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Valentine's Party Games for Older Kids

Elementary school classrooms often hold Valentine̵7;s Day parties, which allow the children to pass out cards to their friends, eat snacks, put together a craft and play games. While younger children might play Valentine̵7;s-themed variations on traditional party games, such as ̶0;Pin the Heart on Cupid̶1; or ̶0;Cupid Says,̶1; those in grades 4 to 6, often need more challenging games to stay engaged and occupied. Incorporate math and language arts skills into party games that reinforce learning while providing a welcome diversion from regular classroom work.

Valentine's Pictionary
- Write the names of popular Valentine items or sayings onto index cards. Examples include "kiss," "sweetheart," ̶0;I love you,̶1; "Cupid," "hugs," "candy" and "love." Use words for younger children and slightly trickier phrases for older ones. Place the stack of cards upside down in front of a chalk or whiteboard. Divide guests into two teams. Let children take turns sending one member of their team to the draw a card from the pile. Children need to draw a picture of the Valentine̵7;s item so that their team members can guess it correctly within a designated time period. Agree on time limits prior to starting the game. If their team fails to guess correctly, give the other team 5 seconds to guess the object. If they identify it correctly they earn points for the round and a chance to play the next round.
Valentine Cupcake Walk
- Play this Valentine-themed variation with cupcakes. Tape numbers to the floor, one for each child playing the game. Place the corresponding number in a paper bag. Play Valentine̵7;s music and let children walk around the room stepping on the numbers as they go. When the music stops, children must stand on the closest number. Pull out a number from the bag and give the child on that number a cupcake. Ask them to leave the game. Remove the number from the floor and the bag. Continue to play until each child wins a cupcake.
Straw and Valentine Cup Relay
- The energy-burning potential of relay games appeals to children of all ages. Divide children into teams and place them in a line. Let them come up with goofy Valentine-based names for their team, such as ̶0;Mrs. Smith̵7;s Broken Heart Club̶1; or ̶0;Cupid̵7;s Helpers.̶1; Give each child her own bendable straw. Distribute a lightweight Valentine̵7;s themed cup to each team. Place the cup on the first person in each team̵7;s straw and ask them to pass it to the other players. They must pass it to the end of the line using only the straw, not their hands. The first team to get their cup to the end wins the game.
Heart Scavenger Hunt
- Hide different size red construction-paper hearts throughout your home or classroom. Disguise some ̶0;in plain sight̶1; as part of the Valentine decorations and others in more difficult locations. Divide children into teams and let them find as many hearts as possible. Customize this game for older groups by varying the size and placement of the hearts. Ask children to count the number of hearts found by their group. Award a small prize to the group with the most hearts.

Kids Games