How to Do Classroom Valentine's Day Party Games

Although exchanging Valentines and eating cookies and chocolates is a big part of a Valentine's Day party, adding games to the party can ensure that everyone will have a good time. Parent volunteers usually put together an elementary school classroom Valentine's Day party; so sign up to coordinate the games for the fun day and leave the kids with plenty of good memories. Read on to learn how.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Candy hearts
• 1 wide mouth bottle or jar
• Assorted word strips
• Paper and pencils

1. Bottled Hearts. Give each child 10 candy hearts. Arrange kids so they are standing around the jar, which is set upright on the floor. The kids should try to drop the candy hearts into the jar by holding their arm shoulder high. The one with the most hearts in the jar gets to take 1 candy heart from each of the other players. One variation of this (if you have enough jars) is to give each child their own jar to collect the candy hearts. Mix up the "drop" style, such as doing it backwards, sliding down from their forehead, using a plastic spoon in their mouth, and so forth.
2. Valentine Verses. This silly game can be played by reading-age kids and requires some advanced preparation. Prepare approximately 25 word strips, with various silly nouns, verbs and adjectives written on them, such as "lovely," "banana," "red" and "canoe." You'll also need a letter or poem with nouns, verbs and adjectives blanked out. A good one to use is the "Roses are red" poem, but longer ones are more fun for older elementary kids. Divide the word strips between the kids and have them fill in the blanks of the poem with the silly words. When they are finished, each child reads their silly Valentine verse to the group.
3. My Sweetheart Song. This game is good for all ages, and even older elementary kids who may resist at first will get into it eventually. Teach kids the song "My Sweetheart" to the tune of "My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean" with the following lyrics:
   
   My sweetheart lies over the ocean./My sweetheart lies over the sea./My sweetheart lies over the ocean./Oh, bring back my sweetheart to me./
   Bring back, bring back, bring back my sweetheart to me, to me./Bring back, bring back, bring back my sweetheart to me!
   
   Now teach them the actions to the song. Each time the word is spoken, the following actions should be performed. My--point to self; Sweetheart--hands clasped to heart; Lies--hands under cheek as if sleeping; Ocean--wave motion with left hand; Sea--wave motion with right hand; Oh--hands make the shape of "O"; Bring--calling motion with hands; Back--point to their back; To--hold up two fingers; Me--point to self.
   
   Try the song a few times. Sing it faster each time. At the fastest song, kids are guaranteed to collapse in laughter. For older kids, try a competition to see which pair or group can get through it the fastest while staying true to the song and actions.
4. Valentine's List. Seat children in a circle and designate the child who will go first. Explain that the game is an add-on game and the first child must say, "For Valentine's Day, I got (their choice of toy or treat)." The second person must repeat what the first child said and add one of their own. The third child repeats the first two items and adds one of their own. This continues around the circle until someone makes a mistake. Then that person gets to start again. As a group, try to see if they can improve upon the last time.

Tips & Warnings

• It's best to divide the kids into four groups and have them rotate between these four game stations.
• Any of these games can be adapted to different seasons.