As a kid, one of the most fun aspects of Valentine’s Day is heading to school with a bag full of sweet little cards and treats for all of your friends in class. Giving Valentines is just as fun as receiving them!
Here are some tips and tricks to help send your little sweetheart to school with valentines that’ll melt all of the hearts in the classroom.
1. Check-in with the School
Before you head on over to Target to buy all the supplies, first check with your child’s teacher about what their expectations are for the holiday. Some schools ask that students only bring in non-food items, or maybe there is an allergy you need to be sensitive to. Also, if Valentine’s Day falls on the weekend, the school might have a specific date they are celebrating on.
2. It’s Not as Easy 1,2,3
It is essential to send your child to school with the correct number of valentines. As an elementary school teacher, I am a HUGE believer that EVERY student in the class should get a Valentine. Here is the thing that most parents forget…your child will often want one of their own Valentines. It is true. For example, if there are 18 students in your child’s class, including your child, send in 18 Valentines. I know it doesn’t make sense to us as adults, but believe me, it will save your child tears.
3. Names
Many schools will provide parents with a list of names so that children can properly label their Valentines. I usually have my daughters write their classmate’s names because it is a wonderful opportunity for them to work on penmanship. However, if your child struggles with that, you can use stamps or labels to ease the burden. Also, if you plan on giving out a lot of cards, you might want to break up the handwriting sessions. Having a list of your classmate’s names also ensures that the names are spelled correctly. If the school does not preemptively provide a list of names, you can always politely ask their teacher.
HOWEVER, if your child is younger and does not know how to read, it is actually really helpful if you DON’T label the Valentines with the other student’s names. When our daughters were in PreK3, their extremely wise teachers asked the students to only sign their own names on the card and NOT write their classmates. This way, when your younger child goes to distribute the beautifully crafted cards, all they have to do is place their card into an adorable heart-shaped Valentine’s Day Mailbox. Because they can’t read the names of their classmates, this saves their fabulous overworked preschool teachers from distributing all the Valentines themselves. 
4. No Judgment Zone
From homemade to ETSY, to Pinterest, to Walgreens students will bring in a wide range of Valentine’s. Here is the thing. Kids don’t care. They love them no matter what, so please don’t stress about sending in the perfect Valentine. 
5. Teacher Gift
I know this is controversial, but I always send in a little something for the teachers. Last year, I went with the cliche “I Love you Latte” and brought in Starbucks for each of their teachers. It does not have to be much, but a little something goes a long way. Just think how you would feel after manging 20+ sugared-up school-aged children.
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6. Labels
A set of Avery Labels make crafting your homemade Valentines so much easier! I find my inspo on Pinterest and then recreate a heartfelt design on an Avery Label template. Viola, all your child has to do is sign them and easily creates an authentic artistically pleasing little Valentine. 
