Fun Valentine's Day Parties for Kids

Valentine's Day is a perfect opportunity to plan a fun party for children. Children love celebrating their friendships with sweet cards and conversation candy hearts. This Valentine's Day help your child celebrate the day of love by giving them a party. These party ideas are also great if you are responsible for planning the holiday party for the classroom.

Snacks:
We all know that the snacks are usually the biggest hit at a kid's party. Try offering two different snacks, one sweet and one salty, plus a drink. Also, be aware of any food allergies. If you are giving a party at school, many districts do not allow homemade treats. If this is the case for your school, try asking the bakery to sell you plain, undecorated cookies or cupcakes and purchase store bought frosting for the following snack projects.

Heart Cookies:
This is a simple idea that can double as a craft activity.
Give each child a plain, heart-shaped cookie and a spoonful of white icing. Provide Popsicle sticks as spreaders and bowls of heart-shaped candy and pink and red sprinkles. Let them decorate their own cookies however they want. You can also do the same thing with plain cupcakes.

Friendship Mix:
This is a fun cooperative snack. Have each child bring either a salty or sweet snack such as raisins, chocolate chips, cereal, popcorn, marshmallows or small cheese crackers. Let children pour their snack in a very large bowl and mix together. Tell them that they just made a friendship snack. Give each child a bag or cupful of the mix.

Dipped Chocolate Fruit:
This is a fun and delicious snack, although it can get messy with kids! Give each child a small bowl of melted chocolate chips and a variety of sliced fruit, such as apples, bananas and strawberries. Have them dip the fruit into the chocolate and place on waxed paper to harden.

Games:
Almost any game can be changed to fit the Valentine theme. Here are a few fun suggestions.

Valentine's Day Race:
This game works well for older kids who already know how to spell. Divide the kids into two teams. Before the party write the letters for "HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY" on pieces of paper that are all cut to the same size. Make sure each letter is on a separate piece of paper. Make two sets, one set of letters for each team. Mix the letters up and place in a bag with enough paperclips or clothespin hangers for each letter. Give each team a long piece of strong. When you tell them to go, the kids should pull out the letters and spell out "Happy Valentine's Day" while clipping the letters in order to the string. The kids will have to cooperate to have one child at each end holding the string and the other's spelling out the words. The team that finishes first, wins.

Broken Hearts:
This is a cute game that almost any age can play, whether they can read or not. Cut out several large hearts out of construction paper. On each heart, write different Valentine's phrases such as "I love you" and "Be Mine" on the middle of each heart. If you have problems coming up with phrases, check candy conversation hearts for ideas. Then, cut each heart in half in various ways, like puzzle pieces. Give children a half of a heart and have them find the matching heart piece.

Guessing Jar:
This is a classic game all kids love. Fill a large clear jar with candy such as M &Ms, conversation hearts or jellybeans. Pass the jar around the room and have them guess how many are in the jar. Whoever comes closest wins the candy!

Valentine's Crafts:
Crafts at a Valentine party can be quite simple. Most kids enjoy making Valentine's cards for friends or family. Give each child materials to work with them and let them create. Try giving them large pink or red hearts made out of construction paper and let them decorate them using Valentine's stickers, paper doilies, bits of lace and ribbon and even old Valentine's cards.

Lollipop Flower Pot:
This is a cute craft that kids of almost any age can make. These also make good gifts for friends, parents or teachers.
You will need:
Small clay flowerpot
Acrylic paint
Craft foam in Valentine colors
Heart shaped stamp
Lollipops, usually if you are using a very small pot, try 4-5 dum-dum pops
Small piece of foam block
Pink or red shredded paper

Have your child decorate the clay pop using the acrylic paints and heart stamp. When the pot is dry, cut a small piece of foam block to fit inside the pot. You may need to hot glue the foam into place. Place the shredded paper on top of the foam so it does not show. Using the craft foam cut several large flower shapes and put a small slit in the middle. Push the lollipop stick into the center of the foam flower. Arrange the lollipop flowers in the pot.