As a teacher, I used to not enjoy Valentine's Day parties. It felt chaotic and the kids were extra distracted. A few years into teaching, I decided to embrace the fun and crazy! I started doing themed parties with specific activities planned that were carried out through stations in my classroom. I have put together ten SWEET Valentine's Day classroom party ideas that are low prep for you, the teacher. They are also super engaging for students, which cuts down on behavior issues throughout the day. You can do these activities as stations or you can do them throughout the day as a whole group. Pick and choose which ideas you use or use them all! I would usually do the stations in small groups that rotated and did the snack part together at the end as a class.
Can I just say that I am OBSESSED with Valentine's Day decor?! It's just so bright and fun! You can print these decorations to hang on your front board to get students in the Valentine spirit. The theme is all about sweets, so I had to add these cute sweet printables.
Families love to help with parties and send in whatever you need. I would send this family letter home 2-3 weeks in advance. Be sure to tell families when you need it back and when you need the supply they are donating. I include an editable letter in the resource so that you can add whatever you need. You could also create a Sign Up Genius for families if you are feeling techie.
If you are doing stations, print the station signs for each station you are going to use. I attached these numbers so that students would know which station to rotate to next.
Of course, you don't have to do stations! You can do the activities whole group, especially with the pandemic still in full force. Here is little party agenda that you can follow to make sure you fit in all of the activities.
I like to give students a break from their usual morning work on holidays. They can color this printable when they first come in that morning.
Families will love getting photos with students holding these Valentine pennant flags! You can print all four on cardstock. I attach them to a wooden skewer with scotch tape. You can even tie different ribbons to the stick for a little extra flair!
It's not a party without a STEM challenge! I tried to create a super simple challenge that doesn't require much prep. All you need are these little Love Robots printed on cardstock and Conversation Hearts for each student. They have to build the tallest free standing tower that can hold the Love Robot on top.
Color by Number is always a favorite for my students. I kept it simple with addition to 12 so that most students could independently complete the printable.
Instead of bringing in Valentine boxes, I always have my students create a treat bag at school. For this one, they will put together a donut craft to attach to these craft paper gift bags. I included these on the family letter, because I always have parents who are willing to pick them up for us. They can use these bags to hold the Valentine cards they receive from their friends.
Be sure to grab some extra Conversation Hearts for BINGO! I put the name of each piece of clip art on the calling cards, because I know some of them can be a little confusing. There are ten different BINGO boards included, so that you can have lots of variation if you play as a whole group.
I ended up changing the name of this station after I took these photos to Sweet Reads. I like to start off stations by reading one Valentine's Day read aloud. I also let them listen to one while they are eating their party snack.
Put all of your Valentine's Day books in a basket or tub for the Sweet Reads station.
If you need to incorporate some standards into your party, students can fill out this BME graphic organizer after reading one of the books.
The directed drawing for this party is of a cupcake. I try to keep them pretty simple for stations, in case they are doing this independently. Printable directed drawing steps are included that you can hang at the station.
We do the party snack at the end of the day as a whole group. I put everything together while they are at their stations. I have been making Cupid's Floats with my students for as long as I can remember. It's super easy, just pour cherry 7UP and add a scoop of vanilla ice cream. I put a strawberry Twizzler in for a straw but have found that it's hard to drink the float through, so I grab some straws to stick in there, too.
We do a snack mix for Halloween and for Valentine's Day. The usual cupcakes and all the things are just a waste and are messy. I like to do a snack mix filled with fun Valentine treats, so that the kids can pick and choose what they want to eat without a mess. Be sure to put each student's individual snack mix in a bag that is resealable so they can take the leftovers home. I found these cute bags at Target!
If you would like your Valentine's Day classroom party planned for you, click on any of the photos to grab the resource. I know you all loved the Halloween and Christmas Party Activities, so I just had to put together one for Valentine's Day. My goal is to always make things that are low prep for you and engaging and fun for your students. Grab this party resource to join in on the classroom party fun!
Insights, advice, suggestions, feedback and comments from experts
As an expert in classroom party planning, I have years of experience as a teacher and have successfully organized engaging and low-prep Valentine's Day parties for my students. Initially, I used to find Valentine's Day parties chaotic and distracting, but after a few years, I decided to embrace the fun and craziness that comes with the occasion.
To ensure a smooth and enjoyable party experience, I started organizing themed parties with specific activities planned out through stations in my classroom. These activities are not only engaging for students but also help to minimize behavior issues throughout the day. Teachers have the flexibility to either set up these activities as stations or incorporate them as whole-group activities throughout the day.
To set the mood and get students excited for Valentine's Day, I highly recommend printing out bright and fun decorations such as sweet-themed printables to hang on your front board. These decorations will create a festive atmosphere and help students get into the Valentine's spirit.
Family involvement is crucial for the success of classroom parties, and parents are usually eager to contribute. I suggest sending a family letter home 2-3 weeks in advance, requesting supplies and assistance. You can provide an editable letter in the resource to customize it according to your specific needs. Alternatively, you can use online platforms like Sign Up Genius to organize the contributions if you prefer a more tech-savvy approach.
If you decide to go with the station setup, make sure to print station signs for each activity and attach numbers to guide students on which station to rotate to next. However, please note that whole-group activities may be more suitable, especially considering the ongoing pandemic.
To start off the day, I recommend giving students a break from their usual morning work by providing a printable coloring sheet that matches the Valentine's Day theme. This activity will help students ease into the festivities.
Parents will appreciate capturing memories of their children during the party. You can print Valentine pennant flags for students to hold while taking photos. Attach these flags to wooden skewers using scotch tape, or add ribbons to the stick for an extra touch.
No party is complete without a STEM challenge! I have designed a simple and fun Love Robots tower-building challenge that requires minimal preparation. Print out Love Robots on cardstock and provide each student with Conversation Hearts. They will have to build the tallest free-standing tower that can hold the Love Robot on top.
Color by Number activities are always a hit with students. For Valentine's Day, keep it simple by focusing on addition up to 12. This printable activity allows most students to independently complete the task.
Instead of traditional Valentine boxes, I suggest having students create treat bags at school. They can assemble a donut craft and attach it to craft paper gift bags. You can include these bags in the family letter and request parents to pick them up. The bags can later be used to hold the Valentine cards students receive from their friends.
Add some extra fun to the party with Valentine's Day-themed BINGO! Ensure you have enough Conversation Hearts for everyone. To make it easier for students, include the name of each clip art on the calling cards.
A Sweet Reads station is an excellent way to start the stations. Choose a Valentine's Day book for a read-aloud session and let students listen to another book while enjoying their party snack.
To create a cozy reading corner, gather all your Valentine's Day books in a basket or tub and place them at the Sweet Reads station. For students who want to incorporate standards into the party, provide a BME (Beginning, Middle, End) graphic organizer for them to fill out after reading one of the books.
For the directed drawing station, choose a simple cupcake drawing that students can follow independently. Print out step-by-step directions and hang them at the station for easy reference.
Lastly, the party snack should be done as a whole group at the end of the day. While students are engaged in their stations, you can prepare Cupid's Floats, a Valentine's Day classic. Simply pour cherry 7UP and add a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Optionally, insert a strawberry Twizzler as a straw, or provide additional straws for easier drinking.
Alternatively, you can opt for a snack mix filled with fun Valentine treats, which allows students to pick and choose what they want to eat without creating a mess. Make sure to put each student's individual snack mix in a resealable bag so they can take any leftovers home. Target offers cute bags that can be used for this purpose.
If you would like a ready-made Valentine's Day classroom party plan, you can click on any of the photos provided in the resource. The goal of this party resource is to make it low-prep for teachers while ensuring it is engaging and fun for students. Join the classroom party fun by grabbing this resource and enjoy a stress-free Valentine's Day celebration with your students.
