By SpringfieldMoms.org

Enjoy these Valentine's Day class party ideas from our party guru, Allison Klint.  If you have some favorites to share with our Springfield Moms readers, please email us or post below.

Games

Toddler/Preschool

• Ring a-round the Rosie.  Play an old time favorite. Break up into small groups and play over and over again.  See crafts and snacks for toddlers below if you want to make a rose—themed party.

• Bean bag toss. Paste cut-out hearts inside some empty one-gallon ice cream containers. Give each heart inside the container a value, i.e., 5 points, 10 points. Place the containers on the floor somewhere in the classroom. Have the student stand behind a line on the floor (use masking tape for the line). Without going over the line, see how many bean bags (or Ziploc freezer bags filled with beans) the student can get into the containers.

Elementary

• Humming Valentine. Choose someone to be IT. Send IT to the hallway. Hide a cut-out heart somewhere in the classroom while IT is in the hallway. Invite IT back into the classroom. Have the kids hum to let IT find the heart. (Just like hot and cold, but with a quieter spin on it!)

• Eagle Eye. Pick 3 people to go out in the hallway. While they are in the hallway, place a medium sized heart somewhere in the classroom with some of it partially shown and partially hidden. Invite the 3 people back in and see whose eagle eye finds it first. Then repeat using 3 other people and a different hiding place.

• Unscramble. Come up with several words related to Valentine’s Day, i.,e., chocolate, Cupid. Print them out on the computer in somewhat big letters. Cut apart the words and place one word per paper sack. Then pass out the paper sacks and see if the kids can unscramble the word. This activity can be done individually or as a group.  If using groups, make it a contest to see who can unscramble the word the fastest. Just remember to give all the groups the same word.

CRAFTS

Toddler/Preschool

• Roses are red. Have the kids make a rose picture. And then add a cute poem like….Roses are red,Violets are blue, Forever and always, I’ll be your Valentine too!

• Sweet smelling hearts. Cut out medium-size hearts using various colors. Generously apply glue all over the heart. Sprinkle gelatin over the glue. Have a variety of gelatin flavors set out for the kids to use. Let dry and send home!

Elementary

• Heart Pencil Heads. All you need are plain erasers that fit on top of pencils. Cut out some hearts (or if older have them cut the hearts out). Make sure your heart has a nice long point at the bottom. Attach heart to pencil using white floral tape. Add a bow if you want. Glue tiny silly eyes on the hearts and maybe some crazy fuzzy hair. It’ll be like their own rendition of the crazy troll!

• Candy Heart Stories. Have the kids make up stories using candy conversation hearts. They don’t have to use a heart for each word, but have them use them as filler. Start by giving the kids each a sheet of paper, a small paper cup full of candy hearts and some glue. Let the kids look at the hearts and see if they can come up with a story. Glue the candy hearts on the page where they best fit into the story. For instance, one heart may say, “Hugs.” So, the child could write something like…”I asked for “hugs” from my valentine.” The next heart might say, “sweet”. So then write, “My valentine thought that was “sweet.”

SNACKS

Toddler/Preschool

• Roses are red, violets are blue. Since kids probably don’t want to eat these flowers, offer them strawberries for the red and blueberries for the blue.

• Pink and White Iced Animal Crackers. These are great. Just stop at the grocery store and pick them up from the cookie/cracker aisle. Use a red paper heart doily for a placemat. Waa laa! Very festive.

Elementary

• Fruit kebabs with strawberry yogurt. Make fruit kebabs with strawberries, blueberries, oranges and then have the kids dip in strawberry yogurt for a very tasty and refreshing treat!

• Red and white swirled ice cream in ice cream cups. You can find these pre-packaged goodies at the grocery store in the freezer section. Pair this snack with some cute valentine napkins and there you have it! Nothing beats ice cream. Or at least in our house!

Submitted by Springfield Moms Advisory Board member Allison Klint.  For Allison's 2010 Valentine's Day class party ideas, click here.

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