TODDLER-FRIENDLY VALENTINE'S ACTIVITIES THAT FOSTER CONNECTION

Valentine's Day is just a few days away! While the first thing that springs to mind may be romantic love, Valentine's Day is a wonderful time to focus on growing your connection with your little one as well. Toddlers thrive on simple, meaningful activities that engage their senses and strengthen their bond with their parents and other caregivers. I have gathered some simple activities you can easily do with the little ones in your life, while you make some precious memories.

crafting A BEE-YOUTIFUL connection

What even is Valentine's Day without Valentines? How about a card with your little honey's footprint turned into a bumblebee? Here is a sweet little Bee Mine Valentine's card that your little one can make for Dad, Mama, Grandma or Grandpa -- or another special person in his or her life. You can see my daughter's version at the left; click on the link above for our inspiration!

For babies or young toddlers, you can add the details to their footprint to make their bee come alive. Older toddlers and preschoolers will love crafting their bee by themselves! Hint: if you don't have or don't want to use alphabet stickers, you can trace the letters, "BEE MINE," in pencil and have little ones paint over your letters. Fine motor skills, arts and crafts, and writing practice all in one!

Saint Valentine love letters

While it is entirely possible to celebrate and enjoy Valentine's Day as it is commonly celebrated today, my Christian and Catholic readers will appreciate a faith-based activity you can do with your little ones. Since we're on the topic of "Valentines," did you know that the Saint Valentine, a Roman clergyman from the third century, is still known for writing letters of encouragement to Christians undergoing persecution? This may explain our tradition of writing sweet cards on Valentine's Day to those we love.

If you are interested in adding this activity to your special day, talk with your child about people you know who might need some extra encouragement...perhaps a grandparent, a neighbor, residents at a local nursing home, immigrants, or mothers experiencing a difficult or unexpected pregnancy.

Write simple messages of encouragement such as "God loves you," "Praying for you," "You are a gift," or "Jesus loves you," and having your child "sign" his name to the card, with a thumbprint, first initial or first name, depending on your child's abilities. Your little ones can also decorate their Saint Valentine cards with hearts, stickers, or stamps. You and your child can then deliver the cards to the intended recipients, bringing them joy, and practicing the virtue of kindness as a family.

SENSORY PLAY WITH A HEARTFELT TWIST

If you're hoping to encourage the growth of your little one's attention span; give them an opportunity to explore textures; and practice scooping and pouring; a sensory bin is a great idea. But let's be real...when you've got little ones who may still put things in their mouths, a sensory bin can be a nerve-wracking and potentially dangerous thing! If you can handle it if the littles dump everything out, here's a great idea for a (mostly) edible sensory bin: a cereal bin!

Here are some ideas for your Valentine's themed sensory bin: heart-shaped cereal and / or heart-shaped cookies or crackers, scoops, spoons, candy molds or muffin tins, cookie cutters, or measuring cups -- bonus if these tools are heart-shaped! Put everything in the storage container and let them go at it! You can teach vocabulary words like "heart," "scoop," or "pour." If you have different colored cereals or cookies, show them how to sort the items into different muffin tins or cups by color, having them repeat the color names. While they would undoubtedly enjoy this activity solo, make sure to stay close by for safety.

If you want to contain the mess, and you have a big enough box, put the sensory bin and the little ones in the big box. When they're done nibbling, scooping, pouring, and exploring, remove the reusable items and toss, or compost, the remains of the cereal.

sweet treats, simple joys

Since we're on the topic of food, making heart-shaped treats together is a wonderful way to develop teamwork with your child, while teaching math skills. Valentine's Day and strawberries seem like a natural pair; how about your own home-made, heart-shaped strawberry roll-ups? Yes; please!

With only four simple ingredients, this recipe is a great one to make with your little ones. The hardest part for them will be the three to four-hour wait while the mixture dries in the oven. (Hint: fill the time with the other activities we have suggested!) Little ones can measure out and add the ingredients to the food processor, and later, they can cut out the heart-shaped roll-ups with heart cookie cutters. As always, for their safety, make sure you stay with your child throughout this activity.

COMMUNICATING LOVE WITH BABY SIGNS

Getting out with your little ones to shops or stores around this time of year is a great opportunity to communicate with your child about Valentine's Day. Hearts, flowers, and so many red objects surround and delight your child! Did you know research demonstrates that little ones who use baby sign language learn to communicate more quickly with their parents or caregivers than non-signing babies, and have reduced frustration, because they can talk about the world around and inside them?

Our My Favorite Valentine's Signs Baby Signs (R) online playgroup is a fantastic way to give your little one a way to communicate with you about love, hearts, flowers, and other common sights, sounds, and smells of Valentine's Day! We will sing Valentine's Day songs, make a heart-themed craft, listen to a story, and learn and practice six Valentine's Day related signs. The class is free on Valentine's Day, but if the time of the class doesn't work for you, contact us to arrange a private class.

The best Valentine's Day activities are the ones that create joyful memories and strengthen family bonds. If you try one or more of these activities, make sure to share how it went in the comments. Use our hashtag #stcroixbirth on social media, so we can share the joy with you and your little ones as you connect on this special day dedicated to love!

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