Crafting with Kids: February Themed Projects

Story by: Robyn Woodside

There is nothing better than spending time with our little ones. Whether you’re playing with toys in your kids’ room, spending time together outside, or crafting, fun is always had!

With February upon us, we wanted to share some February-themed craft ideas you can do with your loved ones. It’s a great way to bond while also teaching some important skills.

Toddlers:

Spending time with your little ones completing a craft is not only fun but beneficial for their development. They can learn important fine motor skills, such as hand-eye coordination, dexterity, how to follow directions, how to problem-solve, increase creativity, and even begin learning some preschool and kindergarten skills, like color and shape recognition.

Coloring Pages- You can easily find free printable coloring pages in a Valentine’s theme for you and your kiddos to complete together. Make it more festive and fun by only using Valentine’s colors or your child’s favorite colors.

Handprint Bouquet- Use Valentine’s colors to paint your child’s hand; create 3 or 4 handprints on a sheet of paper; finish it off by adding “stems” to your child’s hands, creating a cute flower bouquet you can keep forever!

Valentine’s Hug- Ask your kiddo to stretch their arms as wide as they can. Then, cut a ribbon the length from one hand to the other. Then, paint their hands and make a handprint of each hand. Cut out both handprints; add them to each end of the ribbon. You now have a Valentine’s Hug you can share with your loved ones or keep for yourself.

School-Aged Children:

As a school-aged child, crafts build on those important fine motor skills they began developing as toddlers, such as creativity and problem-solving skills. It can also teach them patience, perseverance, and time management skills.

Salt Dough Conversation Hearts- To a bowl, add 4 cups of all-purpose flour and 1 cup of salt. Add 1 ½ cups of warm water, and mix until you get a dough. Knead the dough for 5-10 minutes, and then roll it out with a rolling pin. Use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut out your conversation hearts; use letter stamps to add your words: love, sweet, xoxo, etc. You can use a straw or something small and round to make a hole at the top and then let them air dry. Now, the fun part: Paint them any color you like, add a string, and now you have hangable conversation hearts.

Valentine’s- Most schools host a Valentine’s Day party in their classrooms. Make your child’s Valentine a group activity. Allow them to help pick out the Valentine’s they want to pass out to their classmates. Let them help you fill out names, if possible. Take it one step further and create your own Valentine’s to pass out!

Valentine’s Pizza Bar- The best kinds of crafts are the ones you can eat afterward! Set up a create-your-own-pizza station with everyone’s favorite toppings. Work together to create a heart-shaped dough for each family member. Once you’ve added your sauce and cheese, let everyone decorate their pizza to their liking, bake them, and ta-da! The cutest craft you made together and can enjoy together!