18 Valentine's Day party games

Valentine's bingo

Players

10 to 30

Minutes

15 to 20

Ages

5 to 10

You need

A different card for each child, the call list, and paper hearts as markers

1. Hand out a different card and a cup of paper-heart markers to each child.
2. Call each word slowly, and show a picture or spell it for younger classes.
3. Children cover the word if it is on their card.
4. A full line wins. Check it, then keep playing until several children have won.

Without a printer: Draw a 3 by 3 grid on the board and let children copy it with nine words from the list.

For this game: Valentine's Day bingo

Heart match partners

Players

10 to 30

Minutes

5 to 10

Ages

4 to 10

You need

Paper hearts cut in half along a different zigzag, one half per child; the Valentine's pack prints a heart for each pair

1. Cut paper hearts in two, each along a different zigzag line.
2. Mix the halves and give one to each child.
3. Children walk around and find the half that fits theirs.
4. The new pair are partners for the next game.
5. For older classes, write a word on one half and its opposite on the other.

Musical hearts

Players

8 to 30

Minutes

10

Ages

3 to 8

You need

Paper hearts taped to the floor, one per child, and music

1. Tape one paper heart per child in a big circle on the floor.
2. Play music while children walk around the circle.
3. When the music stops, everyone steps onto a heart.
4. Nobody sits out. Write an action under a few hearts, such as 'hop three times', and the children on those hearts lead the class in it.

Candy heart tower

Players

10 to 30, in pairs

Minutes

5

Ages

6 to 10

You need

A cup of candy hearts per pair and a one-minute timer

1. Check for food allergies first. Buttons or paper hearts work just as well.
2. Give each pair a cup of hearts and a clear desk.
3. Start a one-minute timer while pairs stack hearts one on top of another in a single tower.
4. When time is up, count the hearts in every tower still standing.

For this game: One-minute party games

Roll a love bug

Players

Any number

Minutes

15

Ages

5 to 9

You need

One die per table, a roll chart, paper and crayons

1. Show a chart that matches each number to a part: 1 a heart-shaped body, 2 a head, 3 antennae, 4 wings, 5 legs, 6 spots.
2. Children take turns rolling and draw the part that matches.
3. A number already used means the die passes on.
4. The first child with a complete love bug calls out, then everyone finishes and shows theirs.

Without a printer: Draw the roll chart on the board and use any die.

For this game: Printable dice net

Cupid's arrow toss

Players

8 to 30

Minutes

10 to 15

Ages

5 to 10

You need

A large paper heart target with rings, and paper airplanes or bean bags

1. Tape a large heart target to the wall or floor with three rings worth 1, 3 and 5 points.
2. Children fold a paper airplane as their arrow, or use a bean bag.
3. Each child throws three times from a tape line.
4. Add up the points. Move the line closer for younger children.

Pass the heart

Players

10 to 30

Minutes

10

Ages

3 to 8

You need

A stuffed or paper heart and music

1. Sit the class in a circle and play music.
2. Children pass the heart around until the music stops.
3. Whoever holds it gives the class a compliment, such as 'This class is good at sharing', or passes.
4. Nobody leaves the circle. Keep going until everyone has had a turn.

Heart letter hunt

Players

10 to 30

Minutes

10

Ages

5 to 9

You need

Paper hearts, each with one letter of a hidden message

1. Write one letter on each paper heart to spell a short message, such as BE KIND.
2. Hide the hearts around the classroom while children are out.
3. Children hunt for the hearts and bring them to the rug.
4. Together, they arrange the letters to spell the message.
5. For older classes, hide two messages and split the room into teams.

Valentine's word search race

Players

Any number

Minutes

10 to 15

Ages

7 to 11

You need

A word search and a pencil for each child

1. Hand out the puzzle face down.
2. On go, children find the Valentine's words in the grid.
3. Early finishers write a sentence using three of the words.
4. Go over the answer key on the board together.

Without a printer: Show the puzzle on the classroom screen and let children call out each word and where it is.

For this game: Valentine's Day word search

Valentine's riddles

Players

10 to 30, in pairs

Minutes

10

Ages

6 to 10

You need

A list of Valentine's riddles

1. Read a riddle aloud twice.
2. Partners whisper their answer to each other, then raise a hand.
3. The first pair to answer and explain it scores a point.
4. Show the answer and explanation before the next riddle.

For this game: Valentine riddles with answers

Kind-word fortune tellers

Players

Any number

Minutes

20

Ages

7 to 10

You need

A square of paper and colored pencils for each child

1. Each child folds a paper fortune teller.
2. Under the flaps, they write kind messages, such as 'You are a good friend' or 'Tell someone a joke.'
3. Children pair up and take turns picking a color and a number.
4. Read the message under the flap, then swap partners and play again.

Without a printer: Fold a square cut from any sheet of paper. The folds need no template.

For this game: Printable paper fortune teller

Valentine's tic-tac-toe

Players

Pairs

Minutes

5

Ages

4 to 8

You need

A 3 by 3 grid, five paper hearts and five paper X's for each pair

1. Give each pair a grid, five hearts and five X's.
2. One player uses hearts, the other X's.
3. Take turns placing one piece in an empty square.
4. Three in a row wins. Swap pieces and play again.

Without a printer: Draw the grid on paper and cut hearts from scrap paper.

For this game: Printable tic tac toe sheets

Couples quiz

Players

3 to 8 couples

Minutes

20 to 30

Ages

Adults

You need

Two small whiteboards or notepads per couple, and 15 questions

1. Seat partners side by side, each with a pad they keep hidden.
2. Read a question, such as 'Where was your first date?' or 'What would your partner order at a diner?'
3. Both partners write an answer, then reveal them together.
4. Each match scores a point for the couple. The most points wins.
5. Anyone can skip a question, with no reason given.

Perfect pairs

Players

4 to 30

Minutes

10 to 15

Ages

All ages

You need

A list of 20 familiar pairs

1. Read the first half of a pair that belongs together, such as salt and ..., bread and ... or Romeo and ...
2. The first player or team to call out the other half scores.
3. Mix easy food pairs with harder ones from books, films and history.
4. For a printed round, list the first halves and let each table write the matches.

Hum the love song

Players

6 to 30, in teams

Minutes

15 to 20

Ages

12 and up

You need

Folded slips with the titles of well-known love songs

1. Write the titles of well-known love songs on slips and fold them.
2. A player draws a slip and hums the tune, with no words.
3. Their team has 30 seconds to name the song.
4. A correct guess scores a point. Rotate the hummer each turn.

Couples trivia night

Players

3 to 10 couples

Minutes

30 to 45

Ages

Adults

You need

Trivia questions, an answer sheet per couple and a score sheet

1. Each couple plays as one team.
2. Read four rounds of five questions. Couples write their answers quietly.
3. Swap sheets after each round and mark them.
4. Add up the scores. A tie-break question decides the winners.

Without a printer: Couples write their answers on any paper, numbered by round.

For this game: Trivia questions for couples

Blind portrait swap

Players

4 to 30, in pairs

Minutes

10

Ages

8 and up

You need

Paper and pens

1. Partners sit facing each other.
2. Each draws the other's face without looking down at the paper.
3. Stop after one minute and swap drawings.
4. Lay all the portraits on a table and let the room match each one to the person it shows.

Valentine's word scramble

Players

Any number

Minutes

10 to 15

Ages

10 and up

You need

A word scramble sheet and a pen for each player

1. Make a sheet of Valentine's words with mixed-up letters: chocolate, sweetheart, roses, cupid, valentine.
2. Print it in large type for older players.
3. Players solve it alone or in pairs.
4. Read the answers from the key. The first full sheet wins.

Without a printer: Write the scrambled words large on a whiteboard.

For this game: Word scramble generator with answer key