A day late and a dollar (or more) short, but what can I say? It has been crazy rounding up materials for over-the-top Valentines Day boxes and creative ideas for cards for my elementary kids to pass out.

*Note to teachers: parents, especially those with multiple children, do not always appreciate having to “help” create a Valentines box based on a Greek myth, or shaped like an animal, or with specific parameters outlawing glue, tape, cardboard and paper. I get it, I do! You want to foster creativity and don’t have time to work it in to the curriculum. But let’s be real here. Between ballet class, church groups, my work, my husband’s work, two scout groups, and the kids expecting to be fed, we barely have time to do the “normal” homework. Then we are assigned to make an over the top creation (like the one pictured above – not mine, BTW. Someday I’ll dig out a pic of Poseidon’s ship…) Did we get it done? Yes. Did we enjoy the process? No. Did it serve a purpose other than proving which kid’s parent has the most crafting skills? Not really. OK. Stepping off my soap box now.*

Different schools do different things for Valentines Day. Our elementary has the big class party with boxes and cards for everyone (but no candy!) and games. The junior high I was subbing at yesterday allowed kids, or teachers, to purchase candy-grams with heart-shaped suckers and send them to friends. My kid’s junior high basically ignored the fact that it was happening. It all got me thinking about my future class. Even 12-14 year olds like Valentines – even though the boys roll their eyes and act like they are too cool. Or maybe that’s just when they come from mom. So I put together some fun (and appropriate) Valentines card ideas for science and math teachers on my Pinterest board: