It’s that time of year again for all things hearts and this Heartbeat Hand Drum Craft combines music, art, and science into one fun project that kids will love! Valentine’s Day is the perfect time for creative, hands-on activities that help kids express themselves while learning something new. This Heartbeat Hand Drum Craft is inspired by the steady rhythm of our hearts, this craft lets kids create a hand drum decorated with Valentine’s colors and heart designs.
Not only is this craft a great fine motor activity, but it’s also a fantastic way to introduce kids to basic science concepts about the heart and rhythm. Plus, once the drum is complete, kids can use it to tap out beats and explore rhythm patterns, making it a fun sensory experience.
Why You’ll Love This Craft
This Heartbeat Hand Drum is more than just an art project—it’s a multisensory learning experience! Here’s why it’s a must-try activity:
- Encourages Creativity: of course as well all our crafts your kids don’t have to follow exactly what we have done! Let them get creative with especially when decorating their drums!
- Teaches Science & Music: this craft helps kids understand heartbeats, rhythm, and musical patterns.
- Develops Fine Motor Skills: Cutting, painting, threading, and drumming all help strengthen hand muscles.
- Perfect for Valentine’s Day: The red, pink, and heart-themed designs make this a festive and meaningful craft.
Materials You’ll Need
- 2 paper plates
- Scissors
- Red and pink paint
- Pink and red construction paper
- String
- Beads
- Stick or wooden dowel
- Tape
- Glue
How to Make the Heartbeat Hand Drum
1. Paint and Decorate the Plates
Cut out hearts from two paper plates. Fold them in the middle and trace the outline of a heart. Cut it out and unfold. Help younger kids with this part.
Paint both paper plates with red and pink paint. Let them dry.
Time to decorate. Cut out hearts from pink and red construction paper. You can use a lever punch or scissors. Glue them to the outside of the paper plates.
2. Add the Beaded Strings
Cut two pieces of string and tie a bead to each end.
Tape or glue each string to the inside of sides of one of the hearts, so the beads hang loosely.
Next, tape a wooden dowel or stick securely inside the back of the same plate to create a sturdy handle.
3. Assemble the Drum
Place the two painted plates together (with the insides facing each other) and glue or staple the edges to seal them.
When the drum is spun between your hands, the beads will hit the plates, making a fun drumming sound!
4. Start Playing!
Hold the stick between your palms and roll it back and forth to make the beads hit the plates, creating a heartbeat-like rhythm.
The Science Behind Heartbeats
Your heart is like a drum inside your body! It beats all the time to keep blood moving. A heartbeat happens when your heart squeezes and relaxes—just like when you press and release a drum. If you exercise or get excited, your heart beats faster. When you’re resting, it beats slowly.
This hand drum is a great way to listen and feel rhythms, just like how your heart keeps a steady beat to help your body stay healthy!
Play2Learn Toddler & Preschool Programs for Curious Toddlers
There is no limit to your toddler’s energy and curiosity. That energy and curiosity although a joy can be challenging at times. Their interest in just about everything around them is what makes them great learners. One and two year olds can soak up so much just from their senses!
But as a teacher or parent that thirst for learning can be exhausting. That is why I created this toddler and preschooler program. To help you get the most out of this time with your curious toddler without having to come up with creative ways to play and interact with them.
Play2Learn for Toddlers includes 20 Units for toddlers. Each 2-week toddler unit has 20 super easy to set up and engaging activities for toddlers 18 months to 3 years.
Play2Learn Preschool which includes 20 Units for preschoolers. Each 2-week preschoolers unit has 20 unique and easy to set up and engaging activities for preschoolers 3 years to 5 years. That’s over 800 learning activities for your toddler and preschooler at your fingertips! So many ideas you and your child will never be bored again!
These toddler and preschool lesson plans and activities will definitely keep you and your toddler and preschooler busy playing and learning!
Click here for more information: Play2Learn
Book: Exciting Sensory Bins for Curious Kids
Did you know I wrote a book of sensory bins? Click here for more information Exciting Sensory Bin for Curious Kids. Or grab your copy at Amazon.
Boring afternoons are made exciting with awesome animal-based bins, like Salty Shark Bay or Yarn Farm. Pretend play bins like Birthday Cake Sensory Play or Bubble Tea Party encourage creativity and imagination. And your kids will have so much fun they won’t even know they’re getting smarter with STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) activities like Sink or Float Soup, Magnetic Letter Hunt or Ice Cream Scoop and Count.
Designed for toddlers 18 months and up.
Book: Super STEAM Activity Book for Kids
Learning all about science, technology, engineering, art, and math sets kids up for scholastic success―and it can be so much fun! Watch kids enjoy building STEAM skills as they color friendly fish, help water find its way to tree roots, solve math problems with mazes, and more.
Find out more and grab your copy here.
Designed for preschoolers 3 years old and up.
Book: Big Book of Riddles for Kids
Riddle me this: What’s an exciting way to practice critical thinking while having a blast? The Big Riddle Book for Kids, of course! From hilarious puns to tough brain teasers, kids can build problem-solving skills with hundreds of riddles tha. t show them how to think outside the box.
- 350 riddles for kids—Have hours of fun with riddles, puns and jokes, and math and logic puzzles that’ll get their wheels turning!
- Level up their skills—Riddles get trickier as kids progress through the book, challenging them as they get better at solving puzzles!
- Double-check their work—Kids can check their answers in the back of the book with a handy answer key.
Help children expand their minds while having fun with this puzzle book for kids!
Designed for kids ages 6 years old and up.
TV Show: Curious Crafting
I’m so excited to share my crafting TV show Curious Crafting which launched in July 2022 on TVOkids and TVOkids YouTube! Season 2 aired in August 2023! My show was also nominated in 2023 for Best Live Action Preschool Series by the Youth Media Alliance Awards of Excellence.
Curious Crafting Season 1 is also now airing in Australia on ABC! Watch it here!
Set in the ultimate crafting space, Curious Crafting is a short form pre-school age series about the joy of making crafts. I lead a rotating cast of adorable little preschoolers (including my own) making magic out of common household objects.
In each episode we transform recycled items into magical crafts like a milk carton school bus, paper bag puppet or cotton pad turtle. The crafters learn and laugh their way through each activity while demonstrating what their young imaginations can create.
Curious Crafting shares the adventure and joy of making art with takeaway lessons for creating crafts at home.
This show designed for toddlers and preschoolers 2.5 years old and up.
