Helpful Tips for Parents

• Children's questions are assessment data. The questions a child asks reveal their current conceptual level and what they're ready to learn next.

• Avoid academic pressure before age 5. Preschool children's brains are not developmentally ready for formal academic instruction, and premature pressure backfires.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much learning time should a preschooler have per day?

All of it — because preschoolers learn continuously through every interaction with their environment. The question of "learning time" implies that learning is separate from living, which it isn't at this age. A preschooler who plays freely, has rich conversations, is read to, helps in the kitchen, plays outdoors, and is exposed to music and art is having the richest possible educational experience. Formal, scheduled "learning time" is less productive than a generally enriched daily environment.

Related reading: See also our alphabet activities and our read-aloud guide for more ideas on this topic.

🎓 Skills Your Child Will Develop

• 👂 Listening & Attention — Activities that require children to listen carefully and follow directions build the voluntary auditory attention that classroom learning, reading comprehension, and conversation all require.
• 💬 Vocabulary Expansion — Every new concept, activity, and domain-specific term a child encounters expands their vocabulary — and children's vocabulary at kindergarten entry is the single strongest predictor of reading comprehension at age 10.
• 🎯 Self-Directed Learning — Learning that begins with the child's own question or interest produces the deepest understanding — and children who experience self-directed learning develop the intrinsic motivation that sustains learning throughout life.
• 🌐 World Knowledge — Background knowledge about the world dramatically accelerates reading comprehension — children who know more understand more of what they read — making every content-area learning experience a literacy investment.

Preschool Valentines Day Circle Time

Valentine's Day Hearts Hide-and-Seek Preschool Activity - If you are planning to host a Valentine's Day party for your child, here is a preschool activity that is sure to be a lot of fun. It's a great game of hide-and-seek but instead of the children hiding, paper hearts are hidden ahead of time. The one who finds the most hidden hearts is the winner.

Valentine's Day Preschool Keepsake Place Mat - This easy-to-make Valentine's Day place mat will allow you and your preschooler to cherish the memories of such a special day.

Who do you love? - Ask preschoolers what it means to love someone. Talk about the people that they love and why they love them.

Preschool Valentines Day Arts and Crafts

Old Fashion Valentine Invitations - Little paper heart doilies adorn these precious invitations. Your preschooler will love helping you make them, and hand them out.

Sweet Dreams Pillows - These sweet little heart-shaped sachets are perfect gifts for your preschool guests. Simple to make, sure to delight. Giving your preschool guests a sweet dream night.

Handful of Heart - A fun valentine treat for any parent. Your preschoolers will have a great time getting thier hands into the project.

Valentine's Day Heart Collage - Don't throw away your Sunday newspapers! Valentine's Day newspaper clippings make colorful decorations for this sweetheart of a Preschool Valentine's Day craft.

Valentine's Day Paper Mobile - Preschoolers can show their adoration for favorite loved ones by creating this Valentine's Day Paper Mobile. Made from construction paper and a loved one's photo and includes a cute pipecleaner figure addition.

Valentine's Day Photo Card - Preschoolers can make and give this Valentine's Day Photo Card to a special loved one. Using a sister's, brother's, parent's, or grandparent's photograph, your preschooler can personalize this simple and fun Preschool Valentine's Day craft card.

Preschool Valentines Day Math and Science

Create a Valentine Bouquet - You and your preschooler can create a personalized valentine's bouquet for a loved one, or simply for your dining room table. Not only will your preschooler be creating a great gift, but with this preschool plant activity, your preschooler will be learning how water moves up a plant.

Preschool Valentines Day Music and Movement

Heart Patterns - Use tiny candy hearts to teach preschoolers about patterns. Make pattern cards by cutting a piece of paper in half lengthwise and drawing colored hearts in a simple pattern such as pink, white, pink, white. Have preschoolers place the corresponding colored candy heart on top of the hearts you have drawn and continuing the pattern.

Love Potion - Make red and blue ice cubes by filling an ice cube tray with water and adding a few drops of food coloring to each ice cube. When the ice cubes are frozen invite each preschooler to put one red ice cube and one blue ice cube into a glass of water. Ask the preschoolers to guess what will happen to the water as the ice cubes melt. Let the water sit for a while. As the ice cubes melt, the water will turn into a purple love potion. Preschoolers may drink the water if they wish.

Heart sorting - Provide preschoolers with several small bowls and a selection of candy hearts. Ask them to sort the candy hearts into the bowls by color.

Preschool Valentines Day Pretend Play

Valentines Day Mailbox - Decorate a small box to use as a mailbox. Provide preschoolers with pretty stationary, stickers and writing materials. Have them "write" valentines to their friends and put them in the mailbox. Preschoolers will love sending and receiving mail.

Preschool Valentines Day Language and Literature

Jar Full of Love - This fun activity will get your preschoolers thinking. What goes into a jar full of love. A fun ABC activity, that makes a great gift too.

Like this article? Get more like it in your inbox. Subscribe today to our free weekly newsletter.

Hi! I'm Rachel Lister, the Preschool Education writer at PreschoolRock.com. I live in Utah with my husband and two beautiful boys. When my oldest son was born, I quit my teaching job and opened a home daycare and preschool. I love to help preschoolers learn about the world around them. They make life interesting and I can't imagine doing anything different. If you have any ideas, suggestions or comments, feel free to contact me.