With Valentine’s Day over, you may be wondering what to do with all the leftover goodies - like candy, trinkets, and stationery items - that your child accumulated on this special holiday. Consider repurposing these items by spending quality time with your child engaged in activities that will also stimulate their minds. From creating collages and math projects to science experiments and cooking fun, read on for some educational post-Valentine's Day-themed activities you can do with your kids.
Math Fun
Math is a great way to engage and sharpen their skills. You can start by having younger kids cut out hearts in different sizes and shapes, then have them count how many they have. Older siblings can also help them learn fractions by cutting the heart shapes into halves or thirds. Or take a survey and make a graph of everyone's favorite Valentine's candy!
Create a Collage
Let your child’s creative juices flow by having them take their leftover Valentine’s Day cards and create a collage, bookmark, or shoebox to fill with their items. Enhance their creation with stickers, glitter, ribbon, and any other craft items you have on hand. Another way to help turn this activity educational is to have them practice their penmanship by writing positive words and phrases on their creation. This activity will nurture not only your child's creativity but also help with literacy skills and acquaint them with the power of positivity.
Science Experiments
Give science experiments an extra unique twist this year with an adorable Valentine's Day theme! Make leftover candy hearts “dance” with this Dancing Candy Hearts experiment, or create "magic messages" using lemon juice as invisible ink (which can be revealed when heated). These experiments are sure to be fun for both you and your child! Plus, it will help teach them about the scientific process in an engaging way.
Cook up some Treats!
Repurpose leftover baking items or candy from Valentine’s Day by baking a new treat with your kids! Let your little one explore their creativity in the kitchen while learning about measurements, nutrition, safety, and more. Add leftover M&Ms to brownie mix or cookie dough, or chocolate morsels to your pancakes for a post-Valentine's Day breakfast, or this candy heart bark with leftover candy hearts. It's an excellent opportunity to spend quality time together while creating something delicious at the same time!
Valentine's Day may only come once a year, but the fun doesn’t have to stop after the 14th. Learning to repurpose your leftover treats and stationery items from this special day is an excellent opportunity for parents to bond with their kids through educational activities that are not only fun but also stimulating for their minds. Whether it's math projects, creating collages, science experiments, or cooking fun, there are many ways you can teach your children while continuing the celebration of this special Day of love all at once! With these activities in mind, we hope you enjoy spending quality time together as a family on and after Valentine's Day this year. Happy learning!