Valentine’s Day is meant to be a time of sharing appreciation and love, but for many students, it can create anxiety or feelings of exclusion. Students often wonder whether they’ll receive cards from their peers or worry about the messages they’ll receive. Without intentional planning, Valentine’s Day can sometimes highlight social differences, leaving some students feeling left out.

As educators, we have the opportunity to transform Valentine’s Day into a day that celebrates everyone’s value and contributions. By promoting kindness and community, we can create an inclusive atmosphere where all students feel they belong.

This simple classroom activity is designed to encourage positive interactions and ensure that every student feels appreciated on Valentine’s Day.

Materials:

• Red or pink construction paper
• Scissors
• Markers
• Heart-shaped stickers

Preparation:

Before the activity, cut out large heart shapes from the construction paper. Then, cut each heart in half with a zigzag down the middle to resemble a “broken heart.” You’ll need half as many hearts as there are students in your class, plus a few extras just in case.

• Mix up the broken hearts and hand one half to each student.
• Play some fun music and encourage students to find the matching half of their heart by talking to their classmates and figuring out which pieces fit together.
• Once students find their partner, have them write something positive or encouraging on their partner’s heart, such as “You are good at puzzles” or “I love your laugh.” If a student needs assistance with writing, provide support to ensure everyone can participate.

1. After the students have written their messages, give them a sheet of heart-shaped stickers. Use two stickers to tape the broken hearts together, symbolizing that we are all complete when we support one another.
2. Create a classroom display by taping the hearts to a wall. This Heart of Encouragement will serve as a visual reminder of the value each student brings to the classroom.
3. Throughout the month, encourage students to place stickers on their classmates’ hearts whenever they want to offer encouragement. The goal is for students to use all their stickers by the end of the month, with each sticker representing a positive comment. To ensure that every student receives encouragement, challenge the class to place stickers on different hearts each time, so no student is left out.

Discuss with your students how life is better when we have friends around us. Without the gifts of our friends, we would only have half a heart. Encourage students to reflect on how they can continue building each other up throughout the year, not just on Valentine’s Day. Ask them to think of other ways they can show kindness to their classmates, both in and out of the classroom.

Inclusion is about ensuring that every student feels valued and respected. Valentine’s Day can be a perfect opportunity to teach students about kindness, empathy, and community building. By engaging in this activity, students will learn that everyone plays an important role in creating a supportive and welcoming classroom environment.

At All Belong, we’re committed to helping educators create spaces where all students—regardless of ability—belong. Through activities like this, you can foster a culture of inclusion, ensuring that every student is seen, valued, and appreciated.