Happy Heart Cut and Glue

Happy Heart Cut-and-Glue Craft for K–2

A free printable heart craft that builds scissor skills and connects to Valentine’s Day, SEL, and kindness lessons

The Happy Heart Cut-and-Glue Activity is a free printable craft for Kindergarten through 2nd grade. Students color a smiling heart face, cut out each piece, and glue them together to create a cheerful, happy heart. The activity strengthens scissor skills, fine motor control, and sequencing, and fits naturally into Valentine’s Day, kindness units, feelings and emotions lessons, Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) activities, and shape recognition work in early elementary classrooms.

At a Glance

• Grade Levels: Kindergarten – 2nd Grade (ages 5–7)
• Activity Time: 15–20 minutes
• Format: Printable PDF
• Materials Needed: Scissors, glue stick, crayons or markers, cardstock (recommended), blank sheet of paper
• Skills Practiced: Scissor skills, fine motor control, sequencing, emotion recognition, shape identification
• Difficulty Level: Easy
• Prep Time: None

How to Use This Printable

1. Print the happy heart parts page on cardstock for durability.
2. Let students color the heart and face features with crayons or markers.
3. Students cut out each piece along the solid lines.
4. Glue the face features onto the heart shape on a blank sheet of paper.
5. For an extension, students can write what makes their heart happy, add kind words around the edges, or create a “Happy Heart Feelings Journal” entry.

What Students Practice

• Scissor skills and cutting accuracy
• Hand-eye coordination and pincer grip development
• Sequencing (placing features in the correct position)
• Emotion and facial expression recognition
• Shape identification (the heart shape)
• Following multi-step directions independently
• Creativity through color and decoration choices

When to Use It

• Valentine’s Day classroom activities and craft stations
• Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) lessons on emotions and self-awareness
• Feelings and emotions units throughout the year
• Kindness and friendship themes
• Random Acts of Kindness Day (February 17)
• World Kindness Day (November 13)
• Mother’s Day and Father’s Day card crafts
• Grandparents Day gifts (September)
• 100th Day of School (100 hearts bulletin board)
• Shape recognition lessons in early math
• Morning meeting SEL check-ins
• Homeschool character and kindness studies

SEL Classroom Connections

• Self-Awareness (CASEL): Students identify what makes their own heart happy — favorite people, places, and activities — building emotion vocabulary.
• Relationship Skills (CASEL): Use the craft as a springboard for discussions about kindness, friendship, and how we make other people’s hearts happy.
• Self-Management (CASEL): Pair with a “feelings check-in” where students compare a happy heart to sad, angry, or worried feelings.
• Literacy Extension: Have students write or dictate what makes them happy by completing the sentence “My heart is happy when ___.”

 Teacher Tips

• Print on cardstock so the small facial features hold their shape during cutting and gluing.
• For younger students or those with fine motor challenges, pre-cut the smallest pieces.
• Pair with a feelings anchor chart or emotion wheel for a richer SEL lesson.
• Display finished hearts on a “Kindness Wall” bulletin board with students’ written or dictated messages.
• Connect with picture books like The Invisible Boy by Trudy Ludwig or Have You Filled a Bucket Today? by Carol McCloud.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this happy heart craft printable free? Yes. This happy heart cut-and-glue activity is completely free to download and use in classrooms, homeschools, therapy sessions, and at home.

What grade levels is this craft for? It is designed for Kindergarten through 2nd grade (ages 5 to 7). Pre-K students can complete it with teacher-assisted cutting, and older students can extend it with writing about emotions or kindness.

How long does the activity take? Most students complete the craft in 15 to 20 minutes, depending on how much time they spend coloring and adding details.

What materials do I need? Scissors, a glue stick, crayons or markers, the printed happy heart page, and a blank sheet of paper or cardstock for the final assembly.

Can I use this for a Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) lesson? Yes. The craft is ideal for SEL units on self-awareness, emotions, and kindness. Students can identify the happy emotion, then discuss and write about what makes their own hearts happy.

Is this a good Valentine’s Day activity? Yes. The happy heart is a classic Valentine’s Day craft and works well for February classroom celebrations, Valentine card stations, and friendship-themed lessons.

Does this work for a shapes unit? Yes. The heart is a recognizable shape that young children can identify, trace, and connect to early geometry lessons on two-dimensional shapes.

Looking for more feelings and kindness printables? Explore our SEL-friendly craft collection, browse heart and Valentine coloring pages, or check out our early learning worksheets — all free for classroom and homeschool use.