Although 86% of Americans were expected to buy presents during the holiday season in 2017, December isn't the only month that's known for gift-giving. February is right around the corner, which means that red hearts and sweet treats will soon be everywhere. And while many couples show their appreciation for each other every Valentine's Day, this holiday is also a fun opportunity for teachers to decorate their classrooms and celebrate with their students.

Handing out valentines and other tiny gifts is a traditional part of this holiday. At school, it's customary to distribute funny cards with popular characters, bring in homemade cupcakes or store-bought candies, and spend the day showing kindness to others. Students may give their close friends or classmates small gifts like novelty erasers or thematic writing utensils, along with valentine stickers and edible delights. But aside from encouraging your students to exchange these special gifts with one another, how else can you make this holiday special for everyone?

Throwing a Valentine's Day party in the classroom can be the perfect way to celebrate. Along with those aforementioned valentine gift ideas, teachers can put together goodie bags for their students that include wrapped candies, boxes or bags of healthy snacks, keychains, crayons, small games, and other trinkets. You can even create or print out valentine activities for students, like word searches, "I Spy" pages, scavenger hunts, bingo boards, and more.

Another fun idea is to have a valentine craft for everyone to partake in. You can create valentine "robots" out of candy, make mailboxes for each student's valentine cards, or all kinds of cute decorations out of pipe cleaners and clothespins. You might even consider having students make their own valentines for their peers to ensure everyone has equal access to participation.

Of course, decorating the classroom may be the most enjoyable lead-up to Valentine's Day. You can use garlands or banners and heart-shaped LED lights to set the mood. Then, cover tables with red and pink paper or tablecloths and create some centerpieces out of colorful tissue paper or faux flowers. You can even paint some paper plates to turn them into art pieces. Don't forget that you can find many unique gifts online that can double as decor!

By using tiny gifts to create a festive atmosphere and encouraging students to participate in the fun, your classroom will be all set this February. Check out our website for all kinds of gifts for Valentine's Day.