Valentine’s Day is one of these holidays that sneaks up on you, as you’re fresh off the chaos of Christmas and still slumbering through the coldest part of winter (well, some of us that don’t have the joy of sand or palm trees). However, it offers us a chance to throw a little sweetness and color into our routines, especially for us homeschool moms!
Maybe you like to bake cookies, or plan intricate crafts, but what about the littlest hands that want to get involved in the lesson or craft? If you’re like me, I love free printables and seasonal lessons. They’re lifesavers on those days when you want your kids to be creative, but don’t have time to break out the glitter and paint (let alone clean it up).
However, I can’t give my five-year-old and three-year-old the same activity some days, printable or otherwise. Of course, my little guy still wants to be involved. My solution? He gets his own printable that goes with the theme, but it is tailored to a preschool students skill level.
Benefits of Toddler/Preschool Printables
I favor simple designs for my little ones. If I hand them a coloring sheet with busy backgrounds, fine lines, or tiny designs, they lose interest after a few minutes. But if I give them something with bold outlines and big spaces, they get excellent coloring practice, which is great for honing those fine motor skills.
Frequent coloring and tracing activities are significant handwriting preparation. They learn how to hold their crayons, the appropriate pressure, and increase muscle memory.
And perhaps the greatest benefit in my household, my little one feels included. His homeschool lesson at age three is more play than academics, but he gets to sit at the table, finish his “worksheet”, and save it in his folder. Even if you aren’t a homeschool parent, you still get a sweet piece of artwork for your fridge or bulletin board!
Valentine’s Day Coloring & Tracing
In this set of free valentines day printables, I’ve included a simple coloring sheet, uppercase letter alphabet fill in, tracing practice, and a template to practice dotting or cotton ball painting.
You will need:
- 8.5” x 11” printer paper
- Printer (black and white ink)
- Cotton balls and craft paint (if you choose to do painting template)
These printables are all available for free PDF download. So, download, print, and share the fun!
Valentine’s Day Bear Coloring Page
Heart Tracing Practice
Alphabet Fill in
Sweetheart Number Tracing
Cotton Ball Painting Template
For this craft, give your little one a small bit of craft paint and some cotton balls. Instruct them to dot along the line to make the heart.
