Valentine Fun

What is it about Valentine's Day that's so much fun for kids?  They're not involved in romance, so that couldn't be it!  We give them some class time to exchange some silly cards.  Well, that's definitely fun.  And there's all that candy...  plus, it's something fun during the "longest" month of the year!

Yes, I know, February is really the shortest month of the year, and we have the last week off.  But for those of us in New England who are totally sick of the winter cold by this point, February is the "longest" month of the year!  Valentine's Day is a nice break from the mundane.

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Well, as I was strolling through the Dollar Store yesterday, I saw packages of plastic heart containers.  Immediately I started thinking about what I can do with them in the classroom.  (Do normal people stroll through the Dollar Store and try to find stuff they can buy for their jobs?)

I found myself thinking of the activity I did last year with Easter Eggs, and I thought I'd adapt it to Valentine Hearts.


So today I made Valentine Synonym or Antonym Match Up.  I can't wait to show the kids!  I even found some shiny red bags to put the pieces in!

Speaking of Valentine's Day, be sure to check out my latest freebie:  Valentine's Day Mini-Books!
There's a mini book with Valentine's Trivia, and a mini book for the children to list all the things they love!  Plus, it comes with directions on how to fold and cut the mini-books.

I have one more activity to show you:  it's a math facts board game:  Have a Heart Math Facts Game!  It practices basic addition and subtraction facts.

I can't blog about Valentine's Day without mentioning my very favorite Valentine's Day book: Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch!  This book will warm your heart, without a doubt.  It can actually be read any time of year, but it's a MUST READ for Valentine's Week!

I love children's books!  I can't resist once I start looking at books, but here are several more with a Valentine's Day or a LOVE theme.  Be sure to click on each book for a link to Amazon to learn more about that book.  (For the Love of Autumn is another one of my all time favorites - Patricia Polacco is an amazing author!)