valentine's day party ideas

Okay - I stupidly volunteered (a few months ago) to handle "games" for the kindergarten valentine's day party -- and now I have to come up w/something.

Anyone have any fantastic ideas (or cautionary tales). I'm guessing spin the bottle is out .... :!

Welcome to my world. :>

I wish I could remember what we did last year. I think we did a game with those disgusting little gem donuts -- tie donuts to a string (hanging from ceiling or a clothesline type setup), line the kids up in front of the donuts, have them eat the donut with their hands behind their backs. They have fun and it is fun to watch.

We did a bingo game for the Halloween party. I'm hoping the kids don't mind doing it again. Something like this:
http://currentcatalog.com/productDetail ... ~10330.asp

With the pictures and words, I think k'gartners could do it.

I was thinking of decorating these puzzle cards for parents:
http://currentcatalog.com/productDetail ... ~16251.asp

Maybe Tara can help us out.

[Sheherezade]

Hot potato with a stuffed heart? You pass the heart to music and who ever has it when the music stops steps into the middle of the circle (or controls the music for a turn). Keep going until you are tired - or snack is ready.

Bingo with the candy hearts as markers is fun. You can download picture cards online.

You could make a "love potion" for snack and make the prep in to an activity. Some type of punch thing? (We did this in K for Halloween -- some monster sundae thingie with the "potion formula" on the chalkboard.)

I'll think of what else.

I'm just in charge of mine.....but everything has been delegated.

ETA: A simple craft is always nice, too. You could make Valentine's mailboxes and then let them deliver their cards if the teacher hasn't done that already. We did a photo of the class on black paper (made to look like a radio) at Christmas - but the real hit with that was I asked them to all sign each other's frames. I bought a set of gel pens at Target and gave them each one to take home. It took a good 15 minutes of "mingle time" before they got each others signatures. They had fun and it was low key.

I don't know if K kids can do all that signing though.....could be frustrating for some.

Oh oh, this is what happened to me last year, I volunteered before I thought things out...we played "statues" and then "pin the arrow on the heart" (instead of pin the tail on the donkey) and all of the kid sloved it...
It was actually super fun in the end....

Hmmmm .... wondering if "activity" could count as "game". I'll have to run that by the "party coordinator" (God - these things are SO overdone!). I like the frame & signing idea --- and they've been working super-hard on name writing.

Am I supposed to supply prizes for the games? I wish I'd offered to do snack! I've got a TOTALLY cute snack idea.

[Sheherezade]

Overdone is understatement. It's insanity. I did the activity/games at the Xmas party and I went very low key. It went over well. I think (I hope, I hope) that we are getting to the apex with this party stuff. It can't get any more crazy.

(This is the first time I'm just "co-ordinator" -- I hope it goes well. I feel weird just delegating to others and showing up. )

Technically, I am supposed to be coordinating. But after a miscommunication with the last party I am doing a little more. I asked for help with THE activity, she thought I meant AN activity because I should have planned 4 activities/stations. I'll be more specific but I hope I can get the other room parent to step up and get some parent helpers too.