💗Valentine's Inspired Threaded ♻️Paper Heart Craft

Today, Adrian (39 months old) enjoyed threading a heart 💗 as Valentine's Day craft. This activity can be enjoyed by toddlers, preschoolers, and even adults. It fosters concentration, develops fine motor skills, and encourages creativity. To prepare this activity, I traced and cut out hearts from red and pink cardstock (buy here), and then we punched the heart-shaped holes. 

First, Adrian needs to learn to insert the thread through the needle's eye. He is using these metal yarn needles, and sewing materials from this sewing set activity. 

Threading through the needle's eye requires precision and concentration, which is a great way to practice fine-motor skills.   

Interestingly, Adrian is using his left and right hands interchangeably, while he predominantly works with his right hand everywhere else. 

Threading encourages a child to work with the hands, indirectly mastering fine-motor control. Adrian quickly learned the stitch, as he threaded through the pre-punched heart holes over and over, making a pattern.

This craft also encourages creativity as the child is free to choose a pattern design.

The first essential for the child’s development is concentration. The child who concentrates is immensely happy ... Never help a child with a task at which he feels he can succeed, [as] the child becomes a person through work. - Dr. Maria Montessori.

This DIY can make a great Valentine's gift to friends, family or even as a class gift.

For more on Valentine's themed activities, see here ❤️Valentine's Inspired Activities for Kids.

For more on threading, see here  Adrian lacing Wooden Geometric Shapes at 2-and-half years old.