Valentine’s Day classroom activities are really important to have ready to go. I’m sharing 10 great low prep or no prep Valentine’s Day activities to do with your class to help maintain engagement and reduce the chaos. They are in no particular order.
Prior to Valentine’s Day, send home a list of names at least a week in advance. Always have extra lists because student lose them. Use the day before Valentine’s Day to make a receptacle. Learn about my favorite, low prep containers. Read this blog post with 6 essential ideas for Valentine’s Day success for more details.
1. Have a few games on hand
My favorite Valentine’s Day classroom game has always been what we call “Hide.” It’s so simple, but kids LOVE it, even though it’s not holiday-themed. After consuming a bit of candy and opening their cards, select one student to be a detective. This student goes outside the closed door so they can’t hear. Then, as a class, we pick one student to hide. I have them go under my desk; you may have other places. I often just draw numbers from my number can (each student has a number). This makes it completely objective. Next, all other students switch seats. The rule is that they remain visible and no hoods.
The “Detective” returns and gets 3 guesses as to who is missing. If the detective struggles, I have the student under the desk say, “Happy Valentine’s Day” in a disguised voice. After 3 incorrect guesses, the student comes out. Another detective is selected and the game continues. I swear my class will play this game the entire period. And if it works, I’m all for it. They leave my room calm and happy, two great behaviors on Valentine’s Day!
2. Do a fun listening Valentine’s Day Classroom activity
The great thing about this is that kids are calm and quiet while trying to listen to an follow instructions. It’s great practice for geography, math, and listening skills. There are 2 with Valentine’s Day themes and 1 Yeti monster theme that you can find by clicking here.
3. Whole-class Valentine’s Day games are a win-win
Kids love “Find the Eraser.” I know…it doesn’t sound all that exciting, but this simple game holds the attention of the entire class and every round ends in laughter. Here’s how it works. Send one student (the detective) outside so they can’t see or hear. Grab the whiteboard eraser (or some other object that’s not too large, but big enough to see from a distance). Hide it in plain sight. The entire class knows exactly where it is (in fact, they can help hide it).
When the detective returns to the room, the other kiddos can’t speak. They may only hiss. The closer the detective gets to the eraser, the louder they hiss. As the detective moves away from the eraser, the hisses get quieter and then stop as the distance increases. Once the eraser is found, select another student to be the detective. That’s it! No fuss, no mess, no expense, and lots of fun, guaranteed!
4. Figurative Langauge Task Cards
Valentine’s Day lends itself to figurative language. I have 40 cards that I tape up around the classroom. Students partner up with a clipboard or book for writing on and move around from card to card, reading and determining the type of figurative language used. Easy and engaging! Find the figurative language task cards here.
5. Borax crystals are easy engagement
For science, making borax crystal hearts is always a hit in class. Borax and pipe cleaners that can be shaped are the bulk of the supplies you’ll need. Find the directions here.
6. Paper airplanes and Valentine’s Day classroom activities?
Building an airplane to deliver Valentine messages is an engaging activity. Paper and paper clips are your supplies. Create some urgency to have the letter delivered across the classroom with the most accurate paper airplane. Find a fun lesson here.
7. Classroom karaoke might be just the ticket
If you have a machine, or there’s one on campus, get a playlist of love songs. Kids can even write their own songs. This is a selective audience, but there are probably kids who’d jump at the chance.
8. Origami Bookmarks are simple, versatile, and hold student interest
Once you learn how to do the basic corner fold, you can make almost any creature, including a Love Bug. Here’s a link to a short video on making the corner bookmark. The supplies are basic: construction paper, scissors, and glue. Students can make family gifts, classmate gifts, etc. If you don’t use these in February, it’s beneficial to watch the video for any time of year. For years I did a station at Open House where families could make bookmarks…always a huge hit!
9. Would you rather Valentine’s candy
This “Would you Rather” Valentine’s candy exercise video is 7 minutes long and has kids getting up and out of their seats doing activities based on their candy choice. Great for any day close to Valentine’s Day. Find the video here.
10. Strange histories make great Valentine’s Day Classroom Activities
Who Invented Valentine’s Day? Here’s a 3 minute video trying to answer this question. It’s great for older students. Find it here.
There are some strange things related to Valentine’s Day. “Who Was Cupid? or “Where did Conversation Hearts Come From?” You can use these funny (often bizarre) histories to your advantage and boost student academic skills. Below is the link to the history of those candy hearts that are everywhere this time of year. Find this engaging reading mini-unit here.
Happy Valentine’s Day.
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