and share it with your friends!