With Valentine’s Day approaching, this candy conversation heart tracing activity is sure to get your preschooler in the “spirit of love”. Think they might eat more than they play with? Try encouraging a “one for me, one for the paper” motto.

Here’s what you will need:

• Construction Paper (Cut into quarters)
• Black Marker
• Cookie Cutters (In various shapes)
• Candy Conversation Hearts
• Glue (very optional)

Using the marker, trace around each cookie cutter, making small dash marks. You can make as many as you like, but we went with three. Set out a small bowl of conversation hearts and encourage them to lay the hearts along the dotted line.

Concepts this activity promotes:

• Helps strengthen finger muscles important for using scissors and writing
• Shapes recognition
• Following directions
• Tracing
• Older preschoolers can work on patterning the hearts in an ABAB pattern.

Tip: Gluing the hearts to the paper might make a cute craft. Be careful they don’t pick the hearts back up again, eating them (glue and all)!