# Hearts Mobile
> Kids decorate foam hearts with beads and spangles using a tiny squeeze bottle of glue. Then tape the hearts onto ribbon and hang them as a kid-made Valentine's mobile. It's simple, open-ended fine motor collage work.
- URL: https://www.funlittles.com/valentines-day-activities-hearts-mobile/
- Ages: 3–6 yrs · Difficulty: easy · Mess: medium
- Time: prep 5 min, activity 20 min
- Works for: one-on-one, small group, whole class
- Skills: fine-motor, planning, creativity, patterns
- Cautions: ingestion-risk

## Materials (one batch)
- 4 piece Foam heart cut-outs
- Beads
- Spangles (sequins)
- 1 piece Small squeeze bottle of glue
- Heart-themed ribbon
- 1 roll Tape (household)
- 1 piece Pencil (optional) (household)

## Safety
- Beads and spangles are small parts and a choking hazard. Supervise closely, and don't offer them to children who still put things in their mouths.
- Supervise glue use and wash hands after crafting.

## Before you start
- Set out a collage tray with foam hearts, beads, spangles and small glue bottles. Know your child: some prefer just a couple of materials.

## Steps
1. Set out the foam hearts and a tray of beads and spangles.
2. Plan a design for your heart, like a face or a pattern.
3. Squeeze tiny dots of glue onto the heart and press on beads and spangles.
4. Make a face: try stars for rosy cheeks and a heart for the mouth.
5. Or draw lines with a pencil, trace them with glue and cover them with spangles.
6. Decorate more hearts until you have a whole collection.
7. Attach a piece of ribbon to the backs of the hearts with tape.
8. Hang your hearts mobile on the wall.

## Tips
- Use a very tiny squeeze bottle instead of a usual bottle of school glue. It dispenses the perfect amount of glue for those itty-bitty beads and spangles.
- Know your child and set out your collage tray. Our 5-year-old is a minimalist and prefers just a couple of materials.
- Her attention span lasted for about 4 hearts, which I thought was pretty good. Then she invited me to join, and it turned into a short mom and kid activity time.
- Watch them plan their collage before applying glue. It's fascinating, and they are such great commentators while at "work"!
- Each season I like to buy themed foam cut-outs so the kids get simple fine motor practice while creating with them.

## The original post by TurkeyMom (2014)

This is one of the simplest open-ended [**Valentine's day activities for kids**](https://www.funlittles.com/10-valentines-day-crafts-and-art-activities-for-kids/) we have shared. Each season I like to buy themed foam cut outs so the kids get to engage in simple [**fine motor activities**](https://www.funlittles.com/category/fine-motor-activities/) while creating with them. For the upcoming Valentine season I purchased these foamies and set them out along with some of my 5 year's favorite collage materials. She is a minimalist and prefers just a couple of materials - spangles and beads from our craft stash and started creating with them. Know you child and set out your collage tray. **Materials**

- Foam Hearts
- Beads
- Spangles
- Small bottles of glue
- Hearts themed ribbons
- Tape

 For this Valentine's day activity instead of a usual bottle of school glue, I had this very tiny and handy squeeze bottle that was perfect for fine motor crafts like these. That tiny bottled dispensed the perfect amount for glue for those itty-bitty beads and spangles.  I really enjoy watching my child's development during projects like these. She has always enjoyed making a design even during open ended [**art activities.**](https://www.funlittles.com/category/art-projects/) This time I saw her actually plan out her collage before applying glue. For this heart she declared that she was going to make a face. She then carefully proceeded to choose her items needed to implement her visual. I was really thrilled to see her choose stars for the rosy cheeks and a heart for the mouth! Doesnt it show that show that she is clearly putting thought into this collage making process?  For her next heart, she used a pencil to make concentric hearts pattern and then proceeded to apply glue on the lines. If you look closely you will see that the outer heart line has larger spangles and the inner ones have smaller ones. Isn't fascinating to watch your child create or make and they are such great commentators while at "work"!  Her attention span lasted for about 4 hearts which I was thought was pretty good and after that she invited me to join her and so I did. We turned the Valentine's day activity into a short mom and kid activity time which she thoroughly enjoys. Here are all our heart collages.   She ended up making 3 heart faces and the rest of the heart collages suddenly looked like the rest of the body. It's great that you start out with a simple heart cut outs activity and it turns into this beautiful hearts mobile.  We attached a pretty piece of ribbon to the backs of the foam hearts.  and hung them on our wall as a cute kid-made heart decor. 

- *Here is our another kid-made hearts decor - check our [**"wrapped hearts"**](https://www.funlittles.com/valentines-day-crafts-kids-wrapped-hearts/)*
- *Stop by our [**Valentine's day activities for kids**](https://www.funlittles.com/10-valentines-day-crafts-and-art-activities-for-kids/) round up for more ideas*