4 Valentine Crafts for Kids with Special Needs
February 12, 2015
Lopsided and gloopily glued craft projects are a hallmark of childhood. Sharing time with your children to do these fun activities can present issues for kids with sensory issues, for example. Setting up a Valentine’s Day project that is attuned to their strengths and modified for comfort will make for a fun afternoon! All of these crafts can be made from scratch – cutting out hearts yourself – or put together with pre-made items from a local craft store.
Hands and Hearts
A common craft related activity is dipping a child’s hands in paint and pressing them to paper. It’s easy and fun – but not necessarily for a child with sensory issues and may derail their enjoyment. To modify, consider a pair of old gloves! The child can wear the gloves, dip them into paint then press to a piece of paper or cardboard. In the center, glue a heart you’ve cut out or pre-purchased. This lovely sign can be decorated with markers, crayons or glitter (glitter glue will eliminate the need for two containers, spare you glitter everywhere and many versions come in containers that can be drawn with – no need to touch anything sticky or wet) and hung in the front window to spread some love.
My Loving Family Flowers
This is a good one, particularly for kids with limited motor skills or sensory issues – who are not comfortable with gloves or paint, and can be scaled to be more or less complicated to your child’s abilities. You’ll need cupcake liners and popsicle sticks, craft sticks or straws – one for each member of the family. Gently flatten out the cupcake liners, until you have one big circle. In the center, your child can write a family member’s name or a sentiment, draw a picture or use an actual photograph trimmed and glued inside to represent someone they love. A drop of glue attaches the stick to the “flower” – display them in a vase or cup at your Valentine’s Day dinner!
Tree of Love
This is a great craft that can turn into more than just a Valentine’s Day treat. You’ll need construction paper, a large piece of paper or poster board, a brown marker (optional: pictures of family and friends you don’t mind cutting up). Have the child (or you!) cut out hearts in various colors – one bigger than the other – each member of their family or circle of loved ones. Don’t forget pets! If you’re using the picture option, cut out each face in a circle. On a large piece of paper, draw a simple tree trunk with branches coming out the top. Leave room between the branches. Now label each heart with a family name and have the child glue to the branch, with their accompanying picture. The biggest heart is for your child, who can add their name. After it dries, take a picture on your phone with your child for a virtual valentine for friends and family.
Valentine’s Banner
You’ll need a big piece of paper or poster board, glitter pens, glue and assortment of textured items. Anything from dried beans and pasta, to ripped up tissue paper and yarn pompoms. Draw a large heart on the paper (optional – outline in yarn.) Put each of the textured items into individual bowls. Kids can touch and become familiar with each item before applying to the paper. (Note: You can let them handle the glue or take over that task yourself but let them place it on the paper before securing it.) There’s no right or wrong way of doing this – outside the heart, inside the heart, no matter! The heart is just a backdrop to seeing what your child’s creativity comes up with.
Have more Valentine Crafts ideas? Please share with us in the comments below!
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