This very simple art activity is a wonderful way for young children to express how they feel through their creativity!  I went through our art stash and pulled out small trays of colored pasta and rice, plastic beads, bottle caps, sponges, ribbons, buttons, pom poms, cut up rubber bands, paper tissue scraps, cut up straws, stickers, bread ties, and whatever other doodads I could scrounge up!

I put out a bottle of glue, a stack of white construction paper, and hearts that the boy helped cut from craft foam.

This invitation to create entertained my boy for hours.  He had such a blast creating and as soon as he finished one mosaic, he was ready to create another one for someone else!

Still works in progress, but he has guaranteed delivery in time for Valentine’s Day!

Lots of opportunity to talk not only about color, texture, and symmetry in creating art but also expression and feeling!  He said the “jewel treasures” (the plastic gemstones) made him feel excited and a little nervous like a treasure hunter!

We had a lot of fun with this one as my boy wanted to know the origins of every.  single.  button.  I was very surprised to see he found the tiny purple button with the crystal in the center in our random button collection as it was from a sweater that my precious mother gave to me many years ago.  That little button, and my tears, led us to a very sweet talk reminiscing about my “mommy” and why she is no longer with us. This is Grandma Isabel’s special Valentine that we matted and framed in a shadow box and hung in our bedroom.   Happy Valentine’s Day!