26 Valentine's Crafts for Toddlers (+ Book & Gift Ideas!)
I'm a firm believer in keeping kids busy and having fun, which is why I've rounded up 26 toddler Valentine's Day activities (+ book & gift recommendations at the end of the post!). Valentine's Day is one of my favorite holidays to celebrate with the whole family. It's full of love, cute cards, DIY gifts and cute party favors. Last year, Emmie and I spent hours making handprint valentines, and I couldn't stop smiling every time I glanced at those tiny prints. It’s moments like these that make crafting so special to me.
I hope you absolutely love these adorable and creative crafts (many of which I found on Pinterest!) that will help develop their fine motor activity skills while having a blast! Not only are these crafts a fun way to celebrate Valentine’s Day, but they also foster creativity and create lasting memories.
Want to outsource it? Check out Learning with Kelsey’s boxes — her sensory boxes in particular are adorable!
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Why You'll Love These Crafts!
Crafting with my toddler, Emmie, has become one of my favorite ways to bond. I can still remember the joy on Emmie’s face when she saw how her handprint crafts turned into a beautiful piece of art. There's nothing quite like watching her excitement as she creates something uniquely hers.
These Valentine's Day crafts are extra special because they combine creativity with keepsakes that capture her little handprints and imagination. Plus, I’ve noticed how these activities help her develop skills like focus, coordination, and problem-solving—all while having so much fun! This is the perfect way to keep your little ones engaged!
From sensory play to keepsake art, these easy Valentine’s Day crafts are perfect for toddlers and young kids to enjoy.
Related: The 65 Best Quotes to Share with Mom on Valentine's Day and 100 Sweet Father Daughter Quotes to use for Valentine's Day
Sensory Play Crafts:
1. Valentine's Day Sensory Tub for Toddlers
Sensory tubs are all the rage at our house, and the more we can vary them, the better. This Valentine's Day tub is a super easy activity to create. The tubs from Walmart are my go-to for organizing or creating sensory bins I want to store. Find all of the details here.
Benefit: Encourages sensory exploration and fine motor development.
2. Valentine's Day Play-Doh
We are all about sensory these days. Fun little trinkets that can be sorted, stenciled, and reused again are a hit at our house. You can easily get a sorting tray from Amazon and then either make your own play-doh or buy red play-doh here.
Benefit: Supports sensory skills and creativity through manipulation and play.
3. Valentine's Day Toddler Sensory Bin Activity
Colored noodles? Yes, please! This toddler sensory bin activity is a fun one for young children, with the noodles being red. Find all of the details here to make your own.
Benefit: Enhances tactile awareness and fine motor skills.
4. Valentine's Day Toddler Activity Sensory Painting
Do you ever find toddler activities that you actually want to do yourself? For me, it's this sensory painting activity. It looks mesmerizing. Emmie really loves painting and touching the texture of things, so it's a must-have in our book!
Benefit: Encourages creativity and sensory exploration—a fun Valentine's Day twist favorite for toddlers!
Educational & Alphabet Activities
5. Love Bug Name Craft
I love educational crafts that are also fun to do. Learning the alphabet and how to spell your name are two key activities, which is why I love this love bug craft from ABCs to ACTs.
Benefit: Enhances letter recognition and spelling practice.
6. Giant Alphabet Heart Matching Game
We are all about the alphabet lately learning our letters. I love this activity because it feels holiday, but it's a simple, educational toddler activity. To create your own alphabet match game, click here.
Benefit: Promotes alphabet recognition and memory skills.
7. ABC Hearts Match & Cover
If creating a big alphabet match game with individual cut-outs feels like too much work, skip and use this printable for your fridge with letter magnets.
Benefit: Reinforces letter recognition and matching skills.
Handprint & Keepsake Crafts
8. Handprint Craft
Get messy and sentimental with a handprint craft. Dip your toddler's hand in washable paint and press it onto a piece of paper or cardstock. Let them decorate their handprint with glitter, stickers, or markers. Add a cute saying like “I love you a ton” or “You're hands down the best” for an extra special touch.
Benefit: Develops fine motor skills and creates a meaningful keepsake.
9. Heart Shaped Suncatchers
Photo via Toddler Approved
Create beautiful heart-shaped suncatchers using tissue paper and construction paper. Cut out a big heart shape from construction paper and let your toddler glue small pieces of tissue paper onto it. Hang them on the windows and let the sunlight shine through, creating a colorful display. Toddler Approved has a great step by step guide here.
Benefit: Boosts creativity and visual tracking skills.
Fun & Creative Crafts
10. Monster Valentines
Photo credit: The Mama Notes
Get creative with valentine cards by making cute and silly monster-themed cards. Cut out heart shapes from construction paper and let your toddler decorate them with googly eyes, pipe cleaners, and markers. Write fun sayings like “You're monstrously awesome” or “I'm wild about you” to make them extra special. If you're looking for the best ideas for a Valentine's gift for your toddler, this is a fun craft that's both super adorable and educational!
Benefit: Encourages creativity and fine motor skills.
11. Pipecleaner Heart Painting
How cute is this?! I'd actually love to frame it and turn it into a print for Emmie's playroom. It's so easy to create this craft with pipe cleaners and paint. You can find the instructions here.
Benefit: Develops creativity and hand-eye coordination.
12. Love Poster
Photo by Busy Blooming Joy
Help your toddler create a love poster by cutting out big block letters that spell out “LOVE” from construction paper. Let them decorate each letter with different materials like glitter, pom-poms, or sequins. Hang up the poster in their room or give it as a gift to a loved one.
Benefit: Encourages letter recognition and creative expression.
Printables & Simple Crafts
13. Valentine's Day Collage
Emmie absolutely loves gluing right now. Collages are a great way to let kids' imaginations run wild. My Bored Toddler posted an activity here that would be super fun to follow. You can easily create it with computer paper and red & white items you have around the house.
Benefit: Encourages creativity and fine motor skills.
14. Cookie Cutter Stamps
Photo by Messy Little Monster
Use heart cookie cutters as stamps to create valentine-themed artwork. Dip the cookie cutter in paint and let your toddler stamp it onto paper or cardstock. They can experiment with different colors and create their own unique designs. Maybe make some heart-shaped cookies together while you're at it!
I love the design above from Messy Little Monster for a mini Valentines Day bag.
Benefit: Boosts creativity and visual tracking.
15. Love You Berry Much Print
How cute and easy is this I love you berry much print. All you need is red paint, black paint and either green paper or green paint. This is a great print for mom and dad or the grandparents.
Benefit: Promotes creativity and early literacy skills.
Activities for Movement & Gross Motor Skills
16. Heart Color Walk
Remember the game red light, green light? I feel like this is the Valentine's Day version of it. It's easy way to get kids moving inside the house. Click here for the instructions.
Benefit: Develops gross motor skills and encourages physical activity.
17. Easy Heart Windsock Valentine's Day Toddler Activity
I think these windsocks would be fun for a toddler or young kids to make, but I can honestly see any kid making it under 10. Older kids would find it so fun to write their own heart messages and create something that can hang in their room.
Benefit: Encourages fine motor skills and creative expression.
Crafts with Special Themes
18. Kids Valentine's Day Craft Unicorn Paper Plate
Are you still in love with unicorns? I am. These fun creatures are always the best for crafts. Here you can find all of the details for the unicorn paper plate craft.It's great for a toddler if you precut all materials or an older kid who can do it themselves!
Benefit: Boosts creativity and fine motor skills; great for all ages!
19. Heart Shaped Dog Valentine's Day Craft
OK, how cute is this dog heart?!?! This was one of the first crafts I found and instantly fell in love. It's so easy to make with construction paper, poms, and googly eyes. You can find the details for it here from Crafty Morning. Last year, we made this red heart craft and it is still one of my favorite crafts to hang up on the wall! It's the perfect addition to our play room wall.
Benefit: Promotes creativity and shapes recognition.
20. Balloon Craft Artwork for DIY Valentine's Day Cards for Toddlers
This might be the cutest thing I've found. If I had the time (and energy!) to make all of Emmie's Valentine's Day cards, I would do this project. It's just adorable, and I love the little photo! I also think this makes a great gift for a parent or a grandparent.
Benefit: Encourages creativity and fine motor skills.
Additional Craft Ideas
21. Bubble Wrap Painting & Printing
Photo by Messy Little Monster
Turn ordinary bubble wrap into a fun and textured Valentine's Day card or picture frame. Messy Little Monster has a great step by step guide here. Cut out a heart shape from a piece of cardboard and tape a small piece of bubble wrap onto it. Dip it in paint and let your toddler stamp it onto construction paper. The textured bubbles create a unique and fun design.
Benefit: Enhances tactile sensory exploration and creativity.
22: Stuck on You Cactus Print
We have family that lives in Arizona and this would be the perfect craft for them! The stuck on you print is adorable and one of those easy ideas you can whip up quickly. With green paint, you can easily make it with supplies that are already in the house. Find the details for it here.
Benefit: Encourages fine motor skills and creativity.
23. Coffee Filter Water Color Heart Garland
This is a two-part toddler Valentine's Day activity, which I love. It’s one of those easy activities perfect for little ones like Emmie, who can focus for small chunks of time. Toddlers can easily make this or bigger kids can do it on their own. Draw hearts and spray to let the colors bleed together. Then, cut them out and string them together for some fun garland. All of the instructions are here.
Benefit: Enhances fine motor skills and creativity.
24. Montessori Valentine's Day Trays
I often gravitate towards Montessori learning and love these trays. You can buy your own trays here, and I also highly recommend this sensory set with tongs and other tools. The Stay At Home Educator has great ideas for counting activities that tap into gross motor as well. Find all of the details here.
Benefit: Encourages independence and fine motor skills.
25. Love Bug Toddler Craft
Another love bug print for the win! There are 17 other crafts linked on this page as well, but I think the love bug is the cutest by far. I keep googly eyes on my toddler supply list because they always come in handy and they last forever!
Benefit: Boosts creativity and fine motor skills.
26. Toddler Art Activities for Valentine's Day
This Sweet Happy Life rounded up a handful of Valentine's Day toddler activities that you can easily create with supplies from the dollar store. Genius, right?! I often find myself at Target's dollar section looking for fun things to do. Find her four crafts here.
Benefit: Fosters creativity, fine motor skills, and fun with budget-friendly, easy-to-set-up activities.
Valentine's Day Gift Ideas for Toddlers
Looking for the perfect Valentine's Day surprise for your little one? These toddler-friendly gift ideas are full of love, and make the sweetest little gifts! From cuddly stuffed animals to creative play dough sets, there’s something here to make their day extra special. 💕
Stuffed Animals
Toddlers love cuddly toys, and a cute stuffed animal is a classic gift idea. Look for one in the shape of a heart or a love-themed character.Board Books
Reading with your toddler is a great way to bond, and there are many Valentine's Day-themed board books available. Look for ones with simple rhymes and colorful illustrations.Puzzles
Puzzles are not only fun but also help develop problem-solving skills. Look for puzzles with heart shapes or love-themed designs.Musical Toys
Toddlers love making noise, so why not give them a musical toy? Look for instruments like drums, xylophones, or shakers that are safe for little hands.Playdough Sets
Playdough is always a hit with toddlers, and there are Valentine's Day-themed sets available. Look for ones with heart-shaped cutters and different shades of pink and red.Building Blocks
Building blocks are a classic toy that helps develop fine motor skills and creativity. Look for blocks in different shapes and colors.Art Supplies
Toddlers love to get creative, so why not give them some art supplies? Look for washable markers, crayons, and finger paints that are safe for little ones.Dress-Up Clothes
Toddlers love to pretend, so dress-up clothes are a great gift idea.
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Valentine's Day Books for Toddlers
Books make the best Valentine's Day gifts and can double as a fun Valentine's Day activity for little kids. Reading is not only a great way to bond with your toddlers, but it also helps develop their language skills and imagination. Here are some of my favorite Valentine's Day books for little ones:
1. “Llama Llama I Love You” by Anna Dewdney
This charming book follows Llama Llama as he celebrates Valentine's Day with his friends and family. It's a sweet story about love and friendship that your toddlers will adore.
2. "Happy Valentine's Day, Mouse!" by Laura Numeroff
If your little ones are fans of the classic book "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie," they'll love this Valentine's Day edition. Mouse makes valentines for all of his friends, and your toddlers will enjoy seeing who he gives each one to.
3. “Love Monster” by Rachel Bright
This adorable book tells the story of a not-so-scary monster who is searching for someone to love him just the way he is. It's a heartwarming tale about embracing our differences and finding love in unexpected places.
4. “Guess How Much I Love You” by Sam McBratney
This timeless classic is perfect for Valentine's Day. It's a tender tale of a little hare and his parent, trying to express theirlove for each other. Your toddlers will enjoy the sweet illustrations and the heartfelt message of love.
5. “The Day It Rained Hearts” by Felicia Bond
This imaginative book follows a little girl named Cornelia as she collects hearts that rain from the sky and uses them to make special valentines for her friends. It's a creative and fun story that will inspire your toddlers to get crafty with their own valentine cards.
6. “Love Is” by Diane Adams
This beautiful book explores the many ways love is expressed and felt. It's a gentle and poetic story that will warm your toddlers' hearts and teach them about the power of love.
7. “The Biggest Valentine Ever” by Steven Kroll
This adorable story follows two mice, Clayton and Desmond, as they work together to create the biggest valentine ever. It's a heartwarming tale of friendship and teamwork that your toddlers will enjoy.
I hope these fun Valentine’s Day craft activities, gift ideas, and book recommendations help create a wonderful, heartfelt celebration for your little one. They're sure to be a great time for kids of all ages, providing a lot of fun activities, many with little effort!
What’s are some of your favorite fun crafts to do with your toddler? Let me know in the comments! 💖
