This year has been WEIRD, to say the least. We have not planned the same way as past years. We are all grading with leniency and immense empathy due to unique home conditions. And we are teaching each day by the seat of our pants (sweatpants, that is).
Nonetheless, as the overzealous primary teachers we are, we have S T R U G G L E D with the idea of not making room or online options for the fun traditions we are accustomed to enjoying in our classes each year. And y’all… Valentine’s Day is a BIG one! Think of the sweet cards with invented spelling. Picture the blushing babes who picked out a chocolate heart for their class crush weeks in advance. And don’t get us started on the giddy energy and cheerful squeals as their Valentine’s Day boxes overflow with thoughtful treats from their favorite friends. How could we possibly go a year without that kind of JOY!?
WE CAN’T!
Therefore, we have compiled a long list of the tools and activities we use in our own classrooms to make this loving holiday one to remember, pandemic or not! We will explain how we use each resource so that it will function online or face-to-face. Stick with us and grab a few FREEBIES at the end of this post 🖤
FUN DIGITAL GAMES & TOOLS FOR ANY CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT
First stop, we have the FULL PACKAGE OF HOLIDAY FUN right here! This Valentine’s Day pack of Randomizers is meant to take all of the work out of planning a party (virtual or face-to-face) for educators!
This pack comes with 5 MP4 video files that can “Play and Pause” to lead and prompt students through various activities, which include:
- Draw It! Randomizer
- BINGO Randomizer
- Get Moving! Randomizer
- I Spy Randomizer
- Mad Libs Randomizer
- Draw It! Drawing Pages (2 Options)
- Build Your Own BINGO Board Page
- I Spy Page
We have used these digital tools by sharing our screens with our students in Google Meets, uploading the interactive files into editable Power Points for students to use independently, in small groups with kids we tutor in person, and with friends in groups sharing it on our Smart TVs.
Click the image below to start preparing for your amazing class party or celebration with family and friends 🖤
STUDENT VALENTINES EXCHANGE
Evidently, this year with the hysteria over spreading germs due to COVID has definitely stifled the opportunity for friends to have a traditional gift exchange. However, we have options for both the old and the new ways of the classroom. Check them out below to see which option works best for you!
Click the images below to snag what you need to get this V-Day show on the road!
OUR PERSONAL FAV… CRAFTS!!!
These crafts can be used to enforce writing standards/ conventions, tying in mentor texts from reading, or simply to integrate some festive fun (which there should always be time for, in our opinion).
Decorate bulletin boards or send these home as meaningful gifts to the students’ relatives. Check out a variety of options below. We know you’ll be shot by cupid’s bow with these cutie crafts 🖤
GIFT TAGS & TREATS THAT WON’T BREAK THE TEACHER BANK!
Above all, none of us want to break the bank or our backs trying to go all out for a candy or gift that will maybe last five minutes once in the hands of our students! Nonetheless, we like our pumpkins and their families to know that they do hold such a special place in our heart!
We love looking for cost effective and cute options for student gifts that we know will put a smile on their sweet faces!
