Valentine love bugs are an easy fine motor Valentine’s Day love bug craft for children. They are also a fun homemade gift idea kids can make for Valentine’s day.
This easy kids craft takes minutes to set up, and you can usually find everything you need at the dollar store!
Related: Valentine’s Love Bug Crafts for Kids
Valentine Love Bug Craft for Kids
Making heart love bugs is a fun way for kids to practice their fine motor skills. Fine motor skills develop the small motor muscles of the hand. Developing these small motor muscles helps children prepare to write.
Related: Salt Dough Handprint and Footprint Heart Keepsake Gift
Related: Slow Falling Hearts Sensory Bottle
Valentine’s Day Love Bug Craft Supplies
- Heart shaped foam counting blocks. (We found ours in the dollar section at Target in a pack of counting blocks filled with other shapes included.) If you can not find the 3-dimensional hearts use THESE.
- Googly Eyes (Multi-colored)
(We found ours at The Dollar Tree, but this link has them at a similar price.)
- Pipe Cleaners (We used red and black but you can also use pink, white or any other color you like. We found ours at The Dollar Tree.)
- Glue
- Blunt Darning Needle (only needed if you are using the 3-dimensional foam hearts)
For each Valentine love bug craft you will need:
- 1 foam 3-dimensional heart or 3-6 thin foam hearts
- 2 pipe cleaners (cut into 8 equal sections)
- 1 pair of googly eyes
Related: Valentine Keepsake Gifts Kids Can Make
How to Make Valentine Love Bugs
This post has been updated to include directions to make a love bug with 2 different ways to make a Valentine love bug craft.
1. Set up and Prepare the Valentine Love Bug Craft for Your Children
Cut each pipe cleaner into 4 equal sections so there are 8 1/4 sections of pipe cleaners for each heart love bug. They don’t have to be perfect, different lengths add character.
Directions to prepare the 3-dimensional heart for Valentine Love bugs:
Use a blunt darning needle to poke three holes in the side of each heart. Poke two more holes on the top. 
Note: There is no preparation needed if you are using the thin foam hearts
2. Place glue and all parts needed for one heart love bug on a work surface.
- 1 3-D foam heart or 3-6 thin foam hearts
- 1 pair googly eyes
- 8 1/4 sections of pipe cleaner
- glue.
3. Demonstrate How to Make Valentine Love Bugs
Children like to see how to make a love bug craft before making their own. Demonstrate how to make love bugs using either of the tutorials below.
How to Make a Valentine Love Bug with a 3-D Heart
- Place glue on the tip of each pipe cleaner section and place into each hole to make the legs for the love bug. A paper plate with a little glue on it makes this easy.
- Bend the legs to create a knee and foot for each leg of your love bug craft.
- Curl the tips of each antenna to make the love bug face super cute.
- Glue googly eyes onto each love bug face.
How to Make a Valentine Love Bug with 3-6 Thin Foam Hearts
- Glue 3-6 thin foam hearts together with pipe cleaner legs in between the hearts and allow to dry. Glue each set of legs between 1-2 hearts so each set of legs has it’s own set of hearts to sit between.
- Bend the legs to create a knee and foot for each leg of your love bug craft.
- Curl the tips of each antenna to make the love bug face super cute.
- Glue googly eyes onto each love bug face.
4. Invite Child(ren) to Make A Valentine’s Day Love Bug Craft
It’s helpful to have a completed Valentine’s Day love bug craft nearby for kids to refer to as they work.
Related: Heart Shape Nature Scavenger Hunt for Kids
Valentine love bugs are an easy fine motor craft for children. A Valentine’s Day love bug craft also makes a great gift idea kids can make! You can find a more of my favorite love bugs HERE.
You may also like Valentine keepsake gifts kids can make. Click HERE to see them all. For more Valentine’s Day Ideas check out our Seasons & Holidays Page. Click HERE for more art and craft ideas for kids.
More Valentine’s Day Ideas:
- Valentine’s Day Game: Cupid’s Arrow Toss by Playground Parkbench
- Stitched Felt Heart Favor Pouch & Keychain by Moms & Crafters
- Bubble Wrap Heart Decorations by Crafty Kids at Home
- Valentine Pet Project for Kids by Sunny Day Family
- My Little Pony Free Printable Valentines by Our Whimsical Days
- Hand Knit Hearts by Nemcsok Farms
- Homemade Lip Gloss by Sugar, Spice & Glitter
- Valentine’s Love Bug Crafts for Kids
- Top 10 Valentine Keepsake Gifts
- DIY Keepsake Gifts for Him or Her
- Slow Falling Hearts Sensory Bottle
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How cute! We always call my daughter “Little Love Bug” so she’d love making these!
Thanks! My daughter loves putting them together and playing with them. I’m sure your daughter is going to love them!
I’d love to do the heart shaped love bugs as a class project. Would you have the item # or link to purchase the heart shapes. I had no luck finding them at the store.
Thanks!
I am terribly sorry Jenn, I have not been able to find them again either! I purchased the ones I used in a package of foam shapes including the hearts in the dollar aisle at Target 3 years ago and have not found them since! Every year I look for them to add a link to them in the materials list so my readers can make them, and every year I strikeout. This year I did find a copycat craft kit using different hearts. I didn’t want to advertise a product that stole my idea and made it into their own craft kit, but I just may have to! I will go poke around again and see what I can find.
Ok. Thank you so much for the info! I found white styrofoam hearts on Amazon. I may try making these with them, but will keep an eye out for the soft foam too.
Glad you found something you can use Jenn. I bet they will be super cute!