Do you want to do activities with your kids each day but you have no idea where to start? Don't worry there's lots of parents in exactly the same position, which is why I'm putting together monthly kids play calendars to make it easy for you to create a month of fun for your kids at home or in the classroom, for every month of the year.
The February activity calendar focuses on hearts, Valentine's Day, Chinese New Year and alphabet themed ideas for toddlers, preschoolers and school kids. The activities include a mix of art and craft, sensory, science and play ideas as well as books to read aloud during the month.
Each activity is explained in detail below, including how you can extend or adjust the activity based on your child's age. You can also download our free interactive February activity calendar pdf with links to instructions for every activity to save for future reference.
February 2024 Play Activity Calendar
This play activity calendar includes activities that can easily be done using items from around your home {or classroom} and you can substitute items to make it suit what you have on hand.
There are no activities listed for weekends as they can be used for free play/family time or to catch up on activities you may have missed during the week. Below you will find detailed explanations of each activity as well as how to modify them for children of different ages and some extension activities you can do if you're looking for additional ideas.
At the bottom of this post you'll also be able to download a copy of the interactive February play calendar PDF which includes direct clickable links to all of the activities featured in this months calendar.
Heart Love Bomb
Each year from February 1st we have a tradition where I leave a new heart on each of my girls bedroom doors up until Valentine's Day. Each heart has a positive message for them so they know how much they're loved. You can easily recreate this in your home with your children, or in the classroom with a big wall display for all the kids rather than one individual child. You could also use this as a classroom activity for older kids where they create hearts for other students and write something positive about the child they're giving the heart to.
There are lots of heart message ideas for kids here and many ways you can alter the tradition to suit your children. The great part is you only need coloured paper or cardstock, scissors and a pen.
Heart Stamping
If you have some empty toilet paper rolls, cardboard tubes or paper towel tubes at home, you can easily turn them into heart shaped stamps. Once you've made the stamp dip it into some paint and then print heart shapes onto paper. You can also use them to make easy heart Valentine's Day cards.
Sticky Collage Heart
These sticky heart collage cards are our go to cards for Valentine's Day {and birthdays and Mother's Day} because the girls love making them. They're so fun to make because they can stick tissue paper and craft embellishments together to make a pretty textured collage that doesn't need any glue, so there's no sticky fingers afterwards.
I love you to pieces card. If your kids want to make more Valentine's Day cards for family or friends then try our I love you to pieces card that comes with a free template so they can use puzzle pieces to make a heart card.
In My Heart {Read Aloud}
Happiness, sadness, bravery, anger, shyness . . . our hearts can feel so many feelings! Some make us feel as light as a balloon, others as heavy as an elephant. In My Heart explores a full range of emotions, describing how they feel physically, inside and what our heart does when we feel them.
Read the story aloud in a group, read the book to your child, have your child read the book to you, or watch the story being read aloud here on YouTube. You can borrow the book from a friend or the library, or get your own copy from Amazon or Amazon AU.
Extension Idea:
Coloured Hearts. After reading In My Heart, get some coloured cardstock or paper and cut out different sized hearts to make a colourful layered heart like the one on the front cover.
Alternative Idea:
Five Little Hearts. If you're wanting to read a heart book to younger children like toddlers then In My Heart may be a little too long to hold their attention, Five Little Hearts is a much quicker board book to read with less words and interactive pop out hearts they can play with. You can get it on Amazon or Amazon AU.
Dancing Conversation Hearts Experiment
Your children will be fascinated as they watch the bubbling carbon dioxide in sparkling soda {soft drink} make conversation hearts dance around the jar during this dancing hearts science experiment.
The carbon dioxide bubbles attach themselves to the hearts and float them to the top and when the bubbles pop at the surface the hearts will fall back to the bottom of the jar, making them look like they're dancing.
Heart Sensory Bottle
This mesmerising heart sensory bottle is made using corn syrup, water and heart sequins. It only takes a few minutes to make and is a great way for children to self regulate watching the hearts slowly fall to the bottom of the bottle.
Alternative Ideas:
Red Glitter Sensory Bottle. If your kids love the heart sensory bottle then they'll love this glitter calm down bottle which is just as easy to make.
Cereal Box Heart Glasses
Save your empty cereal boxes and use this free printable template to turn them into heart shaped glasses with pipe cleaner arms. These would also make super inexpensive class gifts for Valentine's Day.
Alternative Ideas:
Valentine's Class Gift Ideas. If you need to organise class gifts for Valentine's Day there's 30 creative and affordable gift ideas here including food, stationary, sensory and novelty gifts.
Pop-It Valentine's. Use these free printable Valentine's Day pop-it labels to add to pop it class gifts.
Love Bug Valentine's Gift. Make these cute love bug gifts with animal figurines and our printable love bug jars.
I Love You To Pieces Craft
This torn paper I love you to pieces craft is fun for kids of all ages to create as they get to tear the paper into pieces then use them to design their own heart. The craft includes a free printable template and the finished piece can be used as a gift for friends or family.
Heart Crafts. If your kids loved this crafts there are plenty more easy heart crafts for kids here.
Love Bug Playdough
Set up an invitation to build love bugs with playdough, hearts, pipe cleaners, straws and googly eyes. Kids can use a combination of the playdough and loose parts to create 2D or 3D love bugs. This is a great activity for them to express their creativity and work those fine motor skills.
Alternative Idea:
Heart Sight Word Playdough. If you have older children you can help them learn sight words with these free printable heart sight word cards and some playdough and beads.
Valentine's Sensory Bin
This Valentine's themed sensory bin is so easy to put together. All you need is some red sensory rice, scoops, cups, tweezers, hearts and red and pink loose parts.
Alternative Ideas:
Valentine's Sensory Activities. Check out our post 19 Valentine's Sensory play ideas for lots more sensory fun including sensory bins, slime, sensory bottles and playdough activities.
Under the Love Umbrella {Read Aloud}
Under the Love Umbrella is a beautiful story that uses umbrella's to symbolise the love a parent has for their child and how it's always there even if you can't physically see it and aren't together.
Read the story aloud in a group, read the book to your child, have your child read the book to you, or watch the story being read aloud here on YouTube. You can borrow the book from a friend or the library, or get your own copy from Amazon or Amazon AU.
Valentine's Density Experiment
This pink and red Valentine's density experiment is a pretty way to visually demonstrate that different liquids can vary in density. You'll need some honey, corn syrup, maple syrup, hand soap, water and vegetable oil. Once you've created the floating layers, you can add different items to see how far they'll sink through the layers.
A Sweet New Year For Ren {Read Aloud}
Learn all about Chinese New Year traditions as Ren's family prepare a feast to celebrate the new year.
Read the story aloud in a group, read the book to your child, have your child read the book to you, or watch the story being read aloud here on YouTube. You can borrow the book from a friend or the library, or get your own copy from Amazon or Amazon AU.
Handprint Dragon Craft
2024 is the year of the dragon according to the Chinese zodiac calendar. The dragon {Loong} is the 5th zodiac animal and represents confidence, power and authority. Chinese dragons typically have a long body with 4 legs and a long tail. Their faces have horns and a combination of long flowy eyebrows, moustaches and beards.
This handprint accordion dragon puppet is an easy craft to make using your child's handprints to symbolise the dragons long, wiggly body. Colour in the free printable template of the dragon's head to attach to his wiggly body. Younger children will need some assistance assembling this craft, but it makes a great keepsake of their small handprints.
Paper Lanterns
These Chinese paper lanterns are a great way for children to practice their scissor and fine motor skills as they cut the lines in the paper and staple the lantern together. They can also decorate them with oriental patterned washi tape. If you make more than one, hang them on a string to make a hanging lantern garland to display at home or in the classroom.
Alternative Idea:
Chinese Lantern Mosaic Craft. If you have a toddler who doesn't have well developed scissor skills you can try this Chinese lantern mosaic instead. Pre-cut the coloured paper and let your toddler glue the paper onto the lantern to decorate it.
Chinese New Year Slime
Create Chinese New Year inspired slime with this easy, stretchy red slime with gold glitter and sequins. The red represents fire to ward off evil spirits and the gold represents wealth and good fortune.
Alternative Idea:
Chinese New Year Sensory Bin. If you don't like slime, you can put together a simple sensory bin with red sensory rice, gold sequins and miniature Chinese New Year items like Chinese lucky coins, Chinese dragon mini figures and lucky charm knot tassels.
Chinese New Year Shaker
Make this simple shaker to celebrate Chinese New Year with paper plates, a popsicle stick, dry pasta and staples. Don't forget to add lots of red and sparkles when decorating it. Once it's finished and dry your child can shake it back and forth to celebrate Chinese New Year.
Sensory Alphabet
A really fun, tactile way for children to learn the letters of the alphabet is to make a sensory alphabet. We've been working our way through the letters of the alphabet using a different sensory item for each letter. Pick a letter you're currently working on and make your own sensory letter {there are alternative sensory materials listed for each letter if you don't have the one we've used}. So far we've made:
If your children want to do even more letter arts and crafts or activities, you can find hundreds of letter ideas in our letter of the week posts.
Alphabet Jump Game
Get children outside working their gross motor skills with this fun alphabet jumping game. Use some chalk or diy chalk paint to write letters onto the driveway, pathway or any other concrete floor and then call out a letter and they have to jump to that letter. You can use either lowercase or uppercase letters.
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom {Read Aloud}
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom is without a doubt the number 1 classic alphabet book for kids. Follow along with the letters of the alphabet as they try to race up the coconut tree. Will there be enough room? Oh, no—Chicka Chicka Boom! Boom!
Read the story aloud in a group, read the book to your child, have your child read the book to you, or watch the story being read aloud here on YouTube. You can borrow the book from a friend or the library, or get your own copy from Amazon or Amazon AU.
Extension Idea:
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Playdough. Set up a tray of alphabet magnets or alphabet lacing beads and brown and green playdough so the kids can build their own palm tree and imitate the letters trying to race up the tree.
Alfoil Alphabet Puzzle Activity
Bring new life to a simple alphabet puzzle by wrapping each letter in aluminium foil. This alfoil alphabet puzzle activity is a great way to add some more sensory and fine motor elements to a puzzle and an element of surprise as children don't know which letter they'll get when they start unwrapping.
Use this technique to learn letter names and formation and once children are older you can use it to teach phonics - get your child to say the name of the letter then the sound it makes and something that starts with that letter. E.g B /b/, /b/, ball.
DOWNLOAD THE FEBRUARY PLAY CALENDAR PDF HERE
Click the download now button below to download the interactive PDF file. Each image on the PDF calendar can be clicked to go directly to the instructions for the individual activity.
Please note that this activity calendar PDF is for personal or classroom use only and may not be shared, electronically uploaded or sold on any platform. If you would like to share or feature the calendar in a blog post please link back to this post directly.
MORE PLAY CALENDARS
Disclosure - This post contains some affiliate links for your convenience, which means I may make a small commission at no cost to you, should you make a purchase.
