Hearts, cards and kind words: Valentine’s Day is a favorite in many PreK–2 classrooms. In 2027, Valentine’s Day falls on Sunday, February 14, so most schools will celebrate on Friday, February 12. Before the card exchange, it is fun to answer a question children often ask: why do we celebrate Valentine’s Day?

Here is the history of Valentine’s Day for kids, in simple words, with kind and inclusive activities for PreK–2.

Why Do We Celebrate Valentine’s Day?

Valentine’s Day is a day to show love and friendship to the people we care about: family, friends, classmates and neighbors. People share cards, hearts, flowers and kind words.

For young children, you can say:

  • Valentine’s Day is on February 14.
  • It is a day to show people we care about them.
  • We can give cards, make crafts and say kind things.
  • Everyone can be a good friend on Valentine’s Day.

The History of Valentine’s Day for Kids

Valentine’s Day is named after Saint Valentine, a man who lived in Rome about 1,700 years ago. There may have been more than one man named Valentine, and the stories about them are so old that nobody knows for sure which ones are true.

Hundreds of years later, around the 1300s, poets in England and France began to connect February 14 with love. People believed that birds chose their partners in the middle of February. One of the oldest valentines that still exists is a poem written in 1415 by a French duke to his wife, while he was held prisoner in England.

In the 1800s, printed valentine cards became popular. In the 1840s, Esther Howland of Massachusetts made and sold lacy paper valentines, and she is sometimes called the Mother of the American Valentine. Today, people in many countries celebrate the day, and in schools, it has become a day of friendship.

Valentine’s Day Symbols

  • Hearts: The heart shape has stood for love for hundreds of years. A real heart looks different: it is a strong muscle about the size of your fist that pumps blood around your body.
  • Red and pink: These warm colors stand for love and kindness.
  • Cupid: In old Roman stories, Cupid was a winged child with a bow and arrows.
  • Roses: Red roses are a classic gift for someone you love.
  • Birds: Doves and lovebirds remind us of the old idea of birds choosing partners.
  • XOXO: X stands for a kiss and O for a hug.

Making Valentine’s Day Kind for Everyone

  • A card for everyone: If your class exchanges cards, send home the class list and ask that every child brings a card for every classmate. Check off who has brought their cards with our free class checklist.
  • Food and allergies: Check your school’s rules before any candy or treats come into the classroom.
  • Different families: Not every family celebrates Valentine’s Day. Keep the focus on friendship and kindness, and offer an alternative when needed.
  • Party helpers: Planning a class party? Hang our free volunteer sign up sheet by the door for parent helpers.

Easy Valentine’s Day Activities for PreK–2

Fold-and-Cut Hearts (Math: Symmetry)

Children fold a piece of paper in half and cut half of a heart along the fold. When they open it, the two halves match. Talk about symmetry, then look for other symmetric shapes in the room.

Heart Sort and Graph (Math)

Give each child a handful of paper hearts in different colors and sizes. Children sort them, count each group and make a simple graph. Ask: “Which color has the most? How many more?”

Valentine Mailboxes (Fine Motor)

Children decorate paper bags or shoeboxes with hearts and their names. Print a name label for every student in seconds with our name tags maker.

Kindness Notes (Writing)

Pair children up. Each child finishes the sentence “You are a good friend because...” for their partner and adds a drawing. Preschoolers can dictate their note.

How Big Is Your Heart? (Science)

Children make a fist to see how big their heart is. Then they put a hand on their chest, jump in place for 30 seconds and feel how their heart beats faster.

Valentine Words and Games

Use friend, heart, card, kind, love, share and hug in a puzzle from our free word search maker, play Valentine bingo with the bingo card maker, and celebrate kind classmates with a Kindness Award from the certificate maker.

A Day About Friendship

At its heart, Valentine’s Day in school is about friendship and kindness. To keep building a caring class community all year, try our free classroom community activities and read our guide to building a classroom family. Find more holiday ideas in our seasonal activities.

More teaching guides for January and February: MLK Day, Groundhog Day, Lunar New Year, Black History Month and the 100th Day of School.