Homemade Valentine’s Day Gummy Treats For Kids
Getting kids involved in the kitchen is a great way to get them learning! All 3 of my kids adore gummy treats, so why not try to make some at home?
I did a little research, and it turns out it is really easy to make at home gummies. And it doesn’t take long!
So get ready to make these easy and fun homemade Valentine’s gummy treats and help your kids work on some STEM concepts! (And scroll down to the bottom to get the free printable instructions for this activity!)
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What's In This Post?
How To Make Homemade Valentines Gummy Treats
These treats are really fun and easy to make, but they do need a grown-up to help since you will be using the stove. Start to finish the whole thing can be done in an hour! (They do need time to set.)
Supplies To Make Valentine’s Day Heart Gummies
You don’t need much to make these, just a few specific items.
- 3 oz. Box of Jello
- 1 Tablespoon Gelatin
- 1/2 Cup Water
- Silicone Molds
- Droppers
Any flavor of Jello works for this, but we went with strawberry for the red color.
You can get gelatin in the same spot of the grocery store as Jello. It’s just unflavored. Knox is the kind we used.
I got heart-shaped molds at Target. (Dollar spot!) You can find them at craft stores or online. The key is to make sure it is food grade. (If you can’t find any you can get these molds from Amazon.)
You can also get droppers from Amazon. I actually ordered a pack of about 200 a few months ago. That does that seem like too many droppers? It might sound like it, but it so isn’t. You’d be amazed by how many fun ways you can find to use them. They are for sure a worthwhile investment.
How To Make DIY Valentine’s Gummy Hearts
It really doesn’t take very long to make these gummy hearts. Once we had all the supplies together we were ready to fill the molds in just a couple of minutes.
Step 1. Add 1/2 cup water to a small pot and put it over medium heat.
Step 2. Add your 3 oz. packet of Jello.
Step 3. Add in 1 tablespoon of gelatin. (That was about 1 packet of our gelatin.)
Step 4. Stir until dissolved. (Again, it won’t take long!)
Step 5. Fill your molds.
This is a great step for your kids to help out with. Warn them that the pot is hot, but they can use droppers to add the mixture to the mold.
Working with droppers is great for fine motor skills as it builds hand muscles. It also encourages focus as it takes precision to get the mixture into the right places. There might be bubbles in your treats, so you can try to poke them with a toothpick to pop them. They don’t impact taste at all, but it is pretty when you have a smooth treat.
Step 6. Put your mold in the fridge for about 30 minutes.
Step 7. Pop the treats out of the mold and eat!
Tips and Tricks
You might need more than one dropper per child. As the mixture cools it starts to set and can build up in the dropper a bit. This isn’t a problem if an adult is filling the mold, but little ones might need more time to get it done.
If you find that your mixture is setting too quickly, put it back on the heat for a few moments.
You can store these in an airtight container for about a week.
How Do They Taste?
This is the real question, right? How do these gummies taste?
Total honesty here. They taste good. But they are not real gummies like you would buy in the store. They are more like firmer Jello. This makes sense as that is basically what they are.
My kids noticed that they didn’t taste like the gummy worms or bears we have gotten in the past, but they did enjoy them. They are pretty and fun and worth making.
We made a second batch with double the gelatin to see if it made the treats more gummy-like. It didn’t really change much. They were a little stiffer, but it isn’t the same consistency. So I’d just stick to the amount in the recipe.
Sensory Learning
Anytime you are working with food you can introduce an element of sensory play.
Ask your children how the gummies feel. Can the squish them? Pull them apart? Press on them? Encourage them to get in there and experience the texture.
How do the gummies smell? Do they smell sweet? Stinky? Like fruit? Does it smell like anything else they remember?
How do the gummies taste? More than just flavor, how do they feel in your mouth? Crunchy or soft? Firm or liquidy?
Encouraging this kind of exploration strengthens observation skills and helps build vocabulary. Learn more about why sensory play matters here: The Big Benefits of Sensory Play.
The Science of Gelatin
What is gelatin?
Gelatin is a processed form of collagen, Collagen is a protein found in most animals. Most gelatin comes from pig cow bones and skin. (This is why vegans don’t consume Jello, it is made with animal products.)
How does gelatin work?
When you put that packet of Jello into hot water, the bonds holding the collagen together break apart. The proteins then float around all happy and free until the Jello begins to cool.
As the solution cools, new bonds are formed between the collagen strands. However, this time particles of water and the flavor are trapped between the strands. This is why Jello is a solid, but it jiggles around.
If you heat up Jello the bonds will break again and your Jello will liquify.
Enjoy Your Valentine Gummies!
I know my kids are going to enjoy making treats like this for future holidays as well. Fun and tasty learning, it’s the best!
How To Make Valentine's Heart Gummy Treats
How to make homemade Valentine gummies with your kids!
Materials
- 1/2 cup water
- 3 oz package of Jello
- 1 Tablespoon gelatin
Tools
- Silicone heart mold
- Droppers
Instructions
These homemade gummy treats are super easy to make, but they do need adult help.
- Put 1/2 cup water into a pot over medium heat.
- Add one 3 oz package of Jello.
- Add 1 tablespoon gelatin.
- Mix until dissolved.
- Use droppers to add the mixture to silicone molds.
- Put molds into the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Pop the gummies out of the molds and enjoy!
Notes
Safety:
This uses the stove, so adult supervision is a good idea. Make sure your children know not to touch the pot or the hot gummy mixture.
Tips:
It is helpful to have more than one dropper per child. As the solution cools it coats the inside of the dropper making it harder to suck up.
If the solution starts to set too quickly, place it back on the heat for a minute or two.