Seasonal and thematic items can lend a little fun to your small group or center activities. Using Valentine cards to this highly engaging and fun activity can help your pre-k or kindergarten students get even more excited to practice their sight words. I can be a fun part of your Valentine’s Day theme.

Prepare the Valentine Card Sight Words

You will need:

• several different types of student Valentine cards
• a marker
• envelopes
• laminating film
• mini mailboxes or other containers

Print one sight word on the back of each student Valentine card with a marker. I printed the words on white labels and attached them to the backs of the cards. There were already words like “to” and “from” printed on the cards, and I didn’t want the kids to get confused about which words they were looking for.

Seal, laminate, and cut regular sized envelopes in half and print the same words on the front of each envelope half.

I use the Rainbow Words program so the six words pictured above are our first six purple words.

Sort the Valentine Card Sight Words

Give each student in your small group a mini mailbox or other container to hold his cards. Students look at the cards and match their Valentine cards to the correct envelopes. They place the matched pairs in their container.

I used five different types of Valentine cards and grouped them by set. For example, I placed six Spiderman cards in a ziplock bag, six Strawberry Shortcake cards in another ziplock bag, and so forth. Each set of cards has the same six words on the back.

I did this was so that each child in the small group would have a different set of cards, and they (hopefully) wouldn’t get the cards mixed up. If cards do get mixed, I can easily flip them over and sort by set. Then I know that each bag has the six words, ready for the next group.

Also, as the children finished with their sets of cards, they traded with a friend for another set. My children absolutely loved this idea; they wanted to keep playing until they had a turn to match all five of the sets!

Not Using Sight Words?

Adapt this game to use with children’s names or letters of the alphabet. Whatever you print for the backs of the cards, also print on the envelopes. A fun and thematic matching game for small groups, no matter the age or concept.

Like this idea? You may want to check out my membership site, Teaching Trailblazers, where teachers can find tips and ideas to help them teach better, save time, and live more.

More Valentine’s Day Ideas