V is for Valentine

A little stray from our regular alphabet storytime since we have plenty of time to finish up the alphabet this spring!  It was very fun celebrating Valentine's Day with my preschool children!!

Books

If You'll Be My Valentine by Cynthia Rylant; illustrated by Funi Kosaka

Sweet Hearts by Jan Carr; illustrated by Dorothy Donohue

Flannel Board/Songs/Rhymes

The Valentine Tree (Totline, January/February 1994)
I know a very special tree
That lives among the pines.
it has no leaves upon its boughs,
It just grows valentines.

It grows some pretty red ones,
And others that are blue.
It grows some fancy lace ones
With flowers on them, too.

It grows some little pink ones
And great big ones of green.
It grows the nicest Valentines
That I have ever seen!

One day I walked up to it
And shook that special tree.
Down feel a valentine
Especially for me!

Valentine's Day Movement
With your toe, tap, tap, tap
With your hands, clap, clap, clap

Step forward
Step back
Step to the side
Give a hug!


With your toe, tap, tap, tap
With your hands, clap, clap, clap

Step forward
Step back
Step to the side
Blow a kiss!


With your toe, tap, tap, tap
With your hands, clap, clap, clap

With your arms give a hug
With your lips blow a kiss
With your toe tap, tap, tap
With your hands, clap, clap, clap!



Queen of Hearts
The queen of hearts,
She made some tarts
All on a summer’s day.
The knave of hearts,
He stole those tarts
And took them clean away.

Enrichment Activities

Valentine Match

Make a Valentine  (in the center of a die cut heart cut "doors" that can be folded open and closed.  glue a white piece of paper on the back.  The child will decorate or write on the inside.)  (Idea from Susan Olson Higgins, Totline, Jan/Feb 1999, p. 20)

Conversation Heart Sort and Count (This is a great mat from Pre-Kinders)