Free Valentines Day worksheets for children, with seven printable activities that use real Valentine’s Day words, from hearts and cupid to cards, kindness and friendship. Print a word search in three levels, bingo cards, a word scramble, a “how many words can you make” page, an acrostic poem, a writing prompt and a fold-up Valentine’s Day card, each with an answer key where one is needed.
Valentines Day worksheets to print (PDF)
These four pages show what the Valentine’s Day maker prints: a medium word search with a word list, two bingo cards on a page, an acrostic poem for the letters of KINDNESS, and the fold-up card that says “Happy Valentine’s Day!” Click a picture for the PDF.
About Valentine’s Day: the holiday at a glance
A little background makes the words on the page mean more. Here are the basic facts that go with these Valentines Day worksheets:
| Date | February 14 every year |
|---|---|
| Named for | Saint Valentine, a Christian martyr of ancient Rome, whose feast day has been kept on February 14 for about 1,500 years |
| Oldest surviving valentine | A poem written in 1415 by Charles, Duke of Orléans, to his wife while he was a prisoner in the Tower of London |
| Symbols | Hearts, Cupid with his bow and arrow, red roses, pink and red colors, chocolate and lace |
| Around the world | In Finland it is Friends Day, in Japan chocolate is given on February 14 and returned a month later on White Day, and in Brazil Lovers Day is on June 12 |
| Main idea | Showing love, friendship and kindness with a card, a kind word or a small gift |
The story of Valentine’s Day
Valentine’s Day is celebrated on February 14. It is named for Saint Valentine, a martyr of ancient Rome, and the church has remembered him on that date since about the year 496. The link with love came later. In the 1380s the English poet Geoffrey Chaucer wrote that birds choose their mates on Saint Valentine’s Day, and the idea spread through the courts of Europe.
The oldest valentine that still exists is a poem written in 1415 by Charles, Duke of Orléans, to his wife while he was held prisoner in the Tower of London. By the 1800s people were sending printed cards, and in the 1840s Esther Howland of Massachusetts began selling lacy, ribbon-trimmed cards, which earned her the nickname “Mother of the American Valentine.” Today the holiday is as much about friendship and kindness as about romance, and many classrooms ask children to give a card to every classmate.
Wikipedia’s Valentine’s Day article describes the history of the day and how it is celebrated around the world.
What is in the Valentine’s Day activity pack?
Every activity uses the same list of 24 Valentine’s Day words, so children meet each word several times in different ways. The list is the heart of these Valentines Day worksheets: the word search hides it, the scramble mixes it up, the bingo calls it out and the writing prompt asks children to use it.
Valentine’s Day word search: three levels
The word search comes in easy, medium and hard grids, with 10, 14 and 18 words from the list.
The longest Valentine’s Day words are chocolate and valentine with 9 letters, and the shortest words are hug and red with 3.
Valentine’s Day vocabulary: words to talk about
Take a few minutes to talk about the words before children search for them. These eight are a good place to start:
| Word | Letters | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| valentine | 9 | A card or small gift given to show love or friendship |
| cupid | 5 | The Roman god of love, shown as a winged child with a bow and arrows |
| arrow | 5 | A thin stick with a point, shot from a bow, and a symbol of Cupid |
| ribbon | 6 | A narrow band of cloth used to tie gifts and trim cards |
| lace | 4 | Delicate cloth with a pattern of tiny holes, often seen on old valentine cards |
| caring | 6 | Showing kindness and concern for other people |
| share | 5 | To give part of what you have to someone else |
| poem | 4 | A piece of writing with rhythm and carefully chosen words |
The other 16 words in the list are heart, love, friend, card, rose, candy, chocolate, hug, kind, sweet, pink, red, flowers, gift, smile and february.
How people celebrate Valentine’s Day
- Making a card for every classmate and posting it in a class mailbox
- Writing a kind note to a friend, a grandparent or a neighbor
- Sharing treats such as chocolate and heart-shaped cookies
- Giving flowers, especially red roses
- Holding a class party with games such as bingo
Valentine’s Day activities for kids to do with the worksheets
Pair the printed pages with a hands-on idea, and the vocabulary sticks:
- Kindness cards: use the writing prompt to tell a friend why they are special, then copy the note into the fold-up card.
- Heart bingo: play with candy hearts or paper hearts as counters, and let each winner read their favorite word aloud.
- Class mailbox: decorate a shoebox with a slot and let every child post a card to each classmate.
- Kindness acrostic: write KINDNESS down the page and add one kind action for each letter.
- Heart symmetry: fold a paper in half, cut half a heart and open it to see line symmetry.
A note for families and teachers
Valentine cards in school work best when everyone gets one. Ask each child to make a card for every classmate, or for nobody, so that no one is left out, and keep the focus on friendship and kindness.
How to use these Valentines Day worksheets in five minutes
The valentines day worksheets maker works from the 24-word Valentine’s Day list, so whichever page you print uses the same words. Choose an activity, set the level and press Download PDF or Print, and press New puzzles for a fresh set.
Valentines Day worksheets: frequently asked questions
When is Valentines Day?
Valentines Day is on February 14 every year.
Why do we give valentines?
The custom grew from Saint Valentine’s feast day on February 14, which poets such as Chaucer linked with love. People began writing love notes, printed cards were sold by the 1800s, and today children also use valentines to tell friends they care.
What ages are the Valentines Day worksheets for?
Ages 4 to 10. The card, bingo and acrostic suit younger children, and the word search and scramble suit grades 1 to 5.
Valentine’s Day printables: find the right page
Valentines day activities for kids
These valentines day activities for kids mix word play, writing and craft ideas, so children can learn as they celebrate.
Valentine word search
The valentine word search has three levels, with an answer key, and every puzzle is new each time you press New puzzles.
Valentine bingo printable
The valentine bingo printable has 5 by 5 cards with a free space and all 24 Valentine’s Day words. Print 2 to 30 different cards with a caller sheet, then call the words and cover them.
Valentines day card printable
The valentines day card printable is a fold-up card with the greeting “Happy Valentine’s Day!” on the front, a space to draw and a message inside. Print it, color it and fold it in four.
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