Heart Print for Valentine's Day

If you’re looking for a little Valentine’s Day art for the kiddos to try, you’re in the right place. We’ve been getting in the holiday spirit with tons of heart art. There have been heart garlands, heart cut-outs, sensory science hearts (with expanding soap), clay finger paint glitter hearts, felt candy carriers and a foam print card (you have to visit Red Ted Art to see that one). But, this time your Mini Monet can learn how to make a print – from cotton balls. It’s messy, it’s super-colorful and it’s so much fun! Plus, your child can use her handmade printing plate over and over again (at least until the cotton wears out).

Your child can explore the cotton ball printing process doing more than just Valentine’s Day art. Try the activity out again and again, making different shapes or random abstract patterns.

Here’s What You’ll Need:

·        Cotton balls

·        A piece of wood—My son and I have a ridiculous amount of broken boards from karate, but if you don’t you can still do this project. Use a leftover piece of wood from a home improvement project or a thick piece of cardboard from a heavy-duty box.

·        Tempera paint

·        School glue

·        Card stock paper

·        Scissors

·        A marker

Here’s What to Do:

1.     Draw a heart onto the wood/board.

2.     Cover the line with glue. Add glue to the inside too.
 

3.     Press cotton balls over the glue. Let the cotton dry.
 

4.     Squeeze paint over the cotton balls. Use a few different colors.
 

5.     Brush the paint around, mixing the colors, with another cotton ball.
 

6.     Turn the Valentine’s Day printing plate over, on top of a piece of card stock paper. Have your child press down firmly.

7.     Peel the paper off of the plate to reveal the print.
 

8.     Repeat by adding new paint colors to the cotton. They’ll mix and mingle with old ones.

9.     Optional: Cut out a paper heart from the card stock. Press the printing plate onto it.

 

As if your child hasn’t already had enough fun, add another layer to the art activity – with shaving cream! Squirt shaving cream onto the painted cotton and swirl it around (your child can do this with her hands). Press it down on a piece of paper to make a puffy print.

Are you looking for more Valentine’s activities? Follow my Pinterest board for ideas!

Follow Mini Monets and Mommies's board Valentine's Day Activities for Kids on Pinterest.