I absolutely love planning themed activities for my kids. When Valentine’s Day comes around, it’s all about the hearts, of course! Kindergarten students love to build and create with anything they can get their hands on. So, why not combine the two for a mix of Valentine and STEM fun?! Your students will “heart” becoming engineers with these hands-on Valentine’s Day STEM activities that can be used for educational purposes such as math, science, structured play, or even a Valentine’s Day party!
Heart Engineers: Valentine’s Day STEM Activities for Kids
Lego Heart Engineers
What You’ll Need:
- Legos or connectable building blocks
For this activity, I start by showing an example of what a lego heart could look like. Then students are free to construct a heart with their building blocks as best they can.
I am always amazed when my kids get to creating and I see what they come up with. It is truly inspiring to see how they persevere.
Building a heart with no guidance other than an example can be a tricky task, but one that they are always determined to figure out.
Of course, we can’t be engineers without thinking about our structures after! Our free printable recording sheet (at the end of the post) will have your kids observing the makeup of their creation.
Looking for more ways to incorporate STEM activities into your Valentine themed plans? Try these heart engineering activities:
Marshmallow Heart Engineers
What You’ll Need:
- Marshmallows
- Toothpicks
Just like with the lego heart structures, students will complete this self-guided activity with much independence.
They’ll need to use trial and error to construct their marshmallow heart.
Play Dough Heart Engineers
What You’ll Need:
- Playdough
- Toothpicks (optional)
This can become a simpler activity than the others by taking toothpicks away.
In that case, students would explore molding solely the play dough into a heart. For a challenge, encourage students to create a 3D heart structure.
Pattern Block Heart Engineers
What You’ll Need:
I love this activity because there are so many ways to construct a heart with pattern blocks!
I think you’ll really be amazed with the different pieces your students can use to engineer their pattern block hearts.
Pipe Cleaner Heart Engineers
What You’ll Need:
This activity combines engineering skills with fine motor practice for even more STEM fun.
Don’t let these simple tools fool you, maneuvering pipe cleaners into a heart will be just the right amount of a challenge for your kids.
And one more…
Peg Board Heart Engineers
What You’ll Need:
- Peg Boards
- Pegs
My kids love using peg boards and I love watching them explore with them! Their creativity and perseverance is truly inspiring.
Add a reflection piece to any of these activities with this recording sheet included in the free printable download at the end of the post.
These Valentine’s Day STEM activities would be a great addition to your math centers, science block, or Valentine’s Day Party. I hope your children have fun playing, exploring, and learning!
Grab Your Printable
Ready for some fun? Grab your printable recording sheets for these Heart Engineers Valentine’s Day STEM activities by clicking the yellow button below.
Then, have more of your February activities ready to go with our Valentine’s Day Math and Literacy Centers, and hop over to Playdough to Plato for more Valentine STEM Challenges!
Stephanie
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linda says
February 5, 2018 at 6:12 amLove your ideas!
Mandy says
February 5, 2018 at 12:05 pmHi Linda! Thank you so much for your kindness. Enjoy!
Emily Sullivan says
February 5, 2019 at 8:38 pmThese are so fun! Thank you for sharing your ideas! Can’t wait to try them in my classroom. 🙂
Mandy says
February 7, 2019 at 9:14 amHi Emily! So glad you are using our resources in your classoom! Have fun!