Valentine’s Day stirs many memories―from public school classroom parties to couples celebrating successful relationships. However, this annual holiday centered on love often fails to hit the mark of celebrating the entire family. Kids are often overlooked in their parents’ plans for Valentine’s Day.

The Toddler Tower allows children to engage with their parents in an activity that will bring you both joy and satisfaction! You have asked, and we have answered―how can you incorporate the entire family into your Valentine’s Day plans?

We have compiled several sensory finger print craft ideas that will include the entire family. As children engage more of their senses, their ability to learn is enhanced. You can prioritize your child’s learning and strengthen your family relationships this Valentine’s Day by recreating one of these craft ideas.

Valentine Hand Tree

1. Paint the palm of your hand down to your wrist with brown washable paint
2. Press the paint covered hand down onto a blank piece of paper to create the “tree trunk”
3. Rinse off your hand
4. Dip a fingertip into pink paint and press down above the top of a “tree branch”.
5. Repeat this motion a second time so that the two fingerprints overlap at the bottom, creating a heart leaf
6. Create heart leaves in a variety of colors all around the tree

Valentine Pebble Pals

1. Gather small, clean rocks from outside
2. Paint a heart on each rock using your fingertip
3. Allow the paint to dry
4. Use a marker to draw arms, legs, eyes, and a mouth onto each pebble.
5. Gift these Pebble Pals to friends or family members!

Sprouting Valentines

1. Use a fingertip to create green stems that reach halfway up a piece of paper
2. Use your fingertip to draw round, colored buds above the stems
3. Create flower buds in a variety of colors above each stem
4. To make this more collaborative, each family member could contribute a few flowers to the same garden!

"You Touch My Heart" Family Valentine

1. Use a marker to create a large heart outline in the middle of a piece of paper
2. Assign each family member a paint color
3. Create a key which lists each family member and identifies their color of fingerprint
4. Each family member makes fingerprints inside of the heart outline in their color
5. Write a personalized Valentine’s Day note next to the heart
6. Gift this to extended family members or friends

As your family finalizes plans for Valentine’s day, we hope that you will incorporate a sensory learning opportunity and strengthen your relationship with your children.

Gather your family around your child’s weaning table and enter their world as you participate in an activity that they will love.

Give these art ideas a try and even get creative with your own! Share the art that your family creates by tagging us in your pictures @sprout_kids on Instagram.