Valentine party games to print
Print a 24-call bingo deck, ten musical hearts and eight compliment cards, then copy the blank bingo board and jar guess slips below. These four games give a classroom or a smaller group something to draw, act, say and guess. The example schedule fits the activities into 30 minutes by keeping the class together rather than rotating everyone through a two-chair station.
The print buttons print this page. There is no separate PDF or finished illustrated bingo board. Children draw their own pictures, and you fill in the jar answers after counting the actual contents.
What to print and pack
Prepare the cards before the party and keep the three decks separate. Fifteen minutes is a suggested packing allowance once your printing and candy counting are done; preparation may take longer.
- Print the 24 bingo calls once. Cut them apart and put them in a cup, with another cup or space for used calls.
- Print one blank 3×3 bingo board per child, plus a few spares. Have pencils or crayons and nine reusable markers per player if you want to play more than one round.
- Print and cut the ten musical hearts. Fold them into a bowl and have your speaker and music ready.
- Print the eight compliment cards. For a class of 24, two copies give you 16 cards—enough to give one to each of 12 pairs, with four spare cards.
- Set out two chairs for the small-group compliment station, or arrange seats so classroom pairs can talk at the same time.
- Fill a mini jar, a tall jar and a wide jar or bowl with red-wrapped candies. Count each separately and complete the host key below.
- Copy one three-jar guess slip per child. Put pencils and a collection cup beside the jars.
- Give helpers the running order and agree who will lead each activity.
The printable party games guide has suggestions for keeping player sheets separate from helper instructions. If you are adding snacks, use the Valentine’s food and games plan for a class or crew alongside this pack; the schedule here covers games only.
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Draw your own Valentine bingo board
Post the 24 calls where children can see them, or lay the cards face up. Each child chooses nine different calls and draws one in each square. There is no free center. A red heart, balloon or mailbox may be easier to draw than Cupid; let children choose pictures they can recognize again.
For example, a child could draw a red heart, teddy bear and rainbow across the top row, then choose six different calls for the remaining squares. Encourage different choices and arrangements rather than asking everyone to copy that example. A helper can read the list or help with a drawing.
Blank nine-square bingo board
Player: ______________________________ Board number: __________
Call a round and check the winner
Shuffle the 24 paper calls. Draw one, read it twice and leave it in a used-card pile. Children cover the matching drawing if it is on their board. Three in a row across, down or diagonally wins. Check the three pictures against the used calls; children who finish on the same call share the win.
Clear the markers and return all 24 calls to the cup before shuffling for another round. Two rounds are an option if time allows. If you have extra time, a winner can help call a third round with an adult reader.
The on-screen picker mixes all three card groups and can repeat earlier cards. Use the separate paper bingo deck for a round without repeated calls.
If drawing during arrivals will take too long, prepare the pictures beforehand. The Valentine picture bingo guide explains another picture-matching format; check its preparation instructions before choosing it.
Play musical hearts together
Keep the ten hearts in the adult’s bowl rather than giving one to each player. That way, the same deck works for eight children or a class of 24 without anyone waiting for a card.
Play music while everyone dances. When you pause it, draw a heart and read the action aloud. Everyone follows that prompt until the music restarts. For “Dance in slow motion for five counts,” count slowly together, then start the next music burst. For a partner action, children can pair up or join a group of three.
Nobody is eliminated, and you do not need judges. Try short music bursts of about 20 seconds, allowing time to read and act each prompt. Use up to ten stops within a seven-minute block; finish earlier if explaining the actions takes longer. A seated gesture or a wave can replace an action a child does not want to do, and a wave can replace a high five.
For a quieter ending, use slow-motion actions for the final three stops. The easy party games guide also explains Freeze Dance if you want to leave out the cards. If the children would rather take turns acting while others guess, try Valentine charades cards for kids in place of this game.
Take turns saying something kind
For a small group, set two chairs face to face and place the eight cards between them. Each child answers a prompt, then they swap cards or draw another. A sticker on the back can mark a finished card if you want to keep track of turns.
For a classroom, have pairs talk at their seats at the same time. Give each pair one card, read it aloud where needed and let each child answer before exchanging it with a nearby pair. With an odd number of children, make one group of three and give everyone a turn.
Start with a concrete example: “Thank you for sharing your crayons” answers the sharing prompt more clearly than “You’re nice.” Children can say a compliment, draw it or ask an adult to help put it into words. They can pass on a prompt and choose another. Aim for each child to have a turn rather than requiring every pair to finish all eight cards.
You can use the class-helper prompt as a group thank-you at the end. For a different activity after the cards, browse party games for other groups and occasions.
Guess how many candies are in the jars
The “hugs” in this game are the candies being counted, not something children have to give. Label the containers Jar 1, Jar 2 and Jar 3. Count the contents before the party and keep the answers separate from the player slips.
The original examples are 24 candies in the mini jar, 57 in the tall jar and 112 in the wide bowl. Those numbers are examples only. Use your actual counts, and change the printed guess ranges if your containers need different ones.
Each child writes one whole-number guess per jar, with their name. Do not accept number ranges. Collect the slips before showing the answers.
Closest without going over wins each jar. If two or more children submit the same winning guess, they share that jar’s candies. Decide how you will divide any remainder before announcing the result. If every guess is too high, have the children guess again after giving a lower upper limit. Confirm the classroom’s arrangements for candy prizes before filling the jars; you can use counted paper hearts and an agreed alternative prize instead.
Group the contents in tens for the reveal, then count the remainder. Allow time for all three answers and any ties rather than promising a one-minute finish.
Player guess slip
Copy one slip for each child. Cut slips apart if you print several on a sheet.
Name: __________________________________________
| Container | Suggested guess range | My guess: one whole number |
|---|---|---|
| Jar 1: mini jar | 1–40 | ____________________ |
| Jar 2: tall jar | 1–80 | ____________________ |
| Jar 3: wide jar or bowl | 1–150 | ____________________ |
Closest without going over wins. Equal winning guesses share the candies. If all guesses are too high, the host will explain the second guess.
Host count sheet
Keep this sheet out of the children’s view. The page print control includes this sheet, so separate it from the player copies.
| Container | Actual count | Winning guess | Winner names |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jar 1 | __________ | __________ | ____________________ |
| Jar 2 | __________ | __________ | ____________________ |
| Jar 3 | __________ | __________ | ____________________ |
How we will divide tied prizes: __________________________________________
Alternative prize, if needed: __________________________________________
An example 30-minute class party
This is a suggested order for 24 children with two adults: one leads the group while the other helps with drawing, reading and collecting slips. Everyone plays the activities in sequence; pairs exchange compliments simultaneously. It is not a tested guarantee that two adults will meet every class’s needs.
Have the cards cut, jars counted and supplies ready before the clock starts. The blocks total 5 + 8 + 7 + 5 + 5 = 30 minutes. Card exchange and snacks need their own time.
- Minutes 0–5: Draw bingo boards. Children choose nine calls and draw their pictures. Put prepared boards out for anyone who needs them.
- Minutes 5–13: Play bingo. Explain three in a row, call a round and check the winners. Reset for a second round only if there is time; a third round belongs outside this example.
- Minutes 13–20: Play musical hearts. Lead the whole group through the shared action cards, using up to ten music stops.
- Minutes 20–25: Exchange compliments. Give pairs a card and let both children answer. Exchange cards if time allows. Ask children to complete their jar slips as they finish, and have the helper collect them.
- Minutes 25–30: Reveal the jar answers. Count in tens and ones, check the slips and record the winners. Finish with a shared thank-you; distribute prizes afterward if ties need more time.
If drawing takes longer, shorten a game rather than rushing through every card. Keep a copy of this order beside the supplies so another adult can take over. For a different celebration, seasonal party ideas can help you decide what activity to organize before buying supplies.
Helper names: ______________________________ Party start time: __________
| Activity | Adult leading | Supplies location or change |
|---|---|---|
| Bingo | ____________________ | ______________________________ |
| Musical hearts | ____________________ | ______________________________ |
| Compliments | ____________________ | ______________________________ |
| Jar reveal | ____________________ | ______________________________ |
More games for another party
Keep the caller cards with the blank boards and rules if you want to play again. For another holiday, change the pictures rather than treating these Valentine calls as an all-season deck.
- For autumn gatherings, compare Thanksgiving picture bingo with Halloween picture bingo. Read each page’s board and picture preparation instructions before printing.
- For a winter gathering, Christmas picture bingo includes blank boards and drawing guidance; New Year’s Eve bingo offers full-size and nine-square versions to prepare.
- For spring, Easter picture bingo gives another caller list and blank grids. If children would rather follow clues, Easter egg hunt clues to print includes indoor, outdoor and picture options, with a separate host answer key.
These are alternatives for a different party, not extra games you need to fit into the 30-minute example.
Questions about the Valentine games
Can a whole class play all four games?
Yes, you can organize them as shared activities: everyone draws and plays bingo, follows the same musical hearts prompt, exchanges compliments in pairs and submits jar guesses. The 30-minute example uses this arrangement. A single two-chair compliment station is a small-group option, not the route for getting 24 children through long individual turns.
How many volunteers should I arrange?
The example assigns one adult to lead and one to help with reading, drawing and slips. Confirm the help needed with the teacher; the children’s needs and the room may call for more adults. With one leader, simplify the activities and keep the group together.
What if musical hearts gets too loud?
Shorten the music bursts to about 20 seconds and use slow-motion actions for the last three stops. You can also finish after fewer cards and move to the seated compliment game. Ten cards give you options; you do not have to use them all.
What if a child cannot think of a compliment?
Read the prompt aloud and offer a specific example, such as thanking someone for sharing crayons. Let the child draw their answer, ask for help or choose another card. For a class, pairs can answer the same prompt at the same time rather than waiting at one table.
Can we play at home with fewer children?
Play the games one at a time without a rotation. You could play bingo after snack, leave the jars available for one guess per child per jar and finish with musical hearts before everyone leaves. Use the two-chair compliment station if it suits your group, and reveal the jar answers after collecting all guesses.
Does the print button download a ready-made game file?
No. It opens the browser’s page-print dialog. The cards are text prompts, the bingo board is blank and the jar slip has fields to fill in. Check print preview, copy the player sheets you need and keep the completed host count sheet separate.