Elementary class Valentine's Day parties are often the highlight of Valentine's day for kids. Here are a few tips on how to throw the most memorable party, while maintaining your sanity.

Keep the blood sugar low(er). Since sweets will abound on Valentine's Day, help counteract all that sugar with some protein and vegetables. A vegetable and cheese platter will help fill student's stomach with something more wholesome than the simple carbs of the candies. Nuts are also a good source of protein, but can only be provided if you're sure none of the children has any allergies. Provide a snack time throughout the day, and encourage wholesome food to lessen the consumption of sugar.

Host a Valentine's mailbox contest. Provide the children with envelopes or boxes to make their Valentine's Day mailbox, and allow them to decorate their box any way they desire. Construction paper, glitter, glue, and Cinderella princess and Snow White princess stickers are good ideas to provide. Give them a set amount of time, and let them create the ultimate box. Prizes can go to the most creative, the biggest, the most visually appealing, and the silliest.

Provide time for a Valentine's exchange. By providing a set exchange time, you'll limit the note passing and card tossing in the classroom. You may desire to play music during this time, or find a short Valentine's appropriate movie to play while the Valentine's are exchanged.

Have Secret Valentine's. Have the students draw names from a hat and create a simple special Valentine for that person. Encourage them to write something nice about the person they are creating the card for. Then have them address the card, leaving the author nameless. They'll enjoy trying to secretly make and deliver these cards.

Make it a dress up party. If you have any girls dress up costumes, bring them. Encourage the students to dress up any way they can, even if it's just by wearing red or pink. Not every child will be in a Little Adventures princess Disney costume, and to help those who don't have a Cinderella princess costume or a Snow White princess costume feel better, you can provide time to make Valentine's hats or provide other random bits of red or pink dress ups so the kids can dress up in the classroom. You can make the dress up aspect of the party a contest as well. Award the girls dress up costumes as a different category than the boys, and compliment each child on their attempt to dress up. Just don't forget to wear your own Little Adventures princess Disney costume! The students will think it's fun to see their teacher and PTA parents dressed up in girls dress up costumes like Cinderella princess, Snow White princess, or other princess Disney costumes.

A simple game is to play Heart Search. While the students are out of the classroom during lunch or recess, hide 30 or more small, die-cut heart throughout the room. Give an award to the student than can find the most hearts. This activity can also be done outside, as a way to help the children use some of their excited energy.

One of the most classic Valentine's Day games is to have the students guess how many sweethearts are in a glass jar. The winner gets to keep the jar and candies as a prize. This game is great for involving some of the quieter, more introverted students.

Shelby is the mother of 2 girls and 1 boy and lives in Orem, Utah. She also runs a home-based business called My Cute Dressups at http://www.mycutedressups.com that sells Princess dress up clothes and other fun pretend play items for kids, toddlers, and even teenagers and adult princess costumes. She also has an ebay store and a local store run by the same name. She has seen a noticeable difference in her kids after encouraging dress up play. Visit her website for more biographical information or to see her exciting line of Princess Costumes like Cinderella dresses, Snow White Costumes, Sleeping Beauty dresses, wedding dress up, Medieval Princess, Yellow Beauty, Winter Beauty, Rapunzel dress, doll clothes that fit American Girl, 18 inch doll clothes. She has a Cinderella doll dress that matches exactly with the girl Cinderella dress as well as matching Snow White doll dress.

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