Heart Name Crafts for Preschoolers

Here are three heart name crafts the kids will love to make this Valentine’s Day. Be sure to grab the free printable heart letters at the bottom of the post and add this to your list of valentine activities for preschoolers.

2 name crafts for valentine's day with text that reads heart name craft ideas for preschool

I’m often asked about how to teach the alphabet to young children, especially since I disagree with using “letter of the week”. To answer that question, I always reference using hands-on, engaging activities and real experiences. And I always, always, always suggest starting with children’s names.

Why use the kids’ names to teach? Because kids’ names are important to them. Which makes total and complete sense when you take a moment to think about it.

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Heart Name Crafts

With Valentine’s Day approaching, why not try some heart-themed name activities with the children? We came up with a few different ways to use hearts to make kids’ names. Pick your favorite and try it with the children!

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Sticker Names

For this heart name activity, you’ll want to grab some fun stickers. We used glitter foam hearts, but a simple Valentine’s Day sticker book would work just as well.

Write each child’s name on a large piece of construction paper in pencil. Depending on your students, they could write their names on the paper instead. Just make sure the names are large enough for the stickers.

the name tim spelled in red heart stickers

The children give their fine motor skills a workout peeling the stickers and placing the stickers on the letters in their name.

While the kids are making their sticker names, talk about the letters. Encourage the children to apply the stickers to the letters based on correct letter formation. Talk about the sounds each letter makes, and come up with other words that start with those letters.

Hole Punch Names

Of the three heart name crafts, I think this one is my favorite. We used a heart hole punch from a local craft store, along with small squares of scrapbook paper.

small paper hearts that have been made with a heart hole punch and scrapbook paper

Related: Heart Crafts for Preschoolers

Again, start with the kids’ names written on a large piece of construction paper.

Have the children hole punch hearts out of their favorite colors of scrapbook paper. This will help them with fine motor skills and hand strengthening, depending on the hole punch you use.

the name mary spelled with colorful hearts

Once the hearts are punched out, it’s time to make the names. Have the children add glue to each letter individually. Then they can add the heart cut outs.

As mentioned above, this is a great time to chat about letter names, letter sounds, and letter formation.

Printable Heart Names

While the other two heart name crafts were focused on letter formation, this one is focused on name formation. Since the letters are already printed, the kids use them to explore putting the letters in the correct order to make their names. A bit like a Valentine’s Day version of our name kits.

the name charlie on a card with the heart letters to spell his name in a pile on top

Print out the heart letters needed for the child’s name (remember to grab the printable at the bottom of the post). If the hearts are too large for you, just reduce the size before printing. I’d suggest laminating the letters if you want the children to use them over and over again.

Grab an envelope and write the kid’s name on the front. Then add the heart letters to the envelope. Call the child over and explore putting the letters together to form the kiddo’s name. Talk about the letter names and letter sounds along the way.

the name charlie spelled in heart letter cards

To extend the activity, add some magnetic letters for the child to to manipulate and match to the heart letters. You can also have the child write his name on a white board or in a sensory writing tray. Maybe make a valentine-themed version of this snow writing tray!

Alternatively, you could use the heart letters to make a slightly different heart name craft. Perhaps turn the hearts into flowers and let the children draw the stems and an environment. So many different ways to use them!

Do you have any fun heart name crafts you love doing with the children?

Preschool Lesson Plans for Valentine’s Day

Save time and get right to the playful learning with our printable lesson plan sets. Each set includes book suggestions, printable plans, over 30 learning activities (both whole group and centers) related to the theme, and corresponding printables.

Preschool hearts lesson plan resource cover — Heart Lesson Plans

Preschool Valentine's lesson plans resource cover — Valentine’s Day Lesson Plans

Even More Heart Activities for Kids

If your students loved the heart name crafts, be sure to check out these other fun!

Free Printable Heart Alphabet

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three crafts that make names out of hearts and the text heart name crafts with free heart letters printable

Originally published January, 2018.

Heart Name Crafts for Preschoolers