Valentine’s Day is almost upon us, and for kids, it’s a pretty exciting day. There’s usually a school party, colorful decorations, the ever-popular Valentine’s Day mailbox, and an exchange of Valentine cards. Regardless of whether you can’t get enough of all the love or you wish you could make the holiday disappear forever, the show must go on for the kiddos, and it’s time to pick out what Valentine’s Day cards they’ll be passing out in class this year.
These days, most cards come with a mini toy or small treat for each recipient, which is great for feeling like you went above and beyond in the Valentine’s Day gift-giving department. To inspire you and your little one about what’s going on in the class Valentine’s Day mailboxes this year, we’ve rounded up a variety of Valentine's ideas sure to pique your child’s interest. The list is filled with unique card ideas because, trust us, depending on their age, there will likely be a lot of Bluey and Peppa Pig. Check out our favorite Valentine's Day cards for kids that your little ones are sure to adore.
P.S. A lot of the cards your kids will be getting will have a little something extra attached, so be sure to make those slots extra wide when assembling their Valentine's Day box!
1Fidget Fun
For the kiddos who learn best when their hands have something to do, keep them occupied with a fidget toy they won’t be able to put down. Twist these little track-style toys into shapes, letters, and even 3D designs. What’s not to love about a valentine that'll be played with long after the holiday is over?
2Custom Printed
Add pizzazz to Valentine’s Day with a custom-printed valentine. With a much-needed reminder to “stay kind,” this adorable card features a jumbo conversation heart front and center. Choose from three different colors and even add sparkle with eight varieties of shimmery foil. You can even choose from several customizable backs including a tic-tac-toe game or a photo of your child, making these double as a great Valentine's Day card to send to family.
3A Two-In-One Surprise
Don’t get locked into the standard Valentine’s Day candy options. This fillable bag allows you to add a few pieces of your kid's favorite treats to each card. The customizable option makes it easy to accommodate allergies by adding different snacks or mini toys. This DIY assembly kit comes with 60 valentines, a cost-efficient bulk option that’s great for giving goodies out at extracurriculars like sports or scout meetings.
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4Desk Pets
If your child’s class is obsessed with desk pets, they’re going to lose their minds over these cute little squishies that come in their own heart-shaped house. From adorable farm animals like chicks and bunnies to zoo animals like pandas and elephants that are just too cute (and even some unicorns and dinos), this multi-pack has something for everyone and may just get the kids talking and trading their favorite pets.
5Make V-Day Stress-Free
Not your traditional valentine card, these heart-shaped stress balls are like a candy heart and emoji combined and come to life. Pair with your own note or skip the messages altogether because let’s be honest, sometimes as a kid you don’t want to give a cutesy valentine message to the not-so-nice kid in the class or worry about what special message to write on your crush’s card.
6Furry Friends
For people who don’t have a lot of keys to carry around, kids sure do love to get keychains. These adorable stuffies pair with a corresponding Valentine’s Day card that has the matching animal printed on it. With an attached string, kids can put these little animal pals on a key ring, hang them from their backpack or display them on a hook at home.
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7Swifties Rejoice
If your little Swiftie is in their friendship bracelet era, then look no further for the perfect valentine. Adorned with several printed bracelet designs, your valentine message is spelled out in letter beads. All the fun of exchanging friendship bracelets, without all the work of making one for every kid in the class (but hey, I’m not stopping you from breaking out the bead kit to go with it). Better yet, you can get your child’s name printed on one of the bracelet designs to save time signing card after card.
8Build-a-Valentine
Where a love of dinos and Legos meet, this valentine comes with mini building bricks to assemble one of eight different dinosaurs. Each set comes already bagged with a Happy Valentine’s Day message. Nothing says Valentine’s Day quite like a T-Rex or pterodactyl, because roar means “I love you,” in dinosaur.
9Play Packs Included
Unlike other valentine cards that get opened and immediately thrown away, these are filled with plenty of entertainment value. Each Play Pack includes a mini coloring book, a sticker, and a couple of crayons so kids can color their favorite characters. And with a Valentine's Day card included to go with each pack, this is definitely a cost-friendly Gabby activity compared to buying that dollhouse that was hot this holiday season.
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10Forever Flowers
You won’t have to worry about these valentines wilting if they don’t make it into water. Celebrate Valentine’s Day by giving every kid in the class a flower…that they can build themselves. With six different varieties of flowers, you could even give each student a few packs so they can make their own bouquet. And if your kid’s not one for flowers, there are build-your-own food options with hamburgers, pizza, and sushi.
11Squishy-Sweet
Playfoam is slime’s nicer, cleaner cousin; there’s a satisfying squish and pop with every poke and fold. It’s tactile and sensory, and with the addition of the Valentine’s Day cards, it’s a pretty great giveaway, too.
This is a wonderful alternative to giving out candy, and it’s especially great when you don’t know the allergies of the classroom or fellow students.
12Light Up Valentine
These are tiny finger projectors — have you ever seen such a thing?! I hadn't before these, but you can bet that I one-clicked these so hard that I think I scared Jeff Bezos. I've literally never seen a cooler valentine/favor in my entire life, and needless to say, kids will likely find them just as cool as I did.
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13A Wearable Valentine
The '80s phenomenon is making a comeback. These slap bracelets are fun to wear, easy to put on, and come in colorful animal prints. At just $15 for 28 valentines and bracelets, it’s easy to make a “snap” decision to get them (see what we did there)?
14Scratch-Off Valentine
If your child is a sucker for silly puns and hilarious jokes, look no further. Kids will have a blast opening up their cards and rattling off the scratch-off jokes to one another.
Before you know it, your little one will be hitting those one-liners with the timing of a seasoned comedian. I expect Dad will want to get in on these corny jokes as well.
15Reusable Pencils
Remember these pencils from childhood? There was something great about not needing to get up to sharpen your pencil any time it broke. Plus, pulling out all the points and putting them back in provided a lot of entertainment. Your child can waddle their way into the hearts of their friends with these stackable pencils decorated with precious little penguin designs.
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16Sticker Valentines
We don’t know what it is about these little dolls, but one thing’s for sure: Kids love them. Each valentine comes with a L.O.L. doll sticker sheet, for a valentine that sticks around. (Get it?!)
17Yoda Best
This is the way… to have a great Valentine’s Day. These cards include tattoos that feature everyone’s favorite tiny child. Just slide the tattoo into the valentine's included slot and have a completed valentine you will.
18For On-The-Go Pops
Pop-Its are as popular as ever among little kids, and we love these valentine keychains, which can be enjoyed dangling from a backpack all year long. And with each poppable key chain already pre-packaged and sealed with a cute animal design and “Happy Valentine’s Day” message, you won't be pulling an all-nighter before school trying to assemble your kid's valentines.
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19A Stamp of Approval
Everyone can appreciate the fun of a festive stamp. We love these Valentine's Day cards for kids because there are six different stamp designs included, as well as four options for card designs.
20An Unexpected Delight
Accordion toys are a wild choice for a valentine, but I like that about them. It’s not expected. They're not your typical goodie bag item after a birthday party, and yet, if you give a kid a Slinky? They love them.
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