Tips for a Smooth Valentine’s Day Party
Valentine’s Day is a fun, low-key holiday. The most important thing is the Valentine Cards! Let your class enjoy handing out Valentines, reading them, and munching on a limited amount of treats.
- Buy extra boxes of Valentines for kids who don’t have any. Sometimes it’s a matter of money, or just a too-busy family life; other times an English Language Learner doesn’t have valentine cards because his parents don’t know about this elementary school tradition. Parents, an extra set of valentines makes a nice donation to your child’s class. Teachers, buy extra Valentines at the Dollar Store. I also buy Valentines at 75% off after the holiday for next year’s supply.
- Decorate Valentines bags: Let your students color designs on plain white paper lunch bags. This is a good way to channel Valentine excitement on the morning of the party.
- Learn about Saint Valentine: Why not bring a little history to the day? Report highlights from Saint Valentine on Wikipedia to your class. Or read aloud from a book: Saint Valentine
by Robert Sabuda is a good choice. (AR Reading Level 5.4; 0.5 points) With beautiful illustrations and simple text, this is a good Read Aloud for elementary school.
- Watch a movie: Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown
is sure to be a hit! With all the Chimpunks mania of late, let your class go old-school and watch the animated show, Alvin & the Chipmunks: A Chipmunk Valentine
.
- Limit the treats: I recommend just one treat–and make it good, like a cupcake. This way, the focus is on cards and classmates–and nobody gets sugar high. I ask parents to send in Valentine’s sale treats after the holiday for our Emergency Party Supply.
Teachers: Keep a hefty supply of thank you notes! I keep them on hand so I am always ready to write a thank you note immmediately.
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