DIY Felt Heart Buddy Craft for Valentine’s Day (Toddler-Friendly!)
This one was such a hit at our house and honestly turned into a whole storytelling moment about where our little heart buddies were “going” and who they were gifting themselves to. It’s simple, open-ended, and great for fine motor work without feeling like work (which is the best kind of toddler art in my opinion).
If you want to read more about how creative activities like this support your child’s learning and imagination, check out PBS Parents’ guide to arts and creativity for young children.
Supplies We Used
Marker
Tape or hot glue
Scissors
How to Make a Felt Heart Buddy
1. Cut Out the Heart Body
We started with a sheet of felt and cut out a medium-large heart shape.
2. Decorate the Face
My daughter taped on googly eyes and drew a little smile with a marker.
3. Curl and Assemble the Arms and Legs
We cut pipe cleaners in half, wrapped them around a pen to make them curly, and taped them behind the felt as arms and legs.
4. Create and Assemble the Sign
For extra sweetness, we made a tiny sign and taped it into the hands so it looked like the heart was holding it. My daughter wrote “I 🤍 U” in her best almost-four-year-old handwriting — I wrote an example first and she copied it.
Quick Tip: We used regular scotch tape for everything (because that’s what was on the table 😂) but hot glue works better if you want these to last longer or stand up better on display.
If your kids love making valentines as much as mine do, you might also enjoy our Easy DIY Valentines Garland Craft and our Watercolor Paper Towel Heart Craft — both are super low-prep and toddler-friendly.
Why I Loved This One
Besides being adorable, this craft works a lot of fine motor muscles — cutting, curling pipe cleaners, drawing small details, and writing little messages. And it’s one of those projects that encourages kids to add their own personality…no two heart buddies will look exactly the same.
You could easily turn these into Valentine cards for grandparents, use them as decor, or just do them for fun in February. Very low-stress, very kid-led and very sweet!
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