Celebrate With Online Books, Crafts and Connection
There’s something special about Valentine’s Day in the classroom. Handmade cards, hearts taped to desks and kids trading playful puns with real excitement make it one of the most joyful holidays to teach.
Curious how teachers make Valentine’s Day unforgettable? We asked our Epic Educator Ambassadors to share the books and activities that turn this sweet holiday into a celebration of kindness, creativity and connection.
Spoiler: there are goats, giggles, glitter and plenty of glue sticks involved.
1. Valentine’s Day
By Pearl Markovics
Shared by: Julie M. Jackson, M.Ed., Kindergarten Team Lead, Crosby, TX
Julie starts by previewing vocabulary, then invites her students to share memories—Did they get a teddy bear last year? Make cards for Grandma? That chat sets the tone for connection and creativity.
After the read-aloud, her kindergartners dive into the art supply bin to make valentines using whatever scraps they can find.
“I love using this read aloud because of the real world photographs,” Julie says. “Students get excited to share the things they have seen in stores, or that they would like to buy or make for their loved ones.”
2. Mr. Goat’s Valentine
By Eve Bunting
Shared by: Colleen Panzer, 2nd Grade Special Education Teacher, Ekron, KY
This charming story follows Mr. Goat as he collects some very unexpected gifts for his valentine. In Colleen’s class, the fun continues with a creative craft project.
Students design valentine bags that look like goats, complete with ears, horns and all. They use them to exchange cards and treats.
“This book is lovely because it’s so silly in what the main character collects,” Colleen says. “It also has the sweetest surprise ending!”
3. Let’s Bake Valentine’s Day Treats
By Ruth Owen
Shared by: Emily Shearin, 3rd Grade ELA Teacher, Oxford, NC
This nonfiction recipe book turns the reading standard of sequencing into something hands-on and delicious!
“I love using this recipe-style book as an engaging way for students to practice sequencing skills. As they read, students complete a sequence activity by identifying, ordering, and illustrating the steps of the recipe using transition words such as first, next, then, and finally,” Emily explains.
“I love this book and activity because it gives students a fun, hands-on way to practice sequencing skills using a real-life context they can understand.”
4. Franklin’s Valentines
By Paulette Bourgeois
Shared by: April Pemberton, 1st/2nd Grade ELA Teacher, Avinger, TX
“This story about Franklin the turtle and his mix-up with his valentines sparks a conversation about kindness and friendship. After reading, April’s students make cards for classmates and family members.
“We love this book because it teaches the true meaning of friendship,” she says.
“The students love the activity because it allows them to do something fun and creative. After hearing the story, they are inspired to do something kind for their friends.”
5. Easy Valentine’s Day Crafts for Kids
By Kim Thompson
Shared by: Nicole Curcuru, 3rd Grade Teacher, Essex Elementary
Students in Nicole’s class create Valentine placemats, paper flower bouquets, bookmarks, puzzles and cards for local senior citizens attending a special Valentine breakfast at the Senior Center. “Creating crafts for local seniors helps students build empathy and understand the value of giving back to their community,” Nicole says. “It also fosters meaningful intergenerational connections, allowing students to brighten someone’s day through their creativity and kindness.”
With clear, step-by-step directions, the book allows students to focus on creating meaningful crafts they’re proud to share.
6. Fluffy’s Valentine’s Day
By Kate McMullan
Shared by: Mrs. Leslie Rennick, Special Education, Grades 3–5, Wyoming, IL
Fluffy the guinea pig is a favorite in Mrs. Rennick’s classroom. After reading Fluffy’s Valentine’s Day, her students “brainstorm and write about all of the things that we each love and why,” then decorate valentine bags or boxes with those things.
“They love sharing all of their loves/interests with their classmates,” Mrs.Rennick says. “This is a fun way to share love, interests and kindness leading up to Valentine’s Day.”
She keeps a Fluffy Collection on her Epic dashboard. “There is truly a Fluffy book for every holiday, season and school event.”
7. Words Are Not For Hurting
By Elizabeth Verdick
Shared by: Kristy Buchalla, 3rd Grade Teacher, Cortland, NY
Kristy turns this SEL read-aloud into a lesson students won’t forget. Before the story, they reflect on hurtful words. During the reading, they fold their paper hearts every time they hear one. By the end, “the heart is filled with folds, representing how the heart breaks from hurtful words,” Kristy says.
Before reading, they “discuss times when words have hurt us and what that felt like.” Afterward, they “make valentines after brainstorming kind words used for helping and loving, not hurting.” Kristy adds, “This is a great reminder about how to express feelings appropriately, a visual reminder of how words hurt and sharing what words make us feel good.”
Valentine’s Day Books & Creative Classroom Ideas Educators Love (Off-Epic Picks!)
8. Amelia Bedelia’s First Valentine
By Herman Parish
Shared by: Heather Miller, 1st Grade Teacher, Escondido, CA
Heather uses this lighthearted story to support retelling skills and story structure. “This is the perfect book to share as it is funny, great for retelling as there is a clear problem and solution and can be used for a fun activity!”
After reading, she challenges her students to make valentines using anything they can find—just not paper.
“I like to have students make Valentine’s out of things they find around the room or their homes, anything but paper! Get creative!”
9. Harvey the Heart Had Too Many Farts
By Jane Bexley
Shared by: Amanda Sinnott, M.Ed., Academic Coach, Tampa Bay, FL
Amanda uses this read-aloud to bring joy and laughter into her classroom. “This book is hilarious and great for giggles! It is also a great way to reinforce rhyming topics.”
She sees humor as a powerful hook for engagement. “Hearing kids laugh and have fun really helps them associate books and stories with laughter and joy,” she says.
“Sometimes a little potty humor is what it takes to keep them engaged!” Have a bunch of reluctant readers in your classroom? This just might be the book that gets them laughing—and listening.
10. Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Rose
By Lucille Colandro
Shared by: Mrs. Miller, K–4 Life Skills/Special Education Teacher, Camden, NJ
Mrs. Miller uses this “hilarious” read-aloud to teach kindness through a hands-on heart activity. “We do a kindness heart and show what a heart looks like if it hears kind words (pretty and fresh) and what happens if it hears negative things (crumply and messy).”
She adds, “The heart activity is a great social/emotional lesson on the value of being kind to others.” Books like this remind us that even a little laughter can lead to big lessons in empathy, respect and love.
Sharing the Love: Classroom Traditions, Printable Valentine Cards and Favorite Books
From heart-filled crafts to story-driven acts of kindness, these classroom traditions show what Valentine’s Day is really about: kindness, connection and a great read. Don’t forget to download the Valentine cards featuring their favorite Epic Originals characters—ready to print, personalize and share with students or family.
Looking for more ways to celebrate? Explore books on Epic and find favorites to share all year long. Here’s to a season filled with love, laughter and learning.
Frequently Asked Questions
▶ What grade levels are these Valentine’s Day activities best for?
These Valentine’s Day books and classroom activities are ideal for elementary students, particularly grades K–5. Many of the read-alouds, crafts and hands-on learning ideas can be easily adapted for younger learners or students with special education needs.
▶ Are these Valentine’s Day books available as online books?
Yes! Many of the featured titles are available as online books on Epic, making it easy for educators and families to explore more than 40,000 high-quality books from 250+ top publishers—with new titles added daily. You can search by topic, reading level or popular characters to help narrow things down. For books not yet on Epic, families can easily find them through popular online retailers.
▶ Can parents do these activities at home?
Absolutely. These Valentine’s Day crafts and read-aloud ideas work just as well at home as they do in the classroom. Families can create handmade cards, decorate valentine bags or boxes, practice sequencing with recipes, or explore acts of kindness together using free books online through Epic.
▶ How do these activities support learning standards?
The activities go beyond crafts by reinforcing key academic and social-emotional skills. Teachers use Valentine’s Day read-alouds to practice sequencing skills, retelling, vocabulary development, rhyming and SEL concepts like kindness, empathy and positive communication—all through fun, hands-on learning.
▶ Do I need special supplies for these Valentine’s Day crafts?
Most activities use simple classroom or household materials like paper scraps, glue sticks, crayons and recycled items. Many educators encourage creativity by letting students use whatever materials are available, making these ideas budget-friendly and flexible.
▶ Is Epic free to use?
Epic Family is free to try! Explore 40,000+ books and more, all ad-free and available 24/7. Enjoy your free trial—no commitment needed and you can cancel anytime.
