Looking for fun and easy Valentine’s Day crafts to do with your kids? This scrape-painted penguin art is a fantastic way to combine creative painting, directed drawing, and Valentine's Day themes into one special craft project! Whether you're a homeschooling parent, a teacher looking for engaging February crafts, or just searching for a cute and easy activity, this project is perfect for you.

This Valentine’s Day arts and crafts project is a multi-step activity, making it a wonderful fine motor skill builder for little hands. The scrape painting technique is engaging, and the directed drawing of a penguin will help build artistic confidence in young children. Plus, the finished result is absolutely adorable and perfect for a preschool Valentine’s display or a Valentine’s Day kindergarten craft!

I did this project with my kindergartener and my third grader, AND I did it myself, and I can proudly say we ALL enjoyed it and each made beautiful, unique art! 🥰

Let’s dive into this step-by-step tutorial for an exciting and creative Valentine’s Day craft for kids!

This craft isn't just fun—it also has plenty of learning opportunities for kids:

✔ Encourages Creativity – Kids get to experiment with scrape painting , a fun and engaging art technique.

✔ Fosters Fine Motor Skills – Cutting, gluing, and coloring help strengthen little hands.

✔ Introduces Directed Drawing – Following along with a step-by-step drawing tutorial builds confidence and observation skills.

✔ Perfect for Valentine's Day – The pink and purple background, adorable penguins, and optional decorations make this a great choice for a preschool Valentine’s project or elementary age Valentine’s Day craft!

Before you start, gather these simple supplies:

• A large white piece of paper (bigger than standard printer paper, but regular paper works too!)
• A piece of white computer paper or cardstock
• A few different colors of paint in Valentine’s Day colors (pink, purple, red, etc.)
• An old gift card, credit card, craft squeegee, or sturdy cardboard
• Pencil
• Markers
• Scissors
• Glue stick
• Valentine’s stickers or craft gems (optional)

Now that you have your supplies ready, it’s time to start crafting!

Before you begin, cover your work surface with newspaper, paper shopping bags, or an old tablecloth. This will help with the inevitable mess while your child enjoys the painting process! ☺️

Place small drops of your Valentine’s-colored paint across the top of your large piece of paper. Each drop should be about the size of a dime. Use a mix of colors or shades to create a colorful background.

Now, take your card, squeegee, or sturdy cardboard and hold it at a 45-degree angle. Firmly press down and drag the paint downward over the paper. Repeat until the entire page is covered in beautifully blended Valentine’s colors! This technique creates a unique painted texture that will make your background look fantastic.

💡 Pro Tip: If your colors start to mix too much, you can add a few more dots of paint to keep the contrast bright and fun!

Let the background dry completely before moving on. While waiting, clean up any paint mess and move on to the next step.

Now, it’s time to draw an adorable penguin duo! Grab your white computer paper or cardstock and a pencil.

To make the directed drawing process easy , use this Art for Kids Hub YouTube tutorial:

👉  Draw a Cute Penguin & Baby

Follow along with the video, step by step, to create a sweet parent-and-baby penguin that will be the centerpiece of your artwork.

💡 Why Directed Drawing? Directed drawing helps kids gain confidence in their art skills by breaking down complex images into easy-to-follow shapes. This method is great for Valentine’s Day kindergarten crafts and works well in homeschool art lessons too!

Using markers, color in your penguins! Traditional black and white penguins are always cute, but feel free to get creative with fun colors. Maybe your penguin has a pink belly or a purple hat —the choice is yours!

Once your penguin is fully colored, carefully cut it out with scissors. Make sure your background is dry, then use a glue stick to attach your penguin to the colorful painted background.

💡 Pro Tip: If the background paper is warping from the paint, roll it the opposite way of the curl, or place it under a few books for an hour or so.

For an extra festive touch, decorate your artwork with Valentine’s stickers, craft gems, or even glitter! Adding these little accents makes your Valentine’s Day craft for kids even more special.

Now that your Valentine’s Day penguin craft is complete, find a special spot to display it! Hang it on the fridge, use it as a February craft in a classroom display, or even give it as a sweet handmade Valentine to a loved one.

If your child loved this project, here are a few more easy Valentine’s Day crafts to try:

❤️ Tissue Paper Heart Sun Catchers – A great preschool Valentine’s project!

❤️ Handprint Love Trees – A sentimental Valentine’s Day arts and crafts activity for young kids.

❤️ Valentine’s Day Sensory Bin – Perfect for early learners and kindergarteners.

You'll see these and a bunch more fun ideas over on our Valentine's Day Crafts Pinterest board!

This penguin scrape painting craft is a fun and easy Valentine’s Day craft for kids that encourages artistic creativity, fine motor skill development, and hands-on learning . Whether you’re looking for preschool Valentines, Valentine’s Day Kindergarten crafts, or February crafts for your homeschool, this activity is a perfect choice!

Have fun crafting and Happy Valentine’s Day! ❤️🎨