Thematic learning- spring and valentine's day unit study and spring activity for kids

20+ Delightful Spring Activities for Kids and Valentine’s Day Unit Study Ideas❤️ | Thematic Learning

Inside: Looking for engaging Spring activities for kids and a Valentine’s Day Unit Study to sprinkle some fun and learning into your homeschool day? You’re in the right place. From engaging activity ideas to learning about myths and developing literacy and numeracy skills, this post has it all!

Spring is just around the corner, and it brings a special opportunity for us as homeschoolers to learn things in context.

As spring unfolds around us, it’s the perfect time to integrate nature study into your homeschool routine. The mild weather, blooming flowers, and the abundant presence of wildlife offer a fantastic backdrop for educational activities.

But for some reason we always start spring activities around February (maybe we always wish that spring comes sooner). So this post is doubled-up with ideas for both spring and Valentine’s!

So, grab a cup of hot cocoa (with heart shaped sprinkles, of course), snuggle up with your kiddos, and let’s dive into how you can make this Spring and Valentine’s Day not only a celebration of love and new beginnings but also a celebration of learning!

Ready to spread the love and learning? Let’s get started!

PSST! Scroll to the end of this post to snatch more freebies for spring!

Thematic Learning - Spring and Valentine's Day Ideas and Activities- free printables

Stay tuned, because I’ll be regularly updating our list with more charming printables. And don’t forget to save this pin 📌, so you always have easy access to these resources.

The Importance of Thematic Learning

When it comes to homeschooling, one of the most exciting aspects is the freedom to integrate real-life events and holidays into our curriculum. Thematic learning, especially around special occasions like Spring and Valentine’s Day, isn’t just fun, it’s a wonderful chance to learn something new.

Why, you ask?

Well, it brings learning to life! It connects the dots between what kids learn and the world around them.

Holidays like Valentine’s Day provide a context that makes learning more relevant and memorable. They help children understand cultural practices, historical origins, and the values behind these celebrations. Plus, it’s a fantastic way to break the routine, adding a dash of excitement and anticipation to the learning process.

But that’s not all. Thematic learning encourages a holistic approach. It allows you to weave together subjects like history (think about the story of Saint Valentine), literature (poetry and friendship stories), art (spring crafts), science (gardening), and even math in a cohesive, engaging way.

Why does thematic learning work?

Think of thematic learning as a way to tie different subjects together under one big, exciting theme. For example, a spring theme could mean learning about plant growth in science, creating nature art, and enjoying the great outdoors for PE. For Valentine’s Day, you could explore the history behind the holiday, dive into some creative writing, and even do a little science around the human heart.

Themes like spring and Valentine’s Day turn book learning into real, hands-on fun. Planting a garden? That’s biology in action! Making Valentine’s cards? That’s art and creativity rolled into one. It’s all about getting active and involved with what you’re learning.

The best part about thematic learning is how you can tweak it to fit what your kid loves. Got a kiddo who’s all about being outside? Make your spring theme full of outdoor adventures. Got a little artist? Valentine’s Day can be heavy on the arts and crafts.

6th grade academic and secular curriculum choices monkey and mom

These themes help connect the dots between what kids learn and the world around them. Discussing nature’s changes in spring or how people show love and appreciation on Valentine’s Day makes learning real and relatable.

Working within a theme encourages kids to think critically and get creative. Whether it’s planning a flower bed or writing a heartwarming story, they’re learning to think and create in new and exciting ways.

Above all, thematic learning keeps education light-hearted and fun. When kids learn about things they see around them every day or celebrate like the seasons and holidays, they’re naturally more curious and engaged.

So, as we approach this season of new beginnings, of love and friendship, let’s use it as an opportunity to make education joyful and vibrant. After all, when learning feels like a celebration, the lessons stick with your kids for a lifetime!

10 Spring Activities for Kids

There are so many ways you could integrate spring into your learning and having spring homeschool resources at your fingertips can greatly alleviate the pain of having to pull something together.

Each section below has two ideas for you to implement. Adjust and adapt these to fit your needs.

  • Start a Mini Garden: Use egg cartons as seed starters, perfect for small hands. Teach children how to plant seeds, water them, and track their growth over time. Discuss the life cycle of plants, from seed germination to flowering.
  • Plant a Butterfly Garden: Select and plant flowers known to attract butterflies, such as milkweed or lavender. Use this activity to delve into lessons on pollination, the importance of insects in ecosystems, and the life cycle of butterflies.
  • Nature Scavenger Hunt: Create a list of natural items to find during your walk, such as specific leaves, rocks, or insects. Enhance the activity by adding tasks like sketching a flower or writing a short poem about a scene they observe.
  • Bird Watching: Install a bird feeder and observe visiting species. Use a field guide and these bird facts to identify and find out more about different birds. Keep a journal to note their characteristics, behavior, and frequency of visits, integrating art by sketching the birds.
Encourage questions- child led learning by monkey and mom
  • Rain Cloud in a Jar: Teach about weather patterns by simulating rain in a jar using shaving cream and food coloring. Discuss how clouds form and what causes precipitation.
  • Plant Dissection: Carefully dissect a flower, identifying its parts such as the stamen, pistil, and petals. Use a microscope if available, and draw detailed diagrams of each part.
  • Spring Mural: Create a large mural depicting a spring scene. Discuss the elements of a landscape painting, color choices, and the representation of spring elements like blooming flowers and emerging animals.
  • Pressed Flower Bookmarks: Collect flowers and leaves, teaching about the types of plants they come from. Press them in a book, then use the dried plants to create bookmarks, discussing the preservation of plants and why certain plants press better than others.
  • Nature Counting: Use natural items for counting exercises, such as counting petals on a flower or leaves on a branch. Introduce basic addition and subtraction using these items.
  • Garden Plotting: Involve kids in designing a garden plot, teaching them about area and perimeter. Use graph paper for plotting and calculating the space needed for each plant.

Do you need some help with Spring printable freebies? Get mine below. For buying the full version of the math printable, scroll down.

10 Valentine’s Day Activities for Kids

Valentine’s Day isn’t only about love, it’s so much more. It’s a chance to help kids form learning connections for a lifetime.

And speaking of lifetime learning, I think Valentine’s Day is a perfect day to talk about kindness and how the words we use affect the people around us. To make this message loud and clear, I really loved this wrinkled heart activity . It’s similar to something I saw a while back (but less messy): taking toothpaste out of a tube and then asking kids to put it back. I thought it was a brilliant way to illustrate to kids that words can hurt.

Here are some more ideas do do with your children.

  • Heart Rate Experiment: Measure and record heart rates before and after physical activity to learn about the circulatory system. Discuss how exercise affects the heart and why a healthy heart is important.
  • Candy Heart Experiments: Use candy hearts to explore scientific concepts. Create experiments to test buoyancy, solubility, and density. Have children hypothesize outcomes and record their observations.
  • DIY Valentines: Use recycled materials to create unique Valentine’s cards. Discuss the importance of recycling and how creativity can turn simple materials into art.
  • Heart-Themed Crafts: Make heart-shaped suncatchers or wreaths. Discuss the symbolism of the heart shape and explore different art mediums and techniques used in crafting.
Child Led Learning and Academic Learning Balance - homeschooling- by monkey and mom
  • Love-Themed Story Time: Select books about love and friendship, discuss themes and moral lessons. Encourage children to write their own short stories or poems based on these themes.
  • Valentine’s Day Writing Prompts: Provide prompts about kindness, love, and friendship. Guide children to express their thoughts and feelings through creative writing, enhancing their language and writing skills. Download my printables below to help you out.
  • Bake Heart-Shaped Treats: Teach measurement and chemistry through baking. Discuss the science behind baking and encourage creativity in decorating.
  • Healthy Heart Snacks: Create snacks using heart-healthy ingredients. Discuss nutrition, the importance of a balanced diet, and how certain foods benefit heart health.
  • Kindness Cards for Seniors: Make and deliver cards to a local senior center, discussing the value of community service and the joy of spreading kindness.
  • Love for the Environment: Organize a park clean-up. Teach about environmental stewardship and the importance of keeping our community spaces clean and green.

Valentine’s is not just about heart-shaped candies and cute cards (although I have some pretty neat ideas for free Valentine’s Day cards), it’s a time to weave love, kindness, and a bit of learning fun into our homeschooling journey. Whether you’re a seasoned homeschooler or just starting out, integrating Valentine’s Day into your curriculum can be a delightful experience for both you and your kids.

In the spirit of this loving season, I’ve put together a few free printables specially tailored for your homeschooling adventures. These aren’t just ordinary worksheets – they’re a combination of fun, education, and creativity, designed to keep your little ones engaged and learning in the most enjoyable way.


Monkey and Mom Printables for Spring and Valentine’s Day

I’ve put together a lot of themed printables for Spring and Valentine’s Day.

1 19

Valentine’s Day Unit Study – Greek Myths and Writing for Middle and High School

  • Ages: 13-18
  • Grades: 8-12
  • Focus: literary analysis, comprehension, writing
  • Pages: 50+

Get ready to dive into the fascinating world of mythology with my Valentine’s Day Unit Study!

This study focuses on the classic tale of Cupid and Psyche and offers a range of engaging activities to help your middle and high school students improve their reading comprehension, writing skills, and creativity.

With over 40 pages of content, including templates for writing a persuasive letter, journal entry, fictional account, and dialogue, this study is the perfect way to celebrate Valentine’s Day and develop your students’ skills at the same time.

You can get a free sample if you subscribe to my newsletter above. Want to buy the full version?

Valentines-Day-Unit-Study-Writing-a-Letter-printable

Valentine’s Day Letters and Cards – Writing for Elementary

  • Ages: 6-12
  • Grades: 1-7
  • Focus: friendly letters, love letters, cards
  • Pages: 40

Are you searching for a creative and educational way to celebrate Valentine’s Day with your kids or students? Look no further! Our Valentine’s Day Writing Letters and Cards Printable is here to spark imagination and foster writing skills in a fun and colorful way.

Perfect for young learners and budding writers, this 40-page pack is filled with everything needed to master the art of letter writing. Whether it’s a friendly note to a classmate or a heartfelt message to a family member, this printable pack makes it easy and enjoyable.

What’s Included:

  • Clear instructions on the parts of a friendly letter.
  • Engaging examples of friendly and love letters to inspire young minds.
  • Step-by-step guides on how to write thoughtful letters and cards.
  • A wide variety of templates for letters and cards, ready to be filled with personal messages.
  • Colorful and engaging designs that make writing even more exciting.
Valentine's Day Activity Worksheets

Valentine’s Day Activity Book – Activities, Puzzles, and Coloring for PreK-2

  • Ages: 3-6
  • Grades: preK-1
  • Focus: coloring, activities
  • Pages: 24

This little book of activities has ideas for 5 hands-on, easy activities, a maze, counting, spotting the difference, cutting and coloring activities.

I am offering it for free to my subscribers (see details above).


Spring Tracing worksheets preschool

Spring Tracing, Cutting and Sewing Pages for PreK-1

  • Ages: 3-6
  • Grades: preK-1
  • Focus: fine motor skills
  • Pages: 10

Great for preschool activities at home or in the classroom. Plus, for older kids, print them on thicker cardstock to create sewing cards.

Get it for free when you subscribe to my newsletter – details above.

Number Tracing Worksheets PDF- Spring Edition Number tracing to 10- preschool

Spring Tracing and Counting to 10 Workbook for PreK-K

  • Ages: 3-5
  • Grades: preK-K
  • Focus: math, tracing, counting
  • Pages: 70

What’s Inside Our Number Tracing Worksheets PDF?

  • Number tracing exercises for 1 to 10 to enhance fine motor skills and number recognition- spring-themed!
  • Cutting, pasting, and coloring for fine motor skills.
  • Interactive counting activities to build foundational math understanding.
  • Colorful spring-themed illustrations that make number learning enjoyable.
  • Visual exercises for easy number recognition, including the ten-frame grid.
  • Number pattern activities to kickstart early math skills.
  • A total of 70+ vibrant, full-color pages.

These printables are a great way to incorporate fun and educational activities into your homeschool curriculum. They’re perfect for changing the routine of your regular curriculum and keeping your students engaged while also teaching them valuable skills in a fun and engaging manner.

Spring Party!

Pin this image to find these resources later:

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Get more freebies from the blogs below:

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Gardening Homeschool Curriculum

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Celebrating Spring Holidays in Your Homeschool

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Birdwatching Resources for Homeschoolers

Valentine’s Day Unit Study and Ideas for All Ages

Valentine’s Day Unit Study and Ideas for All Ages

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5 Tips for Navigating Spring Sensory Triggers for Neurodivergent Kids

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101+ Low Prep Spring Outdoor Activities for Kids

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5 Ways to Celebrate Spring with Nature Study

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