Valentine's Day Story Bracelets - Toddler Time

When I was looking for some fun Thanksgiving activities for my toddler to do around the holidays, I was introduced to story bracelets. Basically, the idea behind these is as you tell a story to your child, they put beads on a bracelet that correspond with a person, thing, or event in the story. Eventually, they will be able to tell the story themselves by putting each bead on the bracelet and relating the part of the story that corresponds with that bead. (Click here to see the Thanksgiving story bracelet that I found worked really well with my 2 1/2 year old and her friends.)

I loved using pipe cleaners and big chunky beads for the bracelets, because they were so easy for my toddler to work with. And she still plays with the pipe cleaners and beads just for fun.

picture from papermart.com

I got these wonderful beads from Hobby Lobby.

Since Valentine's day is fast approaching, I decided to do a Valentine's Day story bracelet. (I adapted the little story below from this little story.) If you are interested, give it a try with your kids! If you have boys that you think will be less than interested in a story about cats, birds, and squirrels, you can make the animals different types of dinosaurs or dump trucks or something that will amuse them.

Valentine's Day Story & Story Bracelet

"One Valentine's day, a pretty black cat (black bead) sat in the sunshine wondering what special note or treat she could give to her friend Evie (blue bead). Evie, you see, was sick and had to stay in bed, and the pretty black cat wanted to do something special for her. As she walked along the snowy (2 white beads) path, the pretty black cat met a furry red squirrel (red bead).

"Good day, Mrs. Cat," said he. "Where are you going?"

"To find a valentine for little Evie who is sick," said the cat.

"There is no one I love better than little Evie, "said the squirrel. "She always feeds me my favorite food: acorns. I will send her a valentine too."

"Oh good," said the cat. "Meet me under the big oak tree (green bead) at 3 o'clock."

The pretty black cat (black bead) continued to walk along the snowy path (2 white beads) and met a sweet brown robin (light brown bead).

"Where are you going?" asked the robin.

"To find a valentine for little Evie who is sick," replied the cat
.
"I want to get a valentine for her, too," chirped the robin.

"Oh good," said the cat. "Meet me under the big oak tree (green bead) at 3 o'clock."

At 3 o'clock, the pretty black cat (black bead), the furry red squirrel (red bead), and the sweet brown robin (light brown bead) met under the big oak tree (green bead) and together they went to Evie's house to give her their valentines. Little Evie (blue bead) was asleep when they came to her house, but they left their valentines on her bed. When Evie woke up, there on her bed was 1 fat shiny chestnut (1 dark brown beads), a dark pink rose (1 dark pink bead), and a pink note shaped like a heart (1 pink heart bead) that said,

"Little friend, so kind and true,
These valentines we send to you
Our very dearest love to tell.
We hope that you will soon be well."

Evie smiled as brightly as the sunshine (yellow bead)."