Make a Valentines Activity Bin using things you have around the house. It will keep toddlers and preschoolers entertained and learning for days.
I just love Valentines crafts and activities, don’t you? It’s so fun to get creative with a holiday theme, and Valentine’s day is one of our favourites here in my home daycare.
Last night I set out to make a Valentines Activity Bin, chock-full of pink and red Valentines-type items for the hooligans to explore, experiment and play with.
Let me say that this was no easy task!
See, I’m the only female in our house, so pink items are a scarce commodity around here. I struggled all evening to pull a bin together, but I just couldn’t round up enough materials to fill the bin with.
I decided instead to take anything pink or red that I could find, even if it wasn’t Valentines-related, and make up several different activities to set into the bin, and you know what?
I love it.
Let me show you what I did. First, I filled a couple of glass jars with red beaded Christmas tree garland. It’s fun to pull the long strands of beads out of the jar and pile them back in again.
I had two more large jars with lids, so I filled one with white lentils, and pink and red foam pieces.
Into the other, I put some red, stretchy mesh that clementines come packaged in. I’ve been saving that up for a while, thinking it would be perfect for a Valentine’s craft or activity.
I filled two small jars with pom-poms, and a small spice bottle with pink, red and white buttons. Beside that, I placed one of those little cases that holds medicine and a scoop for filling it with.
Jars and bottles with lids are great for fine motor development, and little ones love snapping the compartments open and closed on the medicine holder.
I added some pink ice-cube trays, some red foam trays, and some tongs for sorting and organizing.
Lastly, I found some pink paint chips for a cutting activity.
This is a great way to teach little ones how to use scissors. Encourage your child try to cut along the white lines to chop the strips up.
As an extra activity, (this didn’t fit into the bin) I filled a plastic heart-shaped pan with red and pink markers and crayons, and added some white cardboard hearts for decorating.
I love how pretty and inviting our Valentines Activity Bin looks.
It makes me think of a candy shop! I think we’re going to have some fun with this!
What crafts and activities are you doing at your house for Valentine’s Day? I’d love it if you’d link them up on my Happy Hooligans facebook page!
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Jackie is a mom, wife, home daycare provider, and the creative spirit behind Happy Hooligans. She specializes in kids’ crafts and activities, easy recipes, and parenting. She began blogging in 2011, and today, Happy Hooligans inspires more than 2 million parents, caregivers and Early Years Professionals all over the globe.
Cerys @ Rainy Day Mum
What a wonderful bin of activities and so organised as well.
Rebekah @ The Golden Gleam
So inviting and beautiful!!! I wanted to pin this but it’s not capturing your beautiful images. Will share on my FB page.
Angelique Felix
So magnificent J:!!!
Will pin it
Angelique
Rashmie @ Mommy Labs
These look so pretty and such a wonderful activity to explore the Valentines theme.
Pinning it now… 🙂
Aleacia @ Dilly-Dali Art
This is a wonderful Valentine themed sensory box, I love the variety of objects you have!
Joyce @Dinosaurs And Octopuses
This is wonderful! Whenever you break this out for them, they will surely be thrilled and content for quite some time. I love your wide arrange of activities. I really like the simple but fun idea of using the paint chips for cutting practice! I’m pinning and sharing. Thanks for posting!
happyhooligans
Thanks, Joyce! I can’t wait to set it out for them. I think today might be the day. 🙂
JDaniel4s Mom
I love all the red! This would be fun to explore.
The Iowa Farmer's Wife
These pictures are great! What fun!! 🙂
chelle
Very nice looking bin mama!
Shaunna @ Fantastic Fun and Learning
I LOVE this! My daughters would tinker with all of those activities for quite some time. With February being sandwiched between both of my daughters’ birthdays, we don’t do a ton for Valentine’s but I might have to incorporate some of these festive ideas.
happyhooligans
The girls here just loved all of it last year. I’m beginning to set up a new one for next week. I think I have as much fun creating these activities as they have playing with them! Happy Birthday to your girls, Shaunna!