Valentine’s Day Activities That Inspire a Love of Learning

Valentine’s Day is the perfect opportunity to combine celebration with education through creative Valentine’s Day activities for learning. Valentine’s Day in an elementary classroom is often a whirlwind of candy, cards, and barely contained excitement. One year, a student gave out glow-in-the-dark heart stickers and then turned off the lights for everyone to see them. Sounds bad and it is chaos, yet what fun. Chaos, anyway.

This special day does not need to be a sugar soaked free for all. It is also a fantastic opportunity to work on social emotional learning, and to tie educational activities together with other aspects of the same. Change this “chaos day” into a one-off lesson and an unforgettable scene with these engaging Valentine’s Day classroom ideas.

Children playing Valentine's Day Activities including a math match-up game in a classroom.

Creative Valentine's Day Activities for Learning

Person wearing a nice shirt, smiling and looking at the camera.
Hello I'm Jeremy Sayers.

About Us

I have been a teacher for over 20 years. In this time I have led many classroom Valentine’s Day Activities. My efforts to support student learning by forging strong student, parent, teacher relationships and the incorporation of up to date technology in the classroom, along with a lot of hard work led to the honor of being named as an LAUSD Teacher of the Year in 2023.

The purpose of EdThings.com is to help educate children.

Educational Valentine’s Day Games

Games are a wonderfully sneaky way to involve children in learning—and Valentine’s Day provides the backdrop. So here are some of my favorite Valentine’s Day classroom ideas for games:

1. Math Match-Up

Incorporate heart-themed math problems to make Valentine’s Day activities for learning fun and interactive. On Valentine’s Day children can go all out on numbers. Write down a math problem on a set of heart-shaped cards, and do the same with its answer on another set. Scatter the cards. The children walk around and find their “match.” It’s also a fun idea to put a time limit on the game, and then see how quickly the whole class can do it together. This game encourages problem-solving and at the same time includes teamwork.—Teamwork is always more fun with heart-shaped cards, let’s face it.

2. Heart Hunt

A Valentine’s Day version of the usual scavenger hunt Pound your current curriculum of words, scientific problems, or historical events into questions. Put these questions on paper hearts or give them as clues to students. Then take them to look for the questions in the classroom in teams. If they find a heart they must answer the question before moving on to find another.

This game certainly keeps students active. In addition, it takes academic content and then wraps it up in an activity which they will remember long after the candy has disappeared.

3. Word Search Love

Everyone loves word searches. Use Valentine’s Day as an excuse to create a themed puzzle with vocabulary words that have to do with love, kindness, and friendship. For example, websites like Discovery Education’s Puzzlemaker can help make it possible…also chop off “Beehive (Up your game by turning this into a timed competition or by pairing students for teamwork.)

These games are also not just for fun; they are a way to squeeze in real life skills. Plus, such games can help to channel all that Valentine’s Day energy into something worthwhile.

Valentine’s Day Activities includes making this pop-up card with a large 3D heart centerpiece and colorful drawings, hearts, and decorations on each flap.
A colorful garden-themed Valentine's Day pop-up card with paper flowers, green grass, and hearts on a red background that says “Happy Valentine’s Day.”
This card does pop up all that well but it came out nice.

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Creative Writing Prompts with a Valentine’s Day Twist

Valentine’s Day is a fabulous time for nurturing creative writing, and with the simplest of prompts even the most reluctant writer can turn into a storyteller.

Here are some Valentine’s Day classroom ideas for writing prompts that bring out imagination and self-expression:ˊ

1. “If I Were Cupid for a Day…”

This prompt is always a winner. Students imaginers Cupid for a day–who they’d help, what problems they might fix, which funny episodes could crop up along the way…Tell them to think about spreading kindness and settling conflicts using their “Cupid powers”.

2. A Love Letter to Learning

Invent a “love letter” form where students write to their favorite subject or book of all time. A great way to reflect on what they enjoy about school! Practicing descriptive writing, they might write such things as: “Dear Math, I love the way that with you I have to think. You’re like a puzzle that always leaves me guessing.”

3. Friendship Acrostics

Provide students with words like “FRIENDSHIP” or “HEART,” and challenge them to create acrostic poems. Each letter should start with a line that describes kindness, love, or friendship. This activity promotes creativity while reinforcing vocabulary and spelling.

Writing prompts like these help children get in touch with their own feelings and allow them to express their values. This could be a way of giving Valentine’s Day a little depth while keeping it fun and uplifting.

Activities That Promote Kindness and Empathy

Valentine’s Day is the perfect time to teach kindness and empathy—two skills that are essential for building strong, supportive classroom communities. Here are some Valentine’s Day classroom ideas that encourage students to think about others and spread positivity.

1. Kindness Coupons

Have students create “kindness coupons” for their classmates, teachers, or family members. These could promise things like, “I will help you with your homework”, or, “I will sit with you at lunch.” Not only does this activity get students thinking about acts of kindness, but it also lets them practice writing and drawing.

2. Compliment Chain

Cut strips of paper and ask each student to write a compliment for someone in the class. As the day goes on, link the strips together to create a kindness chain. At the end of the day, hang it in the classroom as a reminder of how everyone can be brought together by words of support.

3. Family Valentine Project

This activity embeds classroom learning with home. Ask students to make a Valentine’s card or craft for a family member. Provide templates and materials to make it clear yet heartfelt. Suggest writing a short note about why that person is special to them. Involving families in a meaningful way, it teaches both students gratitude.

The whole wheat flowers also reminded the students of what main point to remember about St. Valentine’s Day: apart from processing sugar.and getting them to consider the concepts of kindness empathyWe can use such activities to make this holiday an opportunity to learn in our classrooms that students will remember long after the turn of the year.

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A Growth Mindset Day

Valentine’s Day isn’t just a holiday; it is also a chance to inspire, and go beyond regular lesson plans. When we bring joy and meaning into our classrooms, we show students that learning isn’t merely about assignments and grades, its also about growth, relationships, and discovery.

To sum up, by adding these suggestions of Valentine’s Day classroom ideas to your holiday lesson plans you will stimulate creativity, encourage kindness and give your students memories of warmth. With these Valentine’s Day activities for learning, you can make the holiday a meaningful and educational experience for your students.

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