Planning for Valentine's Day in the classroom can sometimes be challenging. Sure, you are now an expert at the art center, but might be wondering how to bring Valentine's Day into the other centers in the classroom.
Over the years, I have came up and researched several activities to make Valentines Day an all day celebration instead of just something done at art time and valentines sent home at the end of the day. Toddlers especially love the holiday and it is one of the easiest to bring to life using the five senses. All toddler curriculum should always appeal to their five senses throughout the day.
So here are a few suggestions that I have found in to be big successes in my classroom.
Sand Water Table
Fill the table up with conversation hearts and measuring cups/spoons. The kids love pouring the hearts from cup to cup and if some slip in the mouth it is a sweet treat. Save the boxes the hearts came in for a fun project to send home for the parents. Cut out the plastic heart and place a picture of their child in the conversation box. Laminate it and place a magnet on the back of the box. It makes a great gift and there is no waste with the project.
Another item you can place in the table is the heart shaped macaroni. Place different cooking utensils and scoops.
Music Time
I saw this song once online and I just make up my own tune every year since I am not very musically inclined, but the kids love it and they are just so cute singing it.
I'm a teeny tiny valentine for you
I'm a teeny tiny valentine for you
I'm a teeny tiny valentine,
I'm always yours, will you be mine?
I'm a teeny tiny valentine for you. I teach at a Christian school, so Jesus Loves Me is also a very big song that we sing during this time. Our theme for Valentines Day is God is Love. Another cute song is There's A Big Red Heart to the tune of It's a Small World.
There's a big red heart down inside of me.
A big red heart no one else can see.
And it's filled to the brim with the love from within.
There's a big red heart in me. Reading Time
Probably my newest most favorite book is
Falling For Repunzel by Leah Wilcox. This is definitely better for the older toddlers/twos, but definitely a delight if you read it with a lot of emotion. Of course, you can go with the standard book,
Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McGratney.
Today Is Valentine's Day by P.K. Hillinan is also a good book for explaining the day.
Home Living Get some cute cooking aprons and chef hats and let the kids pretend to cook cookies. For added fun, let them roll real cookie dough or use play doh. Be sure to provide all the cooking props and valentine potholders. Also, a pretend picnic is always fun for a sweet treat.
Snack Time
Valentine's Day can not be complete without some heart cookies. The kids love them. If you have the older toddlers and/or twos, you can let them ice and sprinkle by themselves. Give them a craft stick to spread the icing and monitor the sprinkling. Another fun easy snack is jello hearts. What kid does not like jello?
Art Time I saved this center to last because if you have been teaching for a while, you most likely know just as much. There are so many heart projects out there. I make fingerprint hearts by dipping the kids finger in red stamp ink then turning a print left and right in the shape of a heart. We also decorate white sacks to take home valentines with stamps and stickers. I also allow the older kids to take red string and string heart-shape macaroni to make a necklace. These are just a few ideas. Feel free to share yours as well in the comments.
I hope this sparks your imagination for how to incorporate Valentines Day across the room. Enjoy the holiday with the kids and take lots of pictures for the parents. They make great gifts. Happy Valentine's Day!
