Ice luminaries, also known as ice lanterns, are a fun winter project for both kids and adults! They look beautiful grouped together or try lining your walkway to your front door! Such a beautiful way to welcome people to your home during those cold winter months. 

Ready to make a few ice luminaries?! Here’s what you’ll need–

Supplies:

• Balloons- Try latex balloons if you want to avoid plastic
• Water
• Waterproof tea light candles
• Pressed pieces of nature- There are a couple of things to keep in mind for this project. The luminaries are curved, so the pieces of pressed nature should be pretty thin and flexible/flimsy. They also should not be dyed or they will bleed onto the ice. The large pressed poppy flowers are from this shop and the wildflower mix are from this shop! We removed the stems from the poppy flowers and chose the thinner pieces from the wildflower mix. I love supporting these beautiful pressed flower businesses from Etsy, but these flowers took over a week to arrive at my house. If you need pressed flowers quickly, then I suggest going with Amazon. I’ve used many pressed flowers from Amazon for my crafts and am happy to recommend them as well. For this particular craft, I love this set and this set.

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Related: Check out How to Make Ice Lanterns (Using cans!)

Here’s How We Made these Beautiful Ice Luminaries:

Step 1:

Fill up the balloons at a sink to your desired size. Then put them outside to freeze! We stuck them in the snow. If you do the same thing, make sure you rotate them around as they freeze. You can also stick them in the freezer. I found sitting them in a small bowl helps them keep their shape in the freezer. 

Step 2:

Once your luminaries are frozen, peel off the balloon. I used a knife to start the process.

Some people let the outside shell of the lantern freeze then peel off the balloon, but I personally like them frozen solid. They are much more sturdy and look very magical!

Step 3:

I like to make a little dent for the candle by running warm water on ice luminary. 

Step 4:

After running warm water on your luminary, it will be slick and shiny. You can try to put your pieces of nature on the luminary now. The flowers and leaves should adhere to the luminary pretty easily. Then, they will freeze when you take them outside. But you might find that the luminary is too wet and might tear your fragile pieces of nature. If that’s the case then head outside!

We tried the indoor and outdoor methods and both worked well! When working outside, I found that a spray bottle of water and snow helped freeze and stick the pieces of nature to the ice luminaries. Just spray some water on the pieces of nature and the cold air will help it freeze the pieces of nature to the luminaries. The snow was helpful for the thicker pieces of nature. That was really like a natural glue!

One thing that I love about this activity, is that the ice luminaries look beautiful during the day and at night! They are really pretty to look at when the sun is shinning on them!

Place waterproof battery operated candles under the luminaries at night and they are so incredibly magical and beautiful! We watched them change from evening to night. Our candles are waterproof and came with a remote control! We placed the luminaries very close to our window, so I could turn them off an on from inside! 

At night, they look like floating orbs! And the reflection against the snow was beautiful. 

The pressed flowers and leaves look so pretty and it’s a cool way to see the details in the pieces of nature! If you give this a try, please tag me @littlepinelearners on Instagram! I can’t wait to see your creations

Pin it and save it for later!

I hope you try making these ice luminaries! I promise, your little nature lovers will love it as much as my boys.

∼Tara

Need more winter ideas?! Check out:

40+ Winter Picture Books for Kids

Winter Bird Feeder Made of Ice

The post Ice Luminaries with Nature Pieces appeared first on Little Pine Learners.

If these look familiar that’s because we made beautiful Christmas bookmarks using the similar supplies. I slightly switched up the process for making these dried flower bookmarks and liked this way just a little more! I cut the bookmarks to size first instead of towards the end of the process. Both ways will work, but this helped with placement of the pieces of nature.

Ready to give it a try!? Here’s what you’ll need..

Supplies:

• • Wax paper
  • Towel or ironing board
  • Iron
  • Scissors or portable paper trimmer
  • Dried flowers– It’s the middle of winter for us, so I purchased some pressed flowers from Etsy. The large pressed poppy flowers are from this shop and the wildflower mix are from this shop! I love supporting these beautiful pressed flower businesses from Etsy, but these flowers took over a week to arrive at my house. If you need pressed flowers quickly, then I suggest going with Amazon. I’ve used many pressed flowers from Amazon for my crafts and am happy to recommend them as well. I love this set from Amazon. 

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Related: Check out this adorable 20+ Beautiful Pressed Flower Crafts

Here’s How I Made these DIY Wax Paper Lanterns:

Step 1:

First, fold a piece of wax paper in half and cut them to the size you would like. The entire piece of wax paper, unfolded, was 7.5 inches by 8 inches. Please experiment with different sized pieces of wax paper and use the size that works best for you!

This portable trimmer isn’t necessary, but makes cutting straight lines much easier. 

Step 2:

Unfold the piece of wax paper and place dried flowers on one side of the crease.

Step 3:

Fold your piece of wax paper over the dried flowers. 

Step 4:

As soon as your iron hits the wax paper, it will fuse together! It’s a neat process to observe. I quickly ran the iron over the wax paper several times, then I flipped it over and did the same thing on that side. 

There may be air bubbles around thicker flowers. That’s ok, it’s impossible to iron all of the air bubbles out. In my experience, since the flowers are already pressed and dried, they are preserved and will keep their vibrant color. 

Step 5:

Now trim your bookmark if necessary. 

I absolutely love how these turned out! They look so pretty when you hold them near a window. We actually made beautiful suncatchers with the same material!

These make a beautiful handmade gift for any holiday or occasion! We plan on handing these out for Valentine’s Day. I think a bookmark and a sweet book make a great gift for a friend! This would make a great birthday or Mother’s Day gift as well!

Pin it and save it for later!

I hope you try to make your dried flower bookmark! I promise, your little nature lovers will love it as much as my boys.

∼Tara

Need more simple nature ideas?! Check out:

Pressed Flower Suncatchers

DIY Pressed Flower Candles

The post Pressed and Dried Flower Bookmarks appeared first on Little Pine Learners.

Ready to give it a try!? Here’s what you’ll need..

Supplies:

• Dried Lavender
• Glue
• Cardboard- Try to find cardboard to repurpose, but try these sheets if you don’t have any. 
• Heart shaped cookie cutter to trace
• Exacto knife– These are very sharp and for adult use only! Cardboard is difficult to cut with regular scissors, so I highly recommend getting an exacto knife. 
• Tape- I tried this biodegradable tape and really liked it!
• Twine or string

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Related: Check out Valentine’s Picture Books for Kids

Let your hearts completely dry. Attach the hearts to string with tape and hang in your home! They look so pretty and make the room smell amazing!

You could also keep the hearts loose and write a Valentine message on the center of the hearts. These would make cute handmade Valentines!

The post DIY Heart Garland appeared first on Little Pine Learners.

We made Easter egg suncatchers similar to these hearts last year! They turned out so pretty, that I wanted to try them for Valentine’s Day. These make the perfect handmade Valentine and are a great alternative to the typical sugary treats that everybody hands out. 

If you are making these for a home decoration, I suggest making a bunch of them and sticking them to a window! They look so pretty as a large group of hearts. 

Ready to give it a try!? Here’s what you’ll need..

Supplies:

• Dried flowers– It’s the middle of winter for us, so I purchased some pressed flowers from ETSY. The large pressed poppy flowers are from this shop and the wildflower mix are from this shop! I love supporting these beautiful pressed flower businesses from ETSY, but these flowers took over a week to arrive at my house. If you need pressed flowers quickly, then I suggest going with Amazon. I’ve used many pressed flowers from Amazon for my crafts and am happy to recommend them as well. I love this set from Amazon. 
• Wax paper
• Towel or ironing board
• Scissors 
• Twine
• Iron
• Heart template-  I drew my own and cut it out. 

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Related: Check out Valentine’s Picture Books for Kids

Step 5:

Once the heart is ironed, cut on the heart line.

This heart craft makes such a gorgeous indoor decoration! You can hang them in the window as a suncatcher or on a shelf. They also look beautiful as garland. 

Save it for Later and Pin It!

I hope you give this pressed flower suncatcher a try! I promise, your little nature lovers will love it as much as my boys.

∼Tara

Need more simple nature ideas?! Check out:

A Simple and Beautiful Way to Decorate Easter Eggs

20+ Pressed Flower Crafts 

The post Pressed Flower Suncatcher appeared first on Little Pine Learners.

Today we are mixing a couple of my favorite things- flowers and candles! These were really fun to make and I look forward to trying more as our seasons change so I can use flowers from our own yard!

If you are wondering if this craft is suitable for children, I would definitely suggest assisting them with the process. My boys were able to help a bit, but required guidance. Children will need developed fine motor skills to be able to handle the flowers and melted wax at the same time. If they are too young for that step, they can always help collect and press the flowers!

Ready to make a few pressed flower candles?! I bet you won’t be able to stop at just one!  Here’s what you’ll need….

Supplies:

• Taper candles- white or colorful
• Pressed flowers and leaves– You can either purchase them online or gather flowers and press them yourself. We love making these flowers around Christmas time and this set has the perfect colors for holiday candles! If you are looking for a simple tutorial, check out my post that explains how to press flowers!
• Tea light candles and match or lighter
• Small paintbrushes

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Here’s How We Made The Candles:

Step 1:

Light the tea candle and wait until the it has melted a bit. Gently dip the paintbrush into the melted wax (obviously avoid the flame!) The melted wax will act as a glue and seal the flowers on the candle. The wax dries VERY quickly so you will need to work quickly too!

Step 2:

Set your first flower in place. 

Step 3:

Dip the paintbrush in the candle and gently spread the melted wax on the flower. If you get a clump of wax on your paintbrush, simply set it in the melted wax area of the candle and it will melt away. 

Step 4:

I found it helpful to press down stubborn areas of the flowers and leaves into the soft wax.

You can add just one piece of nature per candle or a bunch! It looks beautiful either way. 

Don’t these candles look beautiful?! They make the perfect handmade gift or decoration for your home.

I love looking at the beautiful details of the flowers and leaves! 

Do you like the flowers or leaves more? I can’t decide! I suggest working with a wide variety of nature pieces to see which ones you like best. If you try this, tag me @littlepinelearners on Instagram! I can’t wait to see your candles!

Pin this activity to save it for later!

I hope you give this pressed flower craft a try! I promise, your little nature lovers will love this activity as my boys.

∼Tara

Looking for more pretty nature craft and activity ideas?! Check out:

DIY Pebble Art for Kids (And Adults!)

A Simple Butterfly Symmetry Activity

The post DIY Pressed Flower Candles appeared first on Little Pine Learners.

We recently made these adorable nature crayons and I immediately knew we should turn them into Valentine gifts! Here are some quick instructions for making nature crayons:

1. Soak the crayons in warm soapy water to help loosen the labels. 
2. Peel off the labels.
3. Dry the crayons and brake them into small pieces. Place the pieces into the molds.
4. Put the molds on a baking sheet and place it in an oven set at 225 degrees Fahrenheit for about 20 minutes. 
5. Remove the baking sheet from the oven (careful the molds and liquid wax will be hot!)
6. Let the crayons completely cool and pop them out of the mold. The cooling process takes about 20-2-30 minutes.
7. They are ready to go

If you want to see the links to the silicone molds or need more details, you can see the full instructions for making these nature crayons HERE. 

Ready to make some crayon Valentines? Here’s what you’ll need….

Supplies:

• Nature Crayons– Learn how to make the actual crayons HERE! 
• Silicone molds- If know how to make the crayons and are curious about the molds we used, then tap on these: large pine tree, small pine tree, pine cone, mushroom, and stars (I don’t have a link for the stars, but there are many options on Amazon)
• Cardboard- We reused Amazon boxes
• Scissors
• Pencil
• Hot Glue Gun
• Markers

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RELATED: Check out A Nature Heart Weaving Craft

Here’s How We Made Our Crayon Valentines:

Step 1:

First make your cardboard hearts. I made a template out of card stock and used that to trace all of my hearts. 

Step 2: 

Cut out the hearts and add a dab of hot glue to the cardboard and stick your crayon shapes on the hot glue! I tested out all of the crayon shapes after the hot glue dried and they all pop off the hot glue with a little tug of the crayon! 

Step 3:

Write a cute saying on your cardboard heart and they are all finished! Check out a few our Valen-pine designs:

My boys loved these large pine tree crayons! These are their favorite crayons. 

These little pine trees turned out so cute!

These mushroom Valentines are my favorite! I love how they turned out. 

These little mushrooms remind me of the Mario video game mushroom! They have a cute smiley face on them. 

The stars turned out so pretty! We loved combining different colors and it was fun to see the final result once they dried.

I love that these Valentines are eco-friendly and the cardboard can be recycled when the crayon is picked off!

Which one is your favorite?! It’s so hard for me to decide, but the pine cones and mushroom might be favorites for me! If you try these, please tag me @littlepinelearners on Instagram! I can’t wait to see your nature themed crayons!

If you want to see the links to the silicone molds or need more details, you can see the full instructions for making these nature crayons HERE. 

Pin this activity to save it for later!

I hope you give this crayon Valentine activity a try! I promise, your little nature lovers will love this activity as my boys.

∼Tara

Looking for more nature Valentine crafts and activity ideas?! Check out:

10 Nature Heart Crafts

Valentine Literacy Centers

The post Nature Themed Crayon Valentines appeared first on Little Pine Learners.

Making a bird feeder with kids is a great way to teach children about caring for nature and how to identify local birds!

These bird feeders can be decorated in different ways and are fun for kids of all ages to make. They can be clipped anywhere in your yard and make cute decorations!

Click here or on the photo to learn more!

Ready to make a simple bird feeder for kids?! Here’s what you’ll need..

Supplies:

• Cardboard
• Cookie Cutter Shapes (Optional)
• Pencil
• Scissors
• Glue
• Clothespins
• Bird Seed
• Peanut Butter or try PEANUT FREE Sunbutter

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RELATED: Check out An Easy and Adorable Bird Feeder to Make

Here’s How We Made This Simple Bird Feeder:

Step 1:

First decide on a shape for your bird feeder. We found two heart shaped cookie cutters to trace. Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, so we thought this would be a sweet Valentine treat for our feathered friends. One thing that I love about this activity, is that you can change the shape to fit your season, holiday, or interests!

Step 2:

Cut out your shapes. 

Step 3:

Glue the clothespins to the back of your cardboard shapes. We used a hot glue gun, but I think Elmer’s glue would work just fine. The clothespins make the perfect perch for the birds!

Step 4:

Now hold on to the clothespin and spread peanut butter onto your cardboard shape. Make sure you spread a thick even layer, so the birdseed will stick in the next step. 

If you can’t use peanut butter due to allergies, try PEANUT FREE Sunbutter.

Step 5:

Decorate your bird feeders! Get creative with this step!

The easiest way to decorate the bird feeder, is to hold on to the clothespin and press the peanut butter side into the birdseed. The clothespins are not only functional, but help make this a low-mess activity!

Here is another way to decorate your bird feeder! Decorate the edge of the the shape with a one type of birdseed and sprinkle the middle with the rest of the the birdseed mix! This is great for building fine motor skills and practicing hand-eye coordination. This way is a bit more challenging and messy;) 

Now that your bird feeders are complete, take them outside and clip them to tree branches or other areas of your yard! Make sure you clip them to a branch near a window so you can bird watch from indoors! This is such a fun way to connect with nature during those extremely cold days of winter. 

Pin this activity to save it for later!

I hope you give this simple bid feeder a try! I promise, your little nature lovers will love it as much as my boys.

∼Tara

Looking for more nature activity ideas?! Check out:

Bird Seed Sweep

A Playful Way to Learn About Colors

The post Clothespin Bird Feeder for Kids To Make appeared first on Little Pine Learners.

If you are looking for a fun new center for your classroom or learning invitation for home, this is it! I will be sharing with you the easiest way of preserving flowers in resin and some fun ideas for how to use them. 

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS IS A CRAFT FOR ADULTS ONLY! DO NOT LET CHILDREN HANDLE THE RESIN BOTTLES, LIQUID, OR PIECES UNTIL THEY ARE FULLY CURED. 

Ready to make a set? Here’s what you’ll need….

Supplies:

• Epoxy resin– This is enough to make the alphabet letters, numbers, and more! There are little finger protectors in the kit. I suggest rolling those over your gloved thumb and pointer fingers on your dominant work hand. You might want to purchase additional gloves because this can get pretty messy!
• Molds– Make sure you order molds specifically for resin! The inside of the molds need to be shinny. Don’t use molds with a matte finish, or the bottom/sides of your cured resin pieces will have a frosted finish. We made numbers, hearts and stars this time around. 
• Dried flowers– It’s the middle of winter for me, so I purchased some from Amazon! I’ll share how to dry flowers below if you want to go that route. 
• Tweezers– This kit has great resin tools.
• Measuring cups– The resin kit linked above comes with small measuring cups, but I found it difficult to read the measurements on the cups. These 3 cups are great for measuring, mixing, and pouring into the molds.
• Sandpaper- I used a fine sandpaper

This post contains Affiliate links for your convenience.

RELATED: Check out 20+ Pressed Flower Crafts

Preserving Flowers in Resin:

Step 1:

First, choose how you want to dry your flowers. It’s important that your flowers are 100% dry or they will turn brown or yellow with timed. Click on the techniques below to learn more: 

1. Press your flowers. 
2. Microwave your flowers.
3. Or purchase them already dried. This is great for the winter months when you might not have flowers available. 

Step 2:

Next, take the time to prepare your work station! This is SO important. This is a rather messy project, so I suggest laying a plastic garbage bag flat on your work surface to protect your table. Also, make sure all of your supplies are in order and ready to go. I suggest choosing the flowers and leaves you would like to use and lay them on the garbage bag. Make sure the flowers aren’t too big for the resin mold. If they are too big, cut them in half or trim them down before you get started. 

Step 3:

Make sure you put on your gloves before you start working with resin! If you happen to get some on your skin, try to wash it off with soap and water right away. If that doesn’t work,  you can try soaking a cotton ball in vinegar or acetone and rubbing it on your skin. To be on the safe side, I also suggest working in a well ventilated room and wearing a mask when handling resin to protect yourself from the fumes. The type I used is low scent, but it’s always smart to be extra safe! Don’t allow children near you when you are working with the resin. 

Now you are all set! Make sure to carefully follow the instructions on your epoxy resin bottles. Most are a 1:1 ratio but yours may be different. I mixed equal parts resin and hardener and slowly stirred for 2-3 minutes. Scrape the sides and bottom of the mixture cup multiple times during the stirring process. 

Step 4:

Pour a little resin into the mold, then use a tweezer to place the pieces of nature into the mold. Make sure your flowers are facing the correct way when you place them into the mold. My mold is backwards, so I put the front of the flower facing down in the mold. Now add more resin over the flowers and leaves. When preserving flowers in resin, make sure you entirely cover the pieces of nature with the mixture! You can use a toothpick to press the nature bits down if they float up to the surface. 

Step 5: 

Lastly, you need to pop any bubbles that come to the surface. I used one of the resin tools in the tweezer kit linked above, but you could also use a toothpick. Check back every 5 minutes or so during the first 30 minutes of curing to pop bubbles.

Now is the hard part! Let your resin cure. My resin took 24 hours. I tried to take one out at the ten hour mark and it was way too soft. Just be patient and WAIT! Once they are ready, just pop them out of the molds. If you are having a hard time getting them out, pop them in the freezer for a bit and try again. Luckily, I had no problems with this. 

Kids will LOVE holding, learning, and playing with these! If you have any rough or sharp edges when you pop the resin pieces out, make sure you sand them down. I only had a few that needed some sanding on the edges.

These make the best loose parts! Check out this fun heart mandala made by my 7 year old.

Children will love lining up the numbers in order.

You can also hide resin shapes in a sensory bin and invite children to find the correct amount of shapes to match the numbers!

Pin this activity to save it for later!

I hope you try preserving flowers in resin! I promise, your little nature lovers will love these gorgeous pieces as much as my boys.

∼Tara

Looking for more nature craft ideas?! Check out:

Nature Collection Journal for Kids

How to Make Nature Pinch Pots

The post Preserving Flowers in Resin appeared first on Little Pine Learners.

February is a great month to be stocked with beautiful and engaging picture books about kindness, love, and friendship. Snuggle up with your favorite little Valentine and read these sweet books that are sure to warm your heart and home (or classroom)!

If you love this list, you might also like 40+ Winter Picture Books for Kids

Without further ado, here is our list of favorite Valentine books for kids!

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1. The Day It Rained Hearts by Felicia Bond

One day it rained hearts and Cornelia used them to make unique Valentines for all of her friends. This book ignites creativity and thoughtfulness! Try pairing this book with the ice hearts activity that I shared on Instagram. 

Day It Rained Hearts

$15.00

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06/14/2026 02:06 am GMT

2. Share Some Kindness, Bring Some Light by Apryl Stott

Bear is sad because all of the other animals are scared of him. He and his human friend, Coco, try to win over the other animals with gifts of cookies and handmade lanterns. When that doesn’t work, they soon learn that kindness only comes from the heart. I absolutely love the message of this book and think it’s a great read throughout winter!

Share Some Kindness, Bring Some Light (The Coco and Bear Series)

$9.89

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06/13/2026 10:01 pm GMT

3. Love Matters Most by Mij Kelly

What is momma polar bear looking for when she leaves her snuggly cave to explore the the frozen wonderland? This sweet story is perfect for a chilly winter day and reminds us of the power of a mother’s love. 

Love Matters Most

$9.99

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06/13/2026 12:03 pm GMT

4. Hug Machine by Scott Campbell

This adorable book is about an avid little hugger that hugs everything! It doesn’t matter if it’s tall, short, soft, or spiky, he’s always looking for a warm embrace. 

Hug Machine

$7.90

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06/13/2026 11:03 pm GMT

5. Love by Matt de la Pena

This book boasts a long list of rave reviews! This endearing story appeals to people of all ages and will definitely tug on your heart strings. 

Love

$9.98

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06/13/2026 12:02 pm GMT

6. This is NOT a Valentine by Carter Higgins

This book about friendship is a bit of an anti-valentine story for kids who want to show that they care for someone in a non-commercial or mushy way. 

This Is Not a Valentine: (Valentines Day Gift for Kids, Children's Holiday Books)

$2.39

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06/13/2026 12:02 pm GMT

7. Love from Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter

This absolutely adorable book celebrates all things love and features gorgeous artwork from Beatrix Potter. This is such a classic!

Love from Peter Rabbit

$6.89

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06/14/2026 02:06 am GMT

8. The Invisible String by Patrice Karst

Did you know there is an invisible string that connects you to all of your loved ones? This book lovingly describes how you are always with those you love even when you are separated.

The Invisible String (The Invisible String, 1)

$4.49

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06/13/2026 11:03 pm GMT

9. Will You Be My Valentine by Cottage Door Press

This gorgeous book with vintage illustrations will certainly win your heart this Valentine’s Day! The rhyming text and thick board pages, makes this great for young children. 

Will You Be My Valentine A Vintage Children's Storybook; Board Book, Ages 1-5 (Vintage Storybook)

$21.71

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06/13/2026 12:03 pm GMT

10. A Hug Is For Holding Me by Lisa Wheeler

Look around in nature and you will see hugs everywhere! Whether it’s an egg holding a hatchling or a tight flower bud, hugs are all around us. This is a must have book for nature lovers and a great read for any time of year!

A Hug Is for Holding Me

$16.99

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06/14/2026 12:03 am GMT

11. In My Heart: A Book About Feelings by Jo Witek

This colorful book explores all of the emotions that the heart feels and is perfect for preschool aged kids! The layered hearts and message of the story, makes this a meaningful Valentine’s Day read aloud. 

In My Heart: A Book of Feelings (Growing Hearts)

$10.94

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06/13/2026 04:02 am GMT

12. Part of My Heart by Mike Sundry

This sweet book tells little ones how much they are loved by their parents. The heart illustrations are perfect for Valentine’s Day!

Part of My Heart

$14.30

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06/14/2026 04:01 am GMT

13. Love from The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle

Featuring familiar illustrations from Eric Carle, this book gives readers all the reasons why they make the world a better place. This book is sweet and simple!

Love from The Very Hungry Caterpillar (The World of Eric Carle)

$5.79

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06/13/2026 12:02 pm GMT

14. Love Is by Diane Adama

I’m not crying, you’re crying! This book might be my favorite of all the Valentine books for kids. This is a story about a little girl and her duckling. She lovingly takes care of the duckling until it grows too big for her to handle and it’s time to let it go. The sweet surprise ending makes this book extra special!

Love Is

$9.99

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06/13/2026 12:03 pm GMT

15. The Love Letter by Anika Aldmuy Denise

One kind letter makes a lot of animals feel all warm, fuzzy, and happy inside. Then they find out the letter wasn’t for them! Read the story to find out what happens next in the sweet story of friendship. 

The Love Letter

$10.04

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06/13/2026 01:01 pm GMT

16. Kindness Makes Us Strong by Sophie Beer

Young children learn what kindness looks like in this gorgeous book with bright and colorful illustrations! Build community and friendship among children with this fun read. 

Kindness Makes Us Strong

$7.36

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06/13/2026 12:03 pm GMT

17. You Belong Here by M.H. Clark

This is the sweetest bedtime book for any time of year! The pages journey around the natural world, observing plants and animals, everywhere, and reminding children that they are right where they belong. 

You Belong Here

$13.70

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06/13/2026 12:03 pm GMT

18. Plant a Kiss by Amy Krouse Ronsenthal

Little Miss planted a kiss and took care of it and watched it grow. This imaginative story about kindness and giving is great for younger readers!

Plant a Kiss

$6.87

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06/13/2026 04:04 am GMT

19. Mirabel’s Missing Valentines by Janet Lawler

This story is about shy Mirabel and her lost valentines. See how Mirabel finds her valentines and overcomes her insecurities in this adorable book. These gorgeous illustrations and sweet story makes this a must have book this Valentine’s Day! 

Mirabel's Missing Valentines

$8.13

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06/13/2026 11:03 pm GMT

20. One Love by Cedella Marley and Vanessa Brantley Newton

Based on the timeless song by Bob Marley, this story has gorgeous illustrations and is an easy read for any time of year!

One Love (Marley)

$5.50

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06/13/2026 04:04 pm GMT

21. My Heart by Corninna Luyken

This story so effortlessly captures how the heart can change with our changing emotions and feelings. The stunning illustrations and rhyming phrases speak directly to young and old readers alike. 

My Heart

$13.68

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06/13/2026 10:01 pm GMT

Please Pin this book list if you love it!

I hope you check out some of these Valentine books for kids! I promise, your little nature lovers will love them as much as my boys.

∼Tara

Need more Valentine’s Day ideas?

Check out these ideas!

Valentine’s Day Literacy Centers

A Heart Nature Weaving Craft

The post Valentine Books for Kids appeared first on Little Pine Learners.

Who doesn’t love a cute heart craft?! They make me happy and put a smile on my face:)

We made clay heart Valentine’s last year as well, but this year I decided to turn this sweet heart decoration into a useful trinket tray! This heart craft for kids is so easy and fun to make, that I bet you can’t make just one!

Ready to make one? Here’s what you’ll need….

Supplies:

• Air Dry Clay
• Matte Mod Podge
• Pressed flowers-If you don’t have flowers available to press, then try these! I used this exact set for this heart craft. 
• Heart cookie cutter– You could probably get away with cutting a heart from clay without a cookie cutter, but kids love pressing these in clay! 

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RELATED: Check out 10 Nature Heart Activities for Kids

Here’s How We Made This Heart Craft for Kids:

Step 1:

Roll out the clay. A rolling pin is very handy and makes this step a bit easier, but you can flatten the clay with your hands as well. 

Here’s a helpful hint! Use clay that has already been opened. This makes it easier to work with because it’s slightly harder and more moldable than brand new clay. Brand new clay will also work, but it won’t hold it’s shape as well. You can always purchase your clay, open it and cover it again, and let it sit overnight. That should help!

Step 2:

Cut out the heart with your cookie cutter. Wipe away the excess clay and put it back in your clay bucket.

Step 3:

Next, jiggle the clay heart from the cookie cutter and add a thin layer of Mod Podge on the heart. 

After that, gently press pieces of nature into your clay heart and reseal with an additional layer of Mod Podge on top of the flowers and leaves. Make sure you don’t place the pieces of nature along the edges of the heart because those will be curved up in the next step. 

Finally, let your clay dish dry for about an hour. This will slightly harden your clay and make it easier to mold the curved edges. Then revisit your clay dishes and start pinching the edges to curve them up! 

This heart craft for kids looks so cute when finished and is ready to hold small pieces of jewelry, coins, or any other small trinkets! Who will you make one for?!

Pin this activity to save it for later!

I hope you try this heart craft for kids! I promise, your little nature lovers will love this craft as my boys.

∼Tara

Looking for more nature craft ideas?! Check out:

20+ Pressed Flower Crafts

Nature Collection Journal for Kids

The post Heart Craft for Kids appeared first on Little Pine Learners.