Valentine’s Party Food and Games for a Class or Crew

Food for the Valentine’s table

Choose one main sweet and add another option if you want variety. Serve individual portions from a shared table; nothing needs to be plated for two. These are serving suggestions, not tested recipes. Check each product or recipe’s ingredients, yield and storage instructions. A party over lunch or dinner needs a meal as well as sweets.

Pink and red candy bar

Set out candy in jars with a scoop for each, small cups or treat bags, and ingredient information. Pink and red wrappers can supply the color without buying a large range of sweets. You could use six to eight jars for a larger table; use fewer for a short class party or a small group. The candy bar setup guide covers serving windows, refills and take-home portions.

Count bags separately if guests will eat sweets at the party and take some home. For an illustrative class of 25, one take-home bag each means 25 bags; the candy quantity depends on how much you put in each bag.

Chocolate-dipped strawberries

Arrange dipped strawberries on a tray, or halve strawberries for a heart-like shape if that suits your recipe. Have the strawberries, chocolate and tray ready before you begin. Use the recipe’s preparation and storage directions rather than assuming every version can be made a day ahead. For a classroom without suitable storage, choose another agreed food.

Heart brownies or pink-frosted cupcakes

Cut cooled brownies from a 9-by-13-inch pan with a heart cutter and serve the remaining pieces too. Count the hearts you actually cut before promising a portion for every guest. Pink-frosted cupcakes are another option if you’d rather skip the cutter. The easy party desserts guide has serving and shopping examples for brownies, cupcakes and rice treats.

Pink popcorn cups

If popcorn suits the guests, you could coat it with pink-tinted white chocolate using a recipe you trust, then portion it into cups before the party. Have popcorn, coating ingredients, cups and labels ready. Confirm the actual ingredients and whether popcorn is appropriate with the teacher and caregivers; a pink coating does not make it a suitable classroom snack by itself.

Fruit kebabs or fruit cups

Strawberries, raspberries and banana slices give the table another sweet option. Serve them on skewers only if that arrangement suits the guests, or put the fruit in cups instead. Name the actual fruit on the label, including banana. Fruit is an option to discuss with families, not a food that automatically meets everyone’s requirements.

Games everyone can play without a partner

Pick games that fit the children’s abilities and the room. Demonstrate a turn, let players pass and use individual turns or simultaneous play rather than pairs. You could try voting and stacking with children about five and up, and charades and chopsticks with children about six and up. Adjust the task for the children taking part rather than relying on age alone.

Heart charades

One player acts silently while everyone else guesses. Have prompt cards and a timer ready; try turns of up to 60 seconds and allow a new card if someone gets stuck. Suggested prompts include wrapping a present, drawing a giant heart, a puppy carrying a Valentine card and baking cookies. Nobody has to act out a romantic scene.

For more prompts, use charades ideas. The Valentine charades cards for kids offer three prompt piles and blank picture boxes you can draw in for children who aren’t reading yet. Use one actor at a time here to keep the game free of required partners.

Candy minute-to-win-it games

Give each player 20 conversation hearts and a flat surface. Set a 60-second timer and see who builds the tallest tower still standing when time ends. Use the same number of hearts for everyone; if towers tie, let the players share the result or try another round.

For another challenge, put a cup on the table and mark a throwing line. Each player gets the same number of hearts to toss into the cup. Agree on the line before starting and move it closer if needed. Our minute-to-win-it games guide has more ways to adjust challenges for the group.

Move candy with chopsticks

Have a bowl of candy, an empty cup and chopsticks for each player or each individual turn. In 60 seconds, move as many pieces as possible from the bowl to the cup, one at a time. Count what reached the cup and reset for the next turn. Each player takes their own turn while the others cheer. You could offer a spoon if chopsticks make the task frustrating.

Use only game materials agreed for the class. If candy is not allowed, skip the candy challenges and play charades and either-or questions instead.

This-or-that friendship rounds

Read one question at a time and ask everyone to vote. Guests can move to a side of the room, point or raise a hand, depending on the space and what works for them. Try these questions:

• Would you rather draw a card or write a funny message?
• Would you rather watch a movie with friends or play a board game?
• Would you rather decorate cookies or make paper decorations?
• Would you rather give a handmade present or a surprise outing?

Let anyone explain their answer if they want to, then move to the next question. There is no winner, and nobody has to choose another guest.