Fun Valentine Crafts for 3 to 5 Year Olds

Valentine’s Day is a great reason to get your preschoolers working on some fun craft projects. Not only can they get their creative genius out, but they can create fun gifts for friends and family. Here are some fun ideas for your 3 to 5 year olds to try out this Valentine’s Day.

Fun Valentine Craft Ideas for Your 3 to 5 Year Olds

• Valentine Wreath – This Valentine wreath is a great hands-on craft activity. It may take a little preparation on your end depending on your child’s scissor skills. You will need a blank cardboard wreath or circle and construction paper cut into heart shapes. Glue the construction paper onto the cardboard and attach some ribbon at the top.
• Valentine’s Butterflies and Bugs – Kids love bugs and butterflies so why not turn them into cute Valentine’s decorations. You will need felt and sequins for this cute craft. Cut out hearts and small circles with the felt. Use glue to attach the pieces to make a butterfly or a caterpillar using the hearts for the body and circles for the heads. Use the sequins for eyes and decoration.
• Keepsake Card – If you are looking to make cards for your family, a cute keepsake card is the way to go and your child will love getting their feet messy. For this project, you will need cardboard, markers, and pink or red paint. Cut out a large heart with the cardboard (large enough for your child’s feet and words). Have your child step into the paint and then onto the card. You can now write a cute poem, verse, or note around the painted footprints.
• Pom Pom Painting – Some cardboard or rigid paper, small pom poms, a wooden clothes peg, and paint is all you need for this cute project. Cut out a heart shape or a butterfly. Then have your preschooler dip the pom pom into the paint, pressing down onto the card.
• Bee Mine Valentine Bee – For something different, let your kids create a bumblebee for friends and family. You will need construction paper in bright yellow, black, and pink. The bright yellow paper will be the body and the head; you will need an oval and a heart shape. Cut out black stripes with the black construction paper and a pink heart from the pink paper. Have your child assemble the bee using glue. Then add the heart to the body at the end. On the heart, write Bee Mine! This is simple and cute, and kids will use those important fine motor skills to assemble the bee.

Here at Montessori School in Newark, we believe that arts and crafts are an important part of your child’s education. If you are looking for a preschool where your child can learn and discover the world at their own pace, contact us today to schedule a tour and learn more about the Montessori approach.

Montessori Daycare and Preschool Approach

The Montessori approach has steadily become more and more popular since its early days in Italy over a hundred years ago. Many daycares, preschools, and even elementary schools have been established using this method. These days, almost every parent has heard of Montessori, yet the approach is still not always understood.

Have you ever wondered what the Montessori approach is truly about? Let’s take a virtual tour of a Montessori classroom, noting the things that tend to stand out most about the approach.

The long work period

The first thing you notice, when you walk into a Montessori classroom, is all the kids intent on their tasks. The longer you observe, though, the more you notice something odd: This “work cycle” seems to stretch on and on, for two or three hours to be exact. If you’re more accustomed to traditional schools, this might seem ludicrous, but Maria Montessori and those who practice her method have found that kids do the best learning when you ask them to focus for a longer period of time. Usually the most intense focus comes after the “false fatigue,” which is roughly the same as an adult taking a coffee break before getting back to work.

Children moving freely about the classroom

The next thing you’ll notice is the impression of controlled chaos in the classroom. With every child doing a different, largely self-directed task, there’s no better way to describe the effect to someone unfamiliar with the Montessori method. Although the teacher sets the lesson plan for the day, the kids are largely free to explore learning on their own, and can move about the classroom from activity to activity as they wish.

Kids learning on their own

In addition to children choosing their own activities and moving freely about the classroom, most activities are self-directed, allowing the children to discover things for themselves. For instance, whereas a traditional lesson plan might dictate what to teach about dinosaurs, the Montessori method allows them to, say, assemble a dinosaur skeleton puzzle, or do research in books and online about dinosaurs.

Peer learning

Finally, you’ll notice that the Montessori approach encourages children to help one another learn. Traditionally, the Montessori approach groups a variety of ages together, so that the older children can help the younger ones. In addition to teaching the younger children, this provides an opportunity for older children to practice their skills. This also prepares children for the real world, in which age segregation is rare and peer learning is frequently an expectation, such as in the workplace.

Although this little virtual tour can give you an idea of what to expect when you walk into a Montessori classroom, some things need to be seen to be believed. If you want to learn more about the Montessori approach to preschool and daycare, and how it can benefit your child, contact the Montessori School of Flagstaff Sunnyside Campus today to schedule a complete tour of our school and the Montessori approach up close.