A cotton ball heart craft for kids is a fun Valentine sensory art activity that combines texture, color, and fine motor practice. Kids glue cotton balls inside a heart shape and use droppers with colored water to create beautiful blended designs. It’s calm, creative, and perfect for quiet time crafting.

This is one of those projects where kids naturally slow down and experiment — no two hearts turn out the same.

Valentine crafts that mix texture and color are always a hit with kids. You might also enjoy our salt painting hearts, marbled shaving cream hearts, Pop-Tart Valentine house, and other easy hands-on Valentine art projects.

Why You’ll Love This Craft

Excellent quiet-time activity
Strong sensory component
Encourages color mixing
Builds fine motor control
Uses simple supplies
Great for Valentine’s season
Open-ended creative results

Supplies Needed

Cardboard (cut from a box works great)
Cotton balls
Liquid school glue
Food coloring – not pictured
Water
Droppers or medicine droppers
Small cups for colored water

Why Cardboard Works Best

Cardboard is sturdier than paper and holds up well to glue and liquid color. Cotton balls stay wet for a while, so a firm base prevents bending and tearing.

How To Make a Cotton Ball Heart Craft

Cut a piece of cardboard from a box
Draw a large heart shape
Trace the heart with liquid glue
Fill the entire heart area with glue

Press cotton balls into the glue

Cover the whole shape fully

Mix water with food coloring in cups
Give kids droppers or medicine droppers
Drop colored water onto the cotton balls
Let colors spread and blend
Encourage slow, creative design
Leave flat to dry

Drying Time

Cotton balls hold moisture
Expect an extended drying time
Best left to dry overnight
Keep flat while drying

Tips for Best Results

Use plenty of glue so cotton sticks well
Smaller cotton balls give more detail control
Demonstrate gentle dropper squeezing
Start with light colors, then add dark
Place tray underneath to catch drips
This works great as a table station activity

Variations

Make rainbow hearts
Use only Valentine colors
Try initials inside the heart
Outline with one color, fill with another
Make smaller hearts for cards
Try other shapes beyond hearts
Make this a pattern practive activity

FAQs

Is this messy?
It can drip – use a tray or table covering.

Can preschoolers do this?
Yes – this is excellent for preschool fine motor practice.

Do I need real droppers?
Medicine droppers work great, but craft droppers are also perfect.

Can this be done on paper?
Cardboard is strongly recommended for durability.

Time Needed

Prep time: 10 minutes
Active time: 20–30 minutes
Dry time: overnight

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