Valentine cards

Valentine Activities and Other Cool Stuff

1-2-3 Come Do Some Valentine-Themed Activities With Me

Oh my!  Can February get any more jam packed?  There's so many special activities going on this month.  It seems like we just finished our Groundhog Day activities (which were postponed because of a well-deserved snow day) and now Valentine's Day, 100 Day, and President's Day are all piling up. Anyone else going a bit crazy pulling it all together? 

This article will feature some quick, easy and fun Valentine activities that have been popular downloads and favorites of my kiddos.  I hope you find something you can use to make your life easier and a bit less stressful.

valentine activities, valentines, valentine crafts, valentine cards, valentine games, My simple heart paper chain, has been pinned almost 3,000 times!  (Click on the link to check out my valentine board on Pinterest.) To make these especially cool links, just cut strips of pink, white and red construction paper (1 inch wide).  I used 3 colors so we could practice an ABC-ABC color pattern. 

Students fold each strip in half, then bring the ends around to make a heart-shaped link. I used a stapler, but kiddos can glue the ends.

To turn this into a writing prompt, have students write something that they love on each strip. They could also write spelling or word wall words, or February vocabulary words on the links. 

Teachers can make one for the classroom and suspend it from the ceiling, as a great way to countdown to your valentine party day, or do 28 links and countdown the days in February. 

There are several more heart craftivities in this packet, as well as an owl valentine, which holds a pencil that you can give to your students.

Since my "Venn Friends" craftivities have been so popular, I decided to make one for February, featuring a heart-shaped Venn diagram.  Children choose a partner and then make a Valentine Venn Friend with them. 

valentine activities, valentines, end punctuation activities, venn diagrams templates, venn diagrams for valentines day, venn friends, valentine venn friends, beginning capitalization activities, February bulletin board ideas, valentine crafts, valentine bookmarks, valentine number puzzles, keepsake valentines, hand print valentines, valentine books, venn friend valentines, valentine writing prompts,valentine cards, valentine games, Venn diagrams are a great way to practice the comparison-contrast form of writing.  Making a Venn Friend is also a wonderful way for students to learn more about their classmates. 

Add a school photo for that finishing touch.  Completed projects make a sweet February bulletin board too. 

3D heart writing prompt dangler craft, valentine activities, valentines, February bulletin board ideas, valentine crafts, valentine bookmarks, valentine number puzzles, keepsake valentines, hand print valentines, valentine books, venn friend valentines, valentine writing prompts,valentine cards, valentine games, Another writing prompt "craftivity" is this 3D valentine card, which features 3 different writing prompts. 

The packet includes a pattern, plus 15 writing prompts to choose from. 

Dangle from the ceiling, or have students make this 3D heart for a valentine card. 

Speaking of special valentine cards, valentine activities, valentines, February bulletin board ideas, valentine crafts, valentine bookmarks, valentine number puzzles, keepsake valentines, hand print valentines, valentine cards, valentine games, "I wouldn't miss, the chance to blow you a kiss!" is a sweet hand print valentine that's sure to become a keepsake. 

Older students can complete a writing prompt on the back, of why they love and appreciate their family.

valentine activities, valentines, February bulletin board ideas, valentine crafts, valentine bookmarks, valentine number puzzles, keepsake valentines, hand print valentines, valentine cards, valentine games, If you'd like to give a little something to your students, these 10 valentine bookmarks are a sweet surprise tucked in a desk, valentine card or backpack.  You can also use them as prizes for party day. 

valentine activities, valentines, February bulletin board ideas, valentine crafts, valentine bookmarks, valentine number puzzles, keepsake valentines, hand print valentines, valentine cards, valentine games, These 20 valentine-themed number puzzles are a fun independent center or whole-group activity, which helps students practice sequencing numbers 1-10, counting backwards from 10 to 1, or skip counting by 10s to 100.  

You can laminate and use them each year, or use as prizes for your valentine games. 

For a special valentine, put one in a Ziplock Baggie for each of your students to put together then take home.  

I've also included 3 black and white puzzles that your students can color, cut, mix up and then put together. 

If they glue their completed puzzle on a sheet of construction paper, leaving a small gap in-between the pieces, they create an interesting mosaic picture that makes a nice February bulletin board.

valentine activities, valentines, valentine books for kids, end punctuation activities, beginning capitalization activities, February bulletin board ideas, valentine crafts, valentine bookmarks, valentine number puzzles, keepsake valentines, hand print valentines, valentine books, venn friend valentines, valentine writing prompts,valentine cards, valentine games, For a valentine activity that practices a variety of standards, use my valentine-themed grammar cards packet, which includes 30 pocket chart cards. 

Print; laminate and trim, then use them in your pocket chart as a whole group activity.  Read the sentence together, then choose a student, who uses a dry erase marker to fix a card.  They circle the letters that should be capitalized and add end punctuation.

I've included quite a few contractions so you can have even more teachable moments. For more practice, have students correctly rewrite 5 of the sentences on a sheet of paper.  I've included a sheet of 60 mini grammar cards that you can pass out to children for this activity.

valentine activities, valentines, end punctuation activities, venn diagrams templates, venn diagrams for valentines day, venn friends, valentine venn friends, beginning capitalization activities, February bulletin board ideas, valentine crafts, valentine bookmarks, valentine number puzzles, keepsake valentines, hand print valentines, valentine books, venn friend valentines, valentine writing prompts,valentine cards, valentine games, No Valentine's Day would be complete without reading several special valentine-themed stories. Click on the link for a list of 100 of my all-time favorites. 

valentine activities, valentines, end punctuation activities, beginning capitalization activities, February bulletin board ideas, valentine crafts, valentine bookmarks, valentine number puzzles, keepsake valentines, hand print valentines, valentine books, venn friend valentines, valentine writing prompts,valentine cards, valentine games, Well that's it for today.  Sorry this got a bit long, but I had so much to share, and time's running out to get everything organized. 

Valentine's Day was my favorite school celebration.  I hope you found a few things here, to make yours extra special.  Wishing you a memorable and love-filled day. 

 "Roses are red; violets are blue. My life is blessed because of you."

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Valentine Card Booklet

It's All In the Cards... How Do I Love You? Let Me Count The Ways!

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I LOVE playing cards and have purchased decks at The Dollar Store to make a variety of math center games.

It was while looking at all those heart cards that my brain was thinking: What can I do with these to make a February lesson ? when “It’s All In The Cards” was born.

This little booklet will help reinforce a number of skills: writing, reading, counting, and sequencing in a fun way + provide a keepsake valentine for parents!

keepsake crafts, counting booklet, number booklet, valentine booklet, valentine cards, february writing activity, february writing ideas, tracing numbers, february center activity, february reading activityHere’s how to make a booklet:

Run off copies of my templates with the playing card clipart on it.

Students cut and sequence their cards and then glue them to the appropriate pages.

If you’re running these off on a copier, you might want to have students trace around the hearts with a red marker to add some zip and color to their pages.

You could also give them 10 red heart stickers to place one on each card.

Children trace and then write the numbers and number words.

counting booklet, number booklet,valentine booklet, valentine cards, february writing activity, february writing ideas, tracing numbers, february center activity, I did mine with markers, in rainbow color order + pink, brown, gray and turquoise.

To make this even more of a keepsake, make copies of your students’ school pix, cut into small ovals and have them paste it on the last page.

Boys use the king card, girls the queen.

Students cut their papers into 1/4ths following the lines, then sequence their pages and staple.

When everyone is done, read the booklet as a whole group activity to reinforce concepts of print, then have children pair off and read it to each other.

Students will then be able to read their valentine to their family--a double gift of love!

Click on the link to download the Playing Card Valentine Booklet

Be sure and pop back tomorrow for another valentine activity.

Do you have a cute one you’d like to share?  diane@teachwithme.com

If you print mine, I’d enjoy a comment! Thanks

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