Conversation Heart Graphing

If you’ve spent any time around children (or read any blogs with activities for kids), you know that this idea is certainly not anything new.  In fact, I did this with my first graders every year when I was teaching.  I have seen the idea for Conversation Heart Graphing adapted in what seems like a million different ways.  But yet every child loves it (and not only because they normally get to eat a few of the candies at the end).  :)

One thing I love about this activity is that it is easily adaptable for the age and ability of your child.  I did this activity first with Little Brother and later with Big Brother.  With Little Brother, we concentrated on sorting and counting the colors.  We also talked a little bit about which color had the most and the least, but that’s about as far as we ventured to take this activity with a 3-year old.  With Big Brother, we talked specifically about how many more of each color there were and how fewer candies there were in a certain color.

Here’s what you’ll need:  Candy Conversation Hearts, paper, a marker, a ruler, and some crayons.

1.  Make your “graph”.  This will be dependent on the colors of candies.  I thought about making a printable, but I didn’t have access to my printer at the  moment.  Plus, I think it’s beneficial to know that we can pull out a piece of paper and make something just as easily.  :)

2.  Gather your candies…

3.  Show your child how to place them on the graph.  Even young children (ages 2-3) can grasp this concept once it’s demonstrated for them.

I didn’t leave quite enough space, so our hearts got a little jumbled in their columns.  :)

A happy boy after getting to enjoy a couple of candies after his hard work!

 Check out more of our Valentine’s Day ideas here or on our Pinterest board!