Valentine's Day is right around the corner, and classroom parties are being scheduled and planned. Enjoy these ideas for games, snacks and crafts! If you've got fun ideas, email us for next year's list.
GAMES
Toddler/Preschool
- Bean bag toss. Paste cut-out hearts inside some empty one-gallon ice cream containers. Give each heart inside the container a value, i.e., 5 points, 10 points. Place the containers on the floor somewhere in the classroom. Have the student stand behind a line on the floor (use masking tape for the line). Without going over the line, see how many bean bags (or Ziploc freezer bags filled with beans) the student can toss into the containers.
- Pin the Heart on the Teddy Bear. Draw or trace a teddy bear onto a piece of poster board. Don’t worry about making the bear look perfect. Draw a simple one using 12 circles and/or ovals. Start with two big circles for the head and body. Then two circles for the ears, four ovals for the arms and legs and a smaller circle inside the head for the nose part. Add eyes and a nose. Draw an outline of a heart in the center of the bear’s body. Then once this is all done, cut out little red hearts for the kids to stick on the bear. Don’t forget the blindfold!
Elementary
- The "Unscramble" Game: Come up with several words related to Valentine’s Day, i.,e., chocolate, Cupid, sweetheart. Print them out on the computer in somewhat big letters. Cut apart the words and place one word per paper sack. Then pass out the paper sacks and see if the kids can unscramble the word. This activity can be done individually or as a group. For groups, make it a contest to see who can unscramble the word the fastest. Just remember to give all the groups the same word.
- Valentine Bingo: Check out this website www.dltk-kids.com for easy to make valentine bingo cards and call sheets.
- Valentine tongue twisters. Have the kids try to say these phrases five times fast. 1)Little Lily Lemon loves licking lollipops. 2) Clever Chloe kissed Kevin. 3) Sue chewed seven sweet-tarts. Try to make up more, they’re fun!!
CRAFTS
Toddler/Preschool
- Sweet smelling hearts. Cut out medium-size hearts using various colors. Generously apply glue all over the heart. Sprinkle gelatin over the glue. Have a variety of gelatin flavors set out for the kids to use. Let dry and send home!
- Macaroni Hearts. Have each child glue elbow macaroni onto a heart paper. Don’t cut out the heart from the paper. Just trace a heart onto the paper so the toddlers can use the line as a guide as to where to glue the macaroni. Once all the macaroni is glued on, then sprinkle red and white glitter on the macaroni and the rest of the heart. No extra glue needed for the glitter. (I’ll bet there’s enough glue on that paper already!!!)
Elementary
- Woven Heart. Cut out hearts, then fold in half. Cut slits in the fold of the heart but not completely to the edge. Cut out strips of colorful paper for the kids to weave the paper into the slits. Open the folded heart and begin weaving. Start under then over for the first row. Then over then under the slits for the second row.
Candy Heart Stories.
Have the kids make up stories using candy conversation hearts. They don’t have to use a heart for each word, but have them use them as filler. Start by giving the kids each a sheet of paper, a small paper cup full of candy hearts and some glue. Let the kids look at the hearts and see if they can come up with a story. Glue the candy hearts on the page where they best fit into the story. For instance, one heart may say, “Hugs.” So, the child could write something like…”I asked for “hugs” from my valentine.” The next heart might say “sweet”. So then write, “My valentine thought that was “sweet.””
SNACKS
Toddler/Preschool
- Heart-shaped peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Make regular PB&J’s, then cut out a heart using a heart shaped cookie cutter.
- Pink and White Iced Animal Crackers. These are great. Just stop the grocery store and pick them up from the cookie/cracker aisle. Use a red paper heart doily for a placemat. Waa laa – very festive.
Elementary
- A super-sized heart shaped chocolate chip cookie. Either make it at home or buy from the grocery store. Some schools won’t let you bring homemade snacks. But if you can, then just roll out 2 rolls of pre-made cookie dough, shape into a heart, bake then add icing.
- Red and white swirled ice cream in ice cream cups. You can find these pre-packaged goodies at the grocery store in the freezer section. Pair this snack with some cute valentine napkins and there you have it! Nothing beats ice cream. (Or at least in our house!)
Here’s wishing you much success on the Valentine’s Day parties. I’m sure they will be grand!!
Submitted by Springfield Moms "idea guru" and Advisory Board member Allison Klint. For even more ideas, check out Allison's article for Valentine's Day 2009. Read here.
