Valentine's Day Party Games for Kids

Kids love Valentine's Day. Ok, so they love any holiday. But there is something about making hearts and sharing the love that is so appealing to young children and many parents are starting to host Valentine's Day parties for them.

First, be sure to decorate your house in red, pink, purple, and white, to establish the mood.

Play traditional party favorites, such as "Musical Chairs", but be sure to include some love songs (be it as cheesy as Barney's "I Love You, You Love Me" or something more adult).

Take a creative spin on "Pin the Tail on the Donkey". Make an outline of a child on butcher paper. Cut out a bunch of heart shapes. See how many kids can "Pin the Heart on the Child". They'll get a kick out of all of the weird places their hearts end up!

Everyone loves a pinata. Purchase one or else create your own: wrapping newspaper strips dipped in a mixture of flour and water around a mold, let it dry, then paint it and fill it with candy.

Watch some Peanuts DVDs, such as Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown or A Charlie Brown Valentine.. Then you can play the corresponding games, which you can purchase at your local Barnes and Noble. There is a Charlie Brown Valentine edition of Uno, a board game, Checkers and Tic Tac Toe, and a 500-piece puzzle available this year.

Decorate bags or boxes to be a "mailbox". Have each child take a turn being the "Postman" who delivers the valentines to each box.

Older children will also enjoy doing word searches and crosswords. You can find some on ABC Teach, and Enchanted Learning, and Bry-Back Manor. Or create your own.

Use stickers to make up a Bingo game or to make your own dominoes.

Make up your own version of Children's Scrabble by preprinting your own Valentine's Day -related words. Children have to turn over one letter card or tile at a time and try to spell of their words.

Setting up an arts and crafts station is always a hit for young kids at a party. Refer to my crafts article for some ideas.

And, of course, you must always have some red and pink food available. Kids also have fun making cookies.

Have fun!