Valentine’s Day is fast approaching. Cutting and arranging the hearts to make the Valentine Puppy focuses on a child’s fine motor skills and the ability to follow directions. Older children can practise printing as they copy out the valentine poem for the puppy’s tummy.
VALENTINE PUPPY
Materials:
1 sheet red construction paper
1 sheet pink construction paper
2 sheets white paper
White glue
2 buttons
Black felt pen
Enlarged page of hearts
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Scissors
Poem to copy:
Roses love sunshine. Violets love dew. Puppies love cuddles, And I love you.
Happy Valentine’s Day
Directions:
Photocopy the pattern pieces, enlarging to fit on a regular sheet of paper. Using the pattern pieces cut out from the red construction paper one number 1 and one number 2. Out of the pink construction paper cut out three number 6 and two number 3 and one number 4. Cut one number 6 in half for the ears. Out of the white paper cut several number 2 so there’s extra for practising printing out the poem.
Assemble the valentine shapes and glue them onto white paper to resemble the puppy in the picture. Glue buttons on for eyes. With a black felt pen, draw a smile on your puppy’s face. Print the words of the poem onto the white heart and glue it onto the puppy’s tummy.
FIVE CHEERFUL LITTLE VALENTINES
Use this poem with five cards to help children practise math skills. Also, matching the number of valentines needed against a
Valentine Puppy.
class or family list is a good way to invite conversation as to their relationship with the person they are addressing the card to.
Five cheerful little valentines from the corner store.
I gave one to Mother and now there are four.
Four cheerful little valentines pretty ones to see.
I gave one to Brother and now there are three.
Three cheerful little valentines, yellow, red and blue.
I gave one to Sister and now there are two.
Two cheerful little valentines, this is so much fun.
I gave one to Daddy and now there’s only one.
One cheerful little valentine, my story’s almost done.
I gave one to Baby and now there are none.
Dana Ramstedt is a freelance writer and preschool teacher of 18 years.
