ESL Valentine's Day Activities, Games, History & Lesson Plans (2024)

If you’re looking for some fun ESL Valentine’s day games, activities, lesson plans, vocabulary, worksheets, and more, then you’re definitely in the right place. You’ll find everything you need to plan yourself an awesome Valentine’s lesson! Make use of the history of Valentine’s day lesson resource and the best Valentine’s day warm up activities. If you are interested in teaching ESL classes for other holidays, check out resources for Halloween, Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.

ESL Valentine’s Day Activities and Games for All Ages

Are you ready to get into the fun Valentine’s day warm-up activities for the classroom? Let’s get to it!

#1: Valentine’s Day Cards

I LOVE to have my students make cards for their family and friends, or other classmates. Bring in some paper and art supplies and let students get creative!

Of course, show them some examples of common phrases you could normally find on these sorts of cards and explain what they mean.

#2: ESL Valentine’s Day Videos

I’m ALL about using videos in my ESL classroom, but there are a few things I do to get the most use out of them. In the case of Valentine’s day, there are a ton of good ones on YouTube, particularly related to the history of Valentine’s Day and related vocabulary.

To find out more about how to use videos effectively, you’ll want to check this out: ESL Videos and How to Use Them.

#3: Charades: ESL Valentine’s Day Game

This is a classic party game that’s ideal for game or activity days related to holidays. The way it works is similar to how you’ve probably played it, but you would just choose holiday-themed vocabulary.

To find out more about how to use it in the ESL classroom, check this out: Charades for English Learners.

#4: A to Z Alphabet Game

If your students are already quite familiar with Valentine’s Day vocabulary, then you could use this activity as a quick warmer activity to activate their prior knowledge.

However, if you are teaching students about this popular holiday for the first time, you could consider using it as a vocabulary review activity at the end of class.

The way it works is that students have to think of as many words (one per letter) as possible related to a certain theme. In this case, it’d be Valentine’s Day. The team with the most words at the end of the allotted time is the winner. You can find out more details about this ESL activity here: A to Z ESL Game.

#5: Task-Based Activities

There are a million and one task-based activities that students could do related to holiday-themed lessons. For example, they could do some research about the history of Valentine’s Day and then make a poster and do a presentation. Or, they could make cards for each other with some common phrases you might normally find on these types of cards.

Students could also conduct interviews to find out people’s thoughts on love and dating. Or, students could compare Valentine’s Day with a similar holiday in their own country.

Need more ideas for this kind of activity? Check this out: Task-Based Learning.

#6: I’m an Alien

It’s often the case that students already know a fair bit about this popular holiday before explicitly teaching them. If that’s the case, consider using this simple warm-up:

#7: Password Vocabulary Activity

This is a vocabulary review game that lends itself extremely well to Valentine’s Day. The way it works is that you divide the students up into two teams. The first team sends a member to the front and you show a secret word to the rest of the team who now have to describe it to the person who has to guess what it is.

It’s fun, and challenging and makes a perfect activity for a party day activity that has a bit of educational value to it! Do you want to know more? Check it out for yourself right here:

Password ESL Vocabulary Review Game

#8: Picture Prompt

I love bringing interesting pictures into my classroom. In this case, you’d choose a Valentine’s one filled with lots of things students could talk about.

Beginners can simply say the words of things they see, while more advanced students could make guesses or inferences about what’s happening. You can find out more about it here:

ESL Picture Prompt.

#9: Word Association

This vocabulary activity makes an ideal class warm-up to serve as an introduction to Valentine’s Day words. It’s basically making a mind map of words related to a certain theme. Do you want to know more about it? Find out all the details here:

ESL Word Association Activity.

#10: ESL Concentration Memory Game

Try out this fun memory game with your students. The way it works is that you can make sets of cards. For beginners, go with a picture and then the word, while more advanced students can have the word and then the definition. Cut them out and students, in groups of four place them face down in an organized fashion.

Then, it becomes a game where students have to find the matching pairs. Do you want to try it out? Here are the details about it:

ESL Concentration Memory Game.

#11: Valentine’s Day Board Game

I LOVE to play board games in real life and so try to bring them into the classroom as well. You can make one about just about any topic or grammar point, including holidays.

You can make it into a vocabulary game, or one where you have to give opinions on various love and dating things. Find out more details in this short video:

#12: Flyswatter ESL Game

If you want to have some fun with valentine’s words, then you’ll need to consider using flyswatter. The way it works is that you write a bunch of words randomly on the board. For example cupid, love, chocolate, date, roses, etc.

Then, divide the class into two teams and one student from each team comes to the front of the class. Each of them takes a flyswatter and then you can give hints about one of the words. The first student to slap that word gets a point for their team and the game continues on until everyone has had a chance to play. I usually erase the word and add a new one in its’ place.

You can learn more about it here: ESL Flyswatter Game.

#13: Just One Question

This is a quick survey activity that gets students talking about love and dating. The way it works is that in pairs, students have to think of one interesting question related to this theme that they’d like to ask their classmates about. Then, they survey at least 10 students, compile results and report what they learned to the class.

Do you want to try it out with your students? You can learn more about this activity here: https://eslspeaking.org/esl-warm-up-questions/

#14: Odd One Out

If you’re talking about different holidays like Valentine’s, Juneteenth, Christmas, Thanksgiving and Halloween, then you’ll want to try out this quick activity. The way it works is that you write sets of words on the board and students have to choose the one that doesn’t match. For example:

• Cupid, tree, heart, chocolate

There are a number of possible answers, but one obvious one is tree because it’s related to Christmas and not Valentines. I take any answer as long as students are able to tell me why. Find out more about it here: ESL Odd One Out.

#15: Valentine’s Day Songs

If you teach kids, then you’ll certainly want to try some songs and singing in your classroom. They’re a fun way for students to remember and practice new words that they learned related to this holiday. Have a look on YouTube and you’ll be able to easily find one that will work for your students.

#16: Write a Love Poem: ESL Valentine’s Day Activity

Roses are red. Violets are blue . . .

A fun activity you can try out for your Valentine’s day lesson is to get students to write a simple love poem, even if they don’t have a partner. It can be fun or silly—it’s up to the students!

#17: Valentine’s Listening Lesson

It’s quite easy to plan a lesson based on whatever topic you want. In this case, find a conversation between two people talking about their experience of Valentine’s Day. Or, perhaps one person talking about their best one ever. Then, follow the simple steps to make a fun and interesting lesson:

#18: Word Challenge

A fun time-filler that you can use in your classes is this spelling game. Of course, it’s not just a time-filler because spelling is an important skill for our students to work on.

The way it works is that students have to race to write a correctly spelled word on the whiteboard. In this case, you’d want to use Valentine’s Day themed vocabulary. Find out more here:

Word Challenge Activity.

#19: Dialogue Substitution

#20: Chain Spelling: ESL Valentine’s Day Activity

A fun, quick review of ESL vocab for Valentine’s Day is this chain spelling one. The way it works is that all the students stand up. Then, you say a vocabulary word. Students take turns spelling out the word, letter by letter. If they miss, they sit down and are out of that round. Continue until only 1-2 people are left standing.

#21: Dictogloss Valentine Day Activity

A challenging activity for more advanced learners that can be used for just about any topic, grammar point, or vocabulary set is Dictogloss. In this case, find a passage or write your own that talks about someone’s experience with Valentine’s Day or traditions in various countries. Those are just two examples, but they could be anything related to this holiday.

Then, read it out at a faster-than-normal pace for the level of students you are teaching. The students can take some brief notes and then, with a partner, compare what they have and try to recreate what they heard. Read it out again, and students do the same. Finally, they can compare what they have with the original version. Check it out:

ESL Dictogloss Activity.

#22: Cookie Decorating

Try out this fun activity! Make or buy some heart-shaped cookies and pink icing. Then, ask students to bring in some things to decorate their cookies with. For example, sprinkles or candy. Be sure to have some paper plates on hand to prevent a huge mess!

#23: Have a Friendly Debate

There are lots of things to debate about for Valentine’s Day! For example:

• Valentine’s Day is overrated.
• It’s better to go out for dinner on Feb. 13th or 15th.
• There’s too much focus on romantic love in my country.

Choose a topic and sides and get to talking.

#24: Write a Thank-You Note

Valentines Day doesn’t have to be just about romantic love. It can also be a day to be thankful for other people in life. For example, parents, siblings, friends or teachers. Have students choose one of these people and write a short thank-you note, in English to them!

#25: Door Decorating Contest

A fun way to celebrate just about any holiday is to get students to decorate a door in the school. Make it into a contest and have some admin judge it. The winning class can get a small prize of some kind.

#26: ESL Valentine’s Day Reading Comprehension Lesson

It’s easier than you might think to plan a reading comprehension lesson for any age or level in a few simple steps. In this case, find or write a passage of someone talking about the history of the holiday, or their personal experiences. Then, plan a whole reading lesson around that. Find out how right here:

#27: Bingo

I love to play some Bingo with my students to celebrate the holidays. Students can fill up their Bingo grid using themed vocabulary from a PowerPoint. Then, instead of just saying the word, give some clues about it. This levels up the difficulty and makes it a more valuable exercise.

#28: Love Letter Writing

Have students write love letters or Valentine’s Day cards to someone they care about. Encourage them to use vocabulary and expressions related to emotions and affection. They can then exchange their letters or cards within the class.

#29:Love Idioms Match-Up

Create a list of common love idioms or expressions (e.g., head over heels, love at first sight, a match made in heaven). Write each idiom on a separate piece of paper and cut them in half. Distribute the halves randomly to students, and they must find their idiom match.

#30: Conversation Heart Sentences

Use conversation heart candies (or heart-shaped cutouts) with words or phrases written on them. Each student gets a handful of hearts and must create grammatically correct sentences using the words or phrases on their candies.

#31: Love Song Lyrics Fill-in-the-Blanks

Choose a popular love song and create a worksheet with the lyrics, leaving out some key words. Play the song for the students and have them fill in the blanks as they listen. Discuss the meaning and vocabulary used in the song afterward.

#32: Valentine’s Day Story Chain

Start by giving the students a sentence that begins a Valentine’s Day story. Each student adds a sentence to continue the story, going around the classroom until you have a complete and entertaining tale.

#33: Candy Heart Sentences

Use conversation heart candies (or paper cutouts with phrases) with words or phrases. Students have to create grammatically correct sentences or short stories using the candy hearts.

#34: Valentine’s Day Story Chain

Start a story with a Valentine’s Day theme, and each student adds a sentence or two to continue the narrative. This collaborative writing activity encourages creativity and collaboration.

#35: Valentine’s Day ESL Scavenger Hunt

Create a scavenger hunt with clues written in English. The clues can lead students to different parts of the classroom or school where they find Valentine’s Day-related items or phrases.

#36: Love-themed Mad Libs

Provide students with a Valentine’s Day-themed Mad Libs worksheet. They fill in the blanks with various parts of speech, and then read the humorous and often silly story they’ve created.

#37: Would You Rather?

Choose some questions from this list of 50 “Would You Rather?” Valentine’s Day edition questions. These questions can be used as icebreakers or topics for speaking lessons.

History of Valentine’s Day Lesson

Did you know that this sweet and loving holiday actually roots in an ancient pagan festival? The name of the holiday comes from a man whose name is Valentine. During A.D. 200s, the Emperor of Rome banned marriage. The reason behind this decision was that the Emperor thought soldiers were better when they were unmarried. So, men were not allowed to get married to their loved ones. However, Valentine, a Roman priest, thought this was unfair. So, he secretly broke the rules and helped couples get married. Unfortunately, he eventually got caught and was killed on February 14th.

Then where does Valentine’s love letter come from? Before his death, Valentine wrote the world’s very first Valentine’s day love letter to a girl he loved. After many centuries, Pope Gelasius I declares February 14th as St. Valentine’s Day. Originally, Catholic Church celebrated this day but decided to discontinue the liturgical veneration in 1969. However, traditions evolved, and the world now celebrates this day as a romantic holiday.

ESL Valentine’s Day Worksheets

Do you want some Valentine’s worksheets that you can just print and go? They’ll make your life easy, so be sure to check out some of our top picks right here:

ISL Collective

Boggles World

ESL Made Easy

Valentine’s Day ESL Vocabulary

If you’re looking for a vocabulary list for ESL valentine’s day, here’s a simple one that hits the highlights:

• card
• date
• flowers
• February 14th
• chocolate
• Cupid
• poem
• love
• heart
• candy
• teddy bear
• pink
• date
• present/gift
• roses
• sweetheart

ESL Valentine’s Day Lesson Plans

Are you looking for some Valentine’s Day ESL lesson plans? Then you’re certainly in the right place! Here are some of our top recommendations that’ll make your life easier. You can just print and go!

British Council

One Stop English

ESL Holiday Lessons

Or, you could consider making your own:

Valentine’s Day Adjectives

Here are some of the most popular adjectives associated with Valentine’s Day:

• adoring
• amorous
• beautiful
• committed
• deep
• devoted
• everlasting
• faithful
• handsome
• heart-shaped
• heartfelt
• intimate
• loving
• passionate
• red
• romantic
• special
• sweet
• together
• unselfish
• wonderful

Do you have any adjectives that you’d like to add to the list? Leave a comment and let us know!

Did you Like these Valentine’s Day Ideas for the Classroom?

Yes? Thought so! Then the book you’re going to love is this one over on Amazon: 101 ESL Activities for Kids. There are dozens of fun, engaging ESL activities that’ll help you get through the entire semester in style. The key to happy students who are having fun learning English is a variety of games and this book will help you do just that.

You can find the book in both digital and print formats. Take the digital copy with you to your favourite coffee shop on your phone or tablet for some serious lesson planning on the go. Or, keep a copy on the bookshelf in your office to use as a handy reference guide.

It really is that easy to have better English lessons. Pick up a copy of the book for yourself, but only if you want a serious dose of ESL teaching awesome in your life:

FAQs About ESL Valentine’s Day Activities and Lesson Ideas

There are a number of common questions that people have about this popular holiday. Here are the answers to some of the most common ones.

What is the real story of Valentine’s Day?

The real story of Valentine’s Day is hard to identify as there are three different Saint Valentines recognized by the Catholic Church. However, it’s thought that it might be based on the Saint Valentine of Terni, executed by the Roman emperor Claudius the Second on Feb. 14, 278 A.D.

What are the seven days before Valentine’s Day?

The seven days before Valentine’s Day, starting on Feb. 7th are:

• Rose day.
• Propose day.
• Chocolate day.
• Promise day.
• Hug day.
• Kiss day.
• Valentine’s day.

Was St. Valentine a killer?

St. Valentine was not a killer. He in fact was executed by the Roman emperor Claudius the Second for refusing to deny Jesus Christ.

What does the Bible say about Valentine’s Day?

The Bible doesn’t explicitly say anything about Valentine’s Day. However, there are numerous exhortations in the Bible to love one another as God has loved us.

What are some fun ESL Valentine’s Day activities?

Some fun Valentine’s Day activities are Bingo, making cards, decorating cookies, surveys or task-based learning projects like presentations.

ESL Valentine’s Day Activities and Games: Join the Conversation

What are your thoughts about these ESL valentine’s day activities? Did you try some of them out for this fun holiday? What did you think? Or, please let us know your top recommendation for a lesson plan, worksheet or activity that you like to do on this special holiday. Leave a comment below and we’d love to hear from you.

Also be sure to give this article a share on Facebook, Pinterest, or Twitter. It’ll help other busy teachers, like yourself who are planning their Valentine’s Day lesson plan to find this useful teaching resource.

Last update on 2022-07-17 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API