Valentine's Day Dramatic Play Ideas
Valentine Stick Puppets
Set out a selection of children's
valentine cards. Let each child choose one
of the valentines
to use for making a puppet. Help the children trim off any
parts of the valentines they don't want on their puppets.
Then have them
glue their valentines to the tops of Popsicle
sticks. Let the children
take turns making up stories and
performing with their valentine puppets.
Valentine Finger Folly
Copy one large heart onto red or pink construction paper, one
medium heart,
and two small hearts. Cut two 6" strips
of pink or red paper for each child.
Invite each child in a
small group to make a finger puppet. To make one,
cut out
all the hearts. Punch two holes at the top of the large
heart (side by
side from each other). Then cut four tiny slits
around the holes to make
larger openings. Draw heart shaped
facial features on the medium cutout.
Then glue the face
onto the point of the large heart. Next, accordion fold
each
paper strip. To make arms for the puppet, glue a small heart
to one
end of each paper strip; then glue the other end of each
strip to the large
heart. To give the puppets legs, poke
your index and middle fingers through
the holes in the large
heart. Encourage each child, in turn, to lead the class
as he/she
makes his puppet walk, kick, march, or slide to this rhyme.
Move it to the right.
Move it to the left.
Move it in the way
Your heart loves best.
When you send a Valentine
When you send a valentine,
That's the time for fun,
Slip it underneath the door,
Ring the bell and run, run, run,
Ring the bell and run,
Have a bell and a letter with a
valentine in it for a prop.
The child can act out the sneaking up
to the door and pretending
to push button. All the children must
run to safety.
Mail Carrier Fun
Let the children pretend to be mail
carriers delivering packages and cards
for Valentine's Day. Ask
them to show how they would carry such things
as a giant box of
candy, a bunch of Valentines, or a big box of cookies.
Then
let them pretend to deliver valentines to people who live in
different
places; at the top of a tall apartment building, in the
middle of a snowy
field, on an island, at the North Pole, on the
moon, etc.
Love Bug Puppets
Let the children make "love
bug" puppets. Have them draw faces with crayons
on
small pink construction paper heart shapes and glue on black
construction
paper feelers. Let them attach their heart
faces to the tops of tongue depressors.
Then give them each
two larger heart shapes cut from pink or red construction
paper to
glue to the sides of their tongue depressors for wings. Let
the
children use their puppets for telling stories or while
singing the song below.
(Sung to the tune of: "The
Muffin Man")
Do you know the little Love Bug,
The little Love Bug, the little Love BUg,
Do you know the little Love Bug
Who comes on Valentine's Day?
He comes to give a kiss and hug,
A kiss and hug, a kiss and hug,
He comes to give a kiss and hug,
To (Child's name) on Valentine's Day.
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Special Delivery
Need a "heart-y" way for youngsters to write and
send valentines?
If so, set up a post office center in your classroom. In
advance,
stock your center with valentines, envelopes, construction paper,
stickers (to represent stamps), coins, a cash register, and a
cardboard mailbox.
Attach programmed price tags to items
such as the paper, valentines, stamps, and
envelopes.
To use this center, have three youngsters visit
the center at a time.
One child acts as the post office worker while the other
two children
act as customers. Have each customer use the coins to buy stamps,
envelopes, and valentines (or buy paper to make his own valentine).
The post
office worker takes the money and gives change to the
customer. The customer
uses the items to make a valentine for
someone in the class and then places his
valentine in the cardboard mailbox.
On or before Valentine's Day, have
youngsters assist you in delivering the mail.
Pre-K Fun Theme Pages are
for educational reference only!
No copyright infringement is intended.
I do not claim any of these as my own ideas.
They are shared from friends and fellow group
members.
Thanks for sharing all your great ideas!