Valentine's Day activities for 18-month-olds

Valentine's Day ideas for 18-month-olds

Valentine's Day gives a toddler a reason to practise the warm, social side of the day: blowing kisses, giving a card they made and saying who they love. Hearts, red and pink are everywhere, so it is an easy week to play with one shape and two colours. Most of the fun is in giving, delivering and hugging, which costs nothing and needs no sweets. The 6 ideas below overlap the 18-23-month band, best fit for 18 months first.

How to do Strawberry Rinse Helper

Let your child rinse strawberries in a bowl of water, lift them into a colander, pat them dry and carry them to the table for a shared snack. Words to model: wash, wet, red, one for you. Cut strawberries into small pieces before eating, and eat sitting down.

1. 1

   Wash hands together, then set the bowl and the colander on a tray.

2. 2

   Drop the strawberries into the water and let your child swish and rub them.

3. 3

   Model lifting each berry into the colander: "Out. Drip, drip."

4. 4

   Pat them dry on the towel together, then hull and cut them yourself.

5. 5

   Ask your child to carry the bowl to the table and give one piece to each person.

More Valentine's Day ideas at 18 months

• Happy Heart, Sad Heart

  Draw happy, sad and surprised faces on paper hearts and use them to point, copy the faces and talk about how people feel. Ages 18-23 months, 4-10 min, indoors. Start: draw a big happy face on one heart, a sad face on another and a surprised face on the third. Say: happy, sad, surprised. Safety: Keep the marker capped and out of reach; caps are a choking risk.

• Deliver the Valentines

  Hand your child one card at a time with a simple request such as "Give it to Teddy" so they practise names, one-step directions and giving. Ages 18-23 months, 3-8 min, indoors. Start: seat family members or toys around the room and name each one. Say: give, thank you, to Teddy. Safety: Keep the path between people clear of toys and rugs that slide.

• Kick to the Heart Goal

  Tip a cardboard box on its side, tape a big paper heart on top and let your child kick a soft ball into the heart goal. Ages 18-23 months, 5-12 min, indoors or out. Start: tape the heart on top of the box and set it on its side a few steps away. Say: kick, goal, my turn. Safety: Play on a clear floor or grass away from furniture edges and stairs.

• Pink Dough Hearts

  Squeeze, roll and flatten pink dough, then press a heart cutter into it to make hearts to stack, poke or give away. Ages 18-23 months, 6-15 min, indoors. Start: squash the dough flat with your palm and say "Squish!" Say: squish, roll, push. Safety: Homemade dough is very salty: stay close so it does not get eaten.

• Scribble a Card for Someone

  Fold a sheet of card into a greeting card, let your child scribble on it, slide it into an envelope and give it to someone they love. Ages 18-23 months, 5-12 min, indoors. Start: tape the folded card to the table so it does not slide. Say: card, for you, give. Safety: Use chunky crayons and pick up any pieces that break off.

Valentine's Day safety for 18-month-olds

Seasonal hazards first, then the precautions of the ideas on this page. Stay within arm's reach whenever water, food or small decorations are involved.

• Latex balloons are a serious choking risk once they pop or go flat: pick up every piece at once, or choose foil balloons with the ribbon cut short.
• Keep boxes of chocolates, candy hearts, hard candies and nut treats out of reach; small round, hard or sticky treats are choking risks for toddlers.
• Craft extras such as glitter, sequins, small pom-poms, googly eyes and sticker backings end up in mouths; stick to crayons, paper and large stickers.
• Set roses, bouquets and lit candles out of reach: thorns scratch, many cut flowers are not for eating, and a toddler can pull a candle down in a second.
• Take ribbons and string off gifts, and check musical cards for button batteries before your child holds them.
• Cut strawberries into small pieces before eating, and eat sitting down.
• Keep the marker capped and out of reach; caps are a choking risk.
• Keep the path between people clear of toys and rugs that slide.

Valentine's Day words for 18-month-olds

Valentine's Day books to share

Kinds of books to look for at the library. At 18 months, point and name, then pause and let your child point.

• Board books about hugs, kisses and the different people who love a child
• Simple feelings books with one clear face per page
• Lift-the-flap books that hide family members or animals
• Counting books with bold shapes such as hearts, circles and stars

Valentine's Day gift and basket ideas for 18-month-olds

Open-ended things that fit 18-23 months; check every part against the choking-size rule (nothing that fits through a toilet-paper tube).

• A soft doll or stuffed animal to hug, feed and tuck in
• A small photo album with sturdy pages filled with family photos
• Chunky crayons and a roll of large paper
• A set of large nesting cups or boxes
• A toddler tea set with pieces too big to fit in the mouth

Library activities that suit Valentine's Day

Everyday activities from our library that fit 18-month-olds and the season's affection, feelings and simple art.

• Feelings Faces in Board Books

  During shared reading you stop on a character's face, name the feeling and the reason, and pause for your child to point, make a sound or answer. Why now: practices naming feelings and noticing others' feelings and social emotional play. 5-10 min, no prep.

• Mirror Feelings Faces

  At a mirror you make one feelings face at a time, name it and pause, so your child can copy the expression and link it to a word. Why now: practices naming feelings and social emotional play. 3-6 min, no prep.

• Big Paper Brush Painting

  Your child paints with a chunky brush on a big sheet taped to the floor, starting with one color, to explore strokes, dots and covering space. Why now: tagged art and practices colors and shapes. 5-15 min, 5 min prep.

• Big Kid Leads the Mirror Dance

  An older sibling, cousin or neighbor leads simple dance moves in front of a mirror, and your toddler watches and copies another child rather than an adult. Why now: tagged music and social emotional play. 5-10 min, no prep.

• One Open Hole Shape Sorter

  Painter's tape covers all but one hole of a large-piece shape sorter, so your child succeeds with one shape before choosing among several. Why now: practices colors and shapes. 5-10 min, 2 min prep.

More seasonal ideas