Besides being a sweet treat, conversation hearts are an affordable and fun resource for playful learning. As kids sort, count, roll, and match, they’re strengthening early math skills, fine motor coordination, and problem-solving. Here are some games we’ve played complete with the FULL downloadable printable at the bottom! All of these are easy to set up and adjustable for a range of ages making them perfect for at-home or classroom learning this Valentine’s Day season.

All you’ll need are conversation hearts, dice, and common household finds. Let’s get to it!

Subscribe now

1. Tic-Tac-Toe

Here’s a twist on this classic game! Players take turns placing conversation hearts on the board, trying to get three in a row—across, down, or diagonally. Kids can build turn-taking skills while developing strategy and spatial awareness.

2. Line Tracing

Draw a heart and fill it with simple patterned lines. Use conversation hearts to trace and decorate the lines, creating a colorful, textured heart design. I love this one for building fine motor skills, attention to detail, and pattern recognition—such a fun blend of art and learning!

3. Heart Patterns

Invite kids to explore simple repeating patterns (e.g. ABAB, AAB, ABBA) using conversation hearts. They can copy a pattern you’ve started, extend the pattern, or design their own while building early math skills though hands-on play.

4. War of the Hearts

Each player picks one conversation heart at random. Count the number of letters printed on your heart then write that number down. Once both players have their totals, compare numbers. The player with the higher number wins the round.

5. Color Sorting

Sort conversation hearts by color. Once sorted, count the hearts in each group and compare to see which colors have more, fewer, or the same number.

6. Heart Graphing

Have kids place conversation hearts into a graph logging how many of each color they have. As they fill in the columns, practice counting, comparing quantities, and interpreting data.

7. Heart Stacking

Stack conversation hearts to build the tallest tower without falling in one minute. If it topples, they can try again and experiment with new strategies.

Play extensions:

• Count the hearts as you stack them.

• Read the words on each heart as you stack them.

• Use tweezers or chopsticks only to transfer the hearts.

8. Heart Probability

Place conversation hearts in a small jar or bowl and invite your child to predict which color they think will appear most often. After making their guess, count and tally each color, then review the results to see whether their prediction was correct.

9. Roll and Cover

To play this game, each player takes turning rolling one die. If the number rolled is next to an uncovered box, the player places a heart in that square. Continue until one player is the first to cover all of their boxes. For an added challenge, roll two dice and add the numbers together before covering the corresponding box.

10. Heart Symmetry

Arrange a simple pattern using conversation hearts on one side of the paper, then encourage your child to recreate the pattern on the opposite side to make it symmetrical. As kids carefully place each heart to mirror the design, they’re strengthening pattern recognition, visual discrimination, and spatial awareness.

11. Roll a Heart

Roll the die and identify its assigned color. Place the matching colored heart onto the board, then take turns continuing to play. The first player to cover all of their hearts wins the round.

12. Heart Count

Scatter the conversation hearts inside the square. Count how many of each color there are, then write the total next to the matching colored heart.

13. Fill the Hearts

Roll one or two dice, then place the matching number or the sum of hearts onto the page. Continue playing until all of the hearts are filled. This game reinforces subitization, one-to-one correspondence, and fine motor skills. When using two dice, children also practice simple addition and mental math!

14. Transfer the Hearts

This last one was both of their favorites and so, so simple! Set out a pile of conversation hearts and transfer them from the pile to a heart of the same color on the page. Younger toddlers working on color recognition can use their fingers to place the hearts onto the page whereas older children can use tools like tweezers, chopsticks, or even straws to transfer their hearts.

For a copy of this printable pack, you can find it at ohhappyplayday.com or on Etsy.

Printables Store

Etsy

Read more

Thank you for being part of this little corner of the internet. I’m so grateful for your support and enthusiasm. To celebrate, enjoy 50% off this printable Thanksgiving activity pack—perfect for playful learning this holiday season!

Read more

We’ve used our IKEA Flisat sensory table in countless ways over the years including creating our own inserts that fit into their Trofast bins. For this DIY, I made a double-sided brain gym board out from a cardboard box to work on color sorting, directionality, and bilateral coordination — all skills that support early learning and fine motor development. I tossed in rainbow chickpeas on the other side to add a sensory element and voila, a hands-on activity ready to go!

Read more

One way I love combatting this is through concentration games—fun, engaging activities designed to improve attention, memory, and cognitive control. These games train the brain to stay present and tune out distractions, building skills essential for learning, problem-solving, and handling everyday challenges.

Here are 5 simple and low-cost brain games to boost focus! 🧠

1. Toilet paper roll maze

Glue (Glue dots work great!) or tape down toilet paper rolls onto a baking pan or tray. Drop in a pom pom or marble. Hold onto the edges and maneuver the object back and forth through each roll. This is a GREAT patience-building exercise with a lot of hand-eye coordination practice!

Read more

Save this FREE 15 page mini printable pack to add to your zoo learning week. To download, just scroll down below and make sure to subscribe for weekly content on parenting and play!

Subscribe now

Read more

I’m really not ready for it to be July yet…not even a little bit 🫠 Would love

If you’re looking for fun summer printable pages to add to your learning basket, check out this 35-paged mini activity book for preschool and early elementary school-aged kids!

Summer Activity Pack

Subscribe now

💛 And for my AMAZING paid subscriber community…

Read more

Game 1: Cut out the cards and provide forks for your child to arrange in the same direction as shown on each card.

Game 2 (harder): Look at the card then try to arrange the forks while blindfolded.

Game 3 (hardest): Line up two or more cards. Close your eyes and spin around five times before arranging the forks while blindfolded!

Subscribe now

Download this week’s printable right HERE!

Fork Direction Game Freebie

46.2KB ∙ PDF file

Download

Download

⭐️ For the FULL version of this week’s printable with 42 card options, check it out in my library right here. ⭐️

If you liked receiving this email, leave a heart or comment below! The more you engage, the more Substack will connect my work with others who are looking for the same thing.

Want to invite a friend? Share this post!

Share

Read more

Happy Thursday! We’ve started seeing a few ladybugs fluttering about which has our kids excited for warmer weather to come! I put together a ladybug mini activity pack to supplement your play and learning this week 🐞

Subscribe now

Eight fun facts about ladybugs

1. Ladybugs are beetles, not bugs!

2. They hibernate in large groups in the winter.

3. Ladybugs chew side to side instead of up and down.

4. Contrary to popular belief, you can’t actually tell how old a ladybug is by the

   number of spots on its back. Their spots do fade as they age.

5. Ladybugs mature from their larval to adult form in just a week, but can live up to 2-3 years.

6. They can eat over 500 aphids a day!

7. There are over 6000 known species of ladybugs.

8. In 1999, four ladybugs named after The Beatles (John, Paul, Ringo, and George) were sent into space with aphids so scientists could observe how they would interact in zero gravity.

   

What’s in this set

• Number tracing

• Flight tracing

• Coloring and playdough page

• Fill in the spots

• Life cycle

• Clip and count numbers 1-10

Read more

Here’s an exclusive 36 page pack of Easter-themed printable worksheets designed to boost learning through holiday inspired fun. Perfect for preschoolers and early elementary school-aged kids. Hope your littles love this

Read more