Hi, friends! It's February which means Valentine's Day will be here SOON! This post is going up early in the month to give you time to plan and organize your party. Each year, I set up Valentine-themed stations in lieu of a Valentine's "party." Today's post is going to highlight what I do and how I organize the stations!
First up, I decide on how many stations I want. I typically decide this based on the number of students in my class. I also decide this based on how many parent helpers I think I can get in. This year, I'll probably go with either 4 or 5 stations with 4-5 kids in each. Once decided, I print my station signs. I gather materials and place them in large tubs as shown below. The signs I purchased can be found by clicking below. *affiliate link*
Prior to beginning our party, we always make our bags. This is usually done in the morning. My students do not bring their own boxes; I have tried over the years and the majority of kids don't make one/bring one in. Below are some examples of bags I've done in the past with my kids. First up are some fun bags from Oriental Trading! They have tons to choose from and let me tell you--these kits are the way to go!!!! Love them so much! Click HERE to see them all. Last year, I had the kids pick emoji or monkey. Notice the kids wrote their names on the FRONT. This is to help make passing out Valentine cards super easy! I just line the bags at the front of the room. Doing so ensures the kids can see their friends' bags.
These next bags are just gift bags from Michael's. I believe they were in a pack of 6-8 and were kind of pricey! I haven't done these bags for years. The kids made hearts and I wrote their initials on the front with glue and glitter.
Here's another idea using those gift bags from a craft store. We made a ladybug craft from "A Cupcake for the Teacher" and glued it to the front.
This has nothing to do with the Valentine bags, but it's a cute craft and could be glued to the front of a gift bag. If not, these bees make a fun display! These are also from "A Cupcake for the Teacher."
One station I have every year no matter what is the "kindness notes" station. This is where kids write nice messages to friends, other teachers, or family members. I include markers, crayons, pencils, envelopes, and Valentine stickers at this station. I also include a list (editable list included in party pack download) that has some word helpers on it for them (teacher names and general family member names). Finally, I include some sentence stems. I love giving kids these because it allows them to focus on their thoughts vs. how to start their message.
Another non-negotiable station is Valentine's BINGO! The kids assemble the boards and play with Valentine M & M's. Muffin holders make great candy cups! The game goes super fast, so I recommend having the kids make their boards as part of the station. You can include fun, Valentine-themed prizes, too!
Next up we either make a Valentine pudding snack or ice a Valentine cookie. When doing cookies, I include milk. You can also have your kids write out the steps using the provided papers! Hello Writing Standards!
Last up is an oldie but goodie! I haven't done this as part of my party, but have done it in class. To prepare this activity, print the included Valentine word cards or type out your own word list (editable page included). Place one word card per box. Kids take a box, one at a time, and open it to reveal a word. They write it on their papers. Continue. The boxes can be found HERE through Oriental Trading.
Prior to beginning our party, we always make our bags. This is usually done in the morning. My students do not bring their own boxes; I have tried over the years and the majority of kids don't make one/bring one in. Below are some examples of bags I've done in the past with my kids. First up are some fun bags from Oriental Trading! They have tons to choose from and let me tell you--these kits are the way to go!!!! Love them so much! Click HERE to see them all. Last year, I had the kids pick emoji or monkey. Notice the kids wrote their names on the FRONT. This is to help make passing out Valentine cards super easy! I just line the bags at the front of the room. Doing so ensures the kids can see their friends' bags.
These next bags are just gift bags from Michael's. I believe they were in a pack of 6-8 and were kind of pricey! I haven't done these bags for years. The kids made hearts and I wrote their initials on the front with glue and glitter.
Here's another idea using those gift bags from a craft store. We made a ladybug craft from "A Cupcake for the Teacher" and glued it to the front.
This has nothing to do with the Valentine bags, but it's a cute craft and could be glued to the front of a gift bag. If not, these bees make a fun display! These are also from "A Cupcake for the Teacher."
One station I have every year no matter what is the "kindness notes" station. This is where kids write nice messages to friends, other teachers, or family members. I include markers, crayons, pencils, envelopes, and Valentine stickers at this station. I also include a list (editable list included in party pack download) that has some word helpers on it for them (teacher names and general family member names). Finally, I include some sentence stems. I love giving kids these because it allows them to focus on their thoughts vs. how to start their message.
Another non-negotiable station is Valentine's BINGO! The kids assemble the boards and play with Valentine M & M's. Muffin holders make great candy cups! The game goes super fast, so I recommend having the kids make their boards as part of the station. You can include fun, Valentine-themed prizes, too!
Next up we either make a Valentine pudding snack or ice a Valentine cookie. When doing cookies, I include milk. You can also have your kids write out the steps using the provided papers! Hello Writing Standards!
Last up is an oldie but goodie! I haven't done this as part of my party, but have done it in class. To prepare this activity, print the included Valentine word cards or type out your own word list (editable page included). Place one word card per box. Kids take a box, one at a time, and open it to reveal a word. They write it on their papers. Continue. The boxes can be found HERE through Oriental Trading.
I hope you have a great Valentine party!!! Enjoy!
xo
Megan
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