For years, I had my students collect their Valentines from each other in white baggies they decorated with hearts. While this remains a simple and fun idea, I have to share the simple Valentine Box idea for Kindergarten that will make you swoon.
How to Start Valentine’s Box Ideas
To begin Valentine’s box ideas, ask your families to bring in empty cereal boxes. I simply ask for families to bring in boxes and I ask them to stop when we have enough for each student. I have found that some families are cereal families and have plenty of boxes to share, while others are not. This method for collection just keeps things simple. You may think larger boxes work best, but we prefer smaller boxes so they fit inside bookbags with ease.
Some Basic Ideas
You can use a great book or idea for your valentine themed boxes. We have done several variations from year to year. I have done owls, robots, and even Love Monster.
Check out our owl-themed boxes we did a few years ago that are pictured below. I got this idea from someone else at school, and I think they may have gotten the idea from Pinterest. I am stating that I don’t think the owl idea is my original idea but I don’t know whose idea it may be.
How to Prep Boxes for Decorating
Next, we cover all the boxes with red paper. You can choose another color for a different theme, of course. Due to the high amounts of colors on most boxes, choose darker paper. To save our sanity, we just cover the boxes as they come in. I try to cover a few a day. Plus, this allows me to keep a count of how many boxes we have and how many we need.
Then, we use the die-cut machine or handheld shape hole punches like this to prep decorations like circles and hearts. Honestly, these handheld shape punches are just amazing. We have a variety of sizes of circles and hearts and we use them often.
Let the Students Decorate
Next, we let the students decorate these simple Valentine’s Boxes. I start with having each child get a box and write their name on the BACK so we can easily see whose is whose. I do not recommend writing names on the bottom.
Then, I literally pull up this post with example images or photos from years past. Finally, we let the students have fun decorating with paper and punched out the shaped paper. I think it is best to decorate them a few days before Valentine’s day so everything can dry.
Expertise Tips & Tricks with Valentine Box Ideas
Here are a few extra tips & tricks when working with Valentine’s box ideas. If you are going to use the pipe cleaner pieces, we prep those ahead of time by hot gluing the hearts on the end of the pipe cleaners. We allow each student two and only two. We also like to secure the google eyes with hot glue at the end of the day and before we put Valentines inside the boxes.
Fill Them Up
Many teachers have asked how we distribute Valentines. We ask for students to only write who the Valentine is FROM on their treats for the class. I love for us all to get our boxes and sit around the carpet. Then, we have two people at a time go around the inside of the circle and hand out their candy to each person.
Send them Home
We do not eat our candy at school, due to food allergies. Instead, we pack up our boxes in bookbags and take them home. You can see how precious they are and how easy it is to send them home. Remember how I commented above how we prefer those smaller boxes? Can you see why now?
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