Valentine’s Day is such a happy time of year in my preschool classroom! Maybe it’s the fun colors and the hearts that are everywhere. Or maybe it’s the fact that we play and learn with candy for days! Candy hearts are such a great manipulative to use in the classroom. The sweet hearts in our candy hearts count & clip cards may not be real, but they are just as fun to use to practice counting, numbers, and fine motor skills with preschoolers and kindergarteners!

Candy Hearts Count & Clip Cards

This free printable set of candy hearts count & clip cards includes the numbers 1-10.

Each count & clip card has a jar of candy hearts on it along with 3 numbers on the side of the card. One of the numbers is the correct number of candy hearts in the jar on the card, and 2 numbers are not.

The prep work for this math learning center or busy bag activity is so easy and almost nonexistent! Simply print the file from the pink button below. Cut the candy hearts count & clip cards out on the gray dotted lines, and laminate if you are using with a group or just for extra durability.

Add a cup of clothespins to the math learning center and it’s time to play!

My preschoolers are becoming masters at clothespin clip cards. They love the counting clip cards that we have used during the school year, and have even gotten the hang of how the addition clip cards work.

To play, pick a candy hearts count & clip card from the pile or from a basket. Place it on the table and count the candy hearts in the jar on the card. Choose the matching number from the three numbers on the side of the card. Use a clothespin to clip or mark the correct number.

Continue to count the candy hearts and clip the matching number on each card.

In my classroom, my preschoolers also worked on 1:1 correspondence skills. We add one real candy heart on top of each candy heart in the jar while counting. This is just an easy extra step that reinforces counting and number skills!

What I love best about this Valentine’s Day activity is the fine motor aspect of it. But what if that part of it is too frustrating for your little learner. No problem. Add the clothespins in as an option, but consider also including heart mini erasers or buttons to use on the count & clip cards to mark the correct number. Fine motor and math skills are still being practiced.

Here’s a sweet treat for you! Check out the other heart themed activities from some amazing blogger and teacher friends.