Valentine’s Day is right around the corner. By now, your classroom is undoubtedly adorned in pinks and reds, with hearts on your worksheets and hand-made crafts on the wall. There’s a party planned for next Tuesday, and the whole class is invited. The question is, will every child (or his or her parent) be prepared to take part? And if not, how will you make sure everyone remains included?
Valentine’s Day, like many gift-giving holidays, can be a great time for your students. There are secret admirers, candy, special notes, and who can forget all that chocolate! But, as you know, the greater the anticipation, the greater the let down may be if the day doesn’t go as planned.
abcteach has hundreds of great Valentine’s Day materials to keep on-hand or create at a moment’s notice. The following quick tips and ideas can help your class celebrations run smoothly.
Pre-Party
• Save time by creating a Valentine’s Day box at home.
• Send a reminder about classroom food allergies or sensitivities. Ask parents to include sugar or gluten-free options so that treats can be enjoyed by everyone.
• Bring in extra goodies, just in case.
At the Party
• Forgot the cards at home? Not a problem, have students create their own.
• If card boxes were left at home, substitutes can be created quickly by stapling and decorating large manila folders.
• Make sure each child’s card container is on their desk. This helps immensely with time management.
Suggested Valentine’s Day activities
• Create a word search and/or word scramble with abctools. Puzzles can include students’ names or Valentine-themed words.
• Set out holiday coloring pages, along with markers, stickers, crayons, and paint.
• Select any or all activities from our Valentine’s Day Learning Center.
• Get artsy with mobiles, glass hearts, and Valentine’s trees (members materials)
Valentine Reading Comprehensions
• Reading activities can be used with the whole class or in small groups. They can be included in multiple subject discussions, incorporating grammar lessons, character analysis, creative writing, or foreign language practice.
Valentine Writing Activities
• Compose poems, color and write stories, or create a variety of blank shape books for your class
As your celebration draws near, we hope these tips spark new ideas and better prepare you for some of the day’s surprises.
Happy Valentine’s Day!