What do kids learn from giving Valentine's Day cards to friends?

Children can learn many social skills from having friends, and giving Valentine’s Day cards is one way to help children develop friendship-making skills. It can help with confidence and communication, as well as empathy, which is important in preventing bullying .

Should kids give Valentine's Day cards to all their classmates?

Your school might require that Valentine’s Day cards be given to the entire class, so check before purchasing your set. At an early age, it’s important to encourage empathy and inclusiveness. By giving every child a Valentine’s Day card, no child feels left out. Sometimes, children might not want to give Valentines to someone in their classroom, such as a peer they don't get along with. If that is the case, or if your school mandates that every child gets a Valentine, keep the sentiment of a Valentine neutral and positive to err on the side of caution. Children can take Valentine’s Day messaging literally. Instead of choosing one that says, “Be Mine” or another conversation heart phrase, look for one that says something simple like “Happy Valentine’s Day” or that doesn’t have any words.

Should parents help their kids fill out Valentine's Day cards for classmates?

If your child is unable to write, help them by filling out their Valentine’s Day cards for them. If they can write, Valentine’s Day cards are a great opportunity to practice spelling and writing. If your child has a large class, divide and conquer addressing the cards over a few days so as not to fatigue your child or turn what should be a fun project into a burden.

The 15 Best Valentine’s Day Cards for Kids of 2023

When you think of Valentine’s Day, your mind probably goes to chocolates, flowers, candy conversation hearts, and cards. Kids who celebrate the day at school or with their friends will likely need a pack of Valentine’s Day cards. Special features—from candy to toys to coloring sheets and surprise gifts—can set these cards apart.

When choosing Valentines, choose those that are age-appropriate for your child and their classmates. If you're busy (or shopping last-minute), you should also pay attention to how long it will take for each Valentine to be assembled. We carefully considered design, material, age recommendations, value, and ease of use and assembly when reviewing products.

Here are the best Valentine's Day cards for your kids.

Our Top Picks

Best Unique:

JOYIN Valentines Slime! at Amazon

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Best for Preschool:

JOYIN Valentine’s Cards with Bubble Wands at Amazon

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Best Paw Patrol:

Hallmark Paw Patrol Valentine’s Cards at Amazon

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Best Superhero:

Paper Magic Marvel Avengers 32 Valentines at Amazon

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Best Coloring Book:

Eternity Sky Valentine’s Coloring Book at Amazon

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Best Game:

Kangaroo Cootie Catcher Valentine’s Cards at Amazon

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Best for Little Kids:

Hallmark Super Mario Bros Valentine Card Set at Amazon

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Best Princess:

Disney Princess Box of 32 Valentines Cards at Amazon

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Best Custom:

Minted Pawsitively Foil Valentines at Minted

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Best Fidget:

Oriental Cherry Valentine’s Fidget Toys at Amazon

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In This Article

Our Picks
How We Selected
What to Look For
FAQ
Why Trust Verywell Family

Amazon

The JOYIN Valentines Slime! earned a top spot on our list, because if your kiddo loves slime, there's a big chance their friends are also big fans of the classic gooey mixture. This set includes enough Valentine's Day cards for 28 classmates, and each comes with a party favor of slime. The slime is made from non-toxic materials, is safe for ages three and up, and comes in four different colors: blue, purple, red, and green.

Price at time of publication: $20

Amazon

Little kids love bubbles, so why not include them with your preschooler’s Valentine’s Day cards? Each one is outfitted with adorable animals and mini bubble wands for tons of bubble-blowing fun. Customize the back of the cards with the receiver’s name, whom it’s from, and a sweet message (if you want).

Price at time of publication: $10

Amazon

Valentine’s Day is as good a time as any to celebrate with the Paw Patrol squad! These Paw Patrol Valentine’s Day cards come in a pack of 24 and feature the beloved pups in uniform, like Rubble and Skye. Every card has a sweet message and plenty of space to decorate with the included 24 sticker sheets.

Price at time of publication: $10

Amazon

Whether your kiddo is a fan of Hulk or Ironman, the Paper Magic Marvel Avengers Valentine’s Day cards are sure to be a hit with tiny superheroes. There are 32 fold-and-seal Valentines for kids to share with classmates, who will also love the Marvel sticker seals (48 included) as a special feature.

Price at time of publication: $13

Amazon

If you’re looking to forego the chocolate and candy this year, these Valentine’s Day coloring books are a great, mess-free alternative. A pack includes 30 coloring books, which feature six different dual-sided coloring pages each. The small size, 5.15 x 7.15 inches, takes up almost zero space in a backpack when kids take them home, too. Important note: The company recommends against using markers for coloring to prevent bleeding through to the back of the pages.

Price at time of publication: $15

Courtesy of Amazon

Cootie catchers are a classic childhood game, and your kid can have the whole class playing with them, thanks to this Valentine’s Day card set. The box comes with 28 Valentine's Day cards for classmates with four different designs and envelopes. After opening the card, kids can follow the directions to fold it up into a cootie catcher game.

Price at time of publication: $10

Amazon

Mario fans in lower elementary school will love handing these cute Valentine’s Day cards out to their friends. This set includes 32 tear-apart cards featuring Yoshi, Mario, Princess Peach, and Luigi, 32 stickers, and one teacher card. Your kiddo will love collecting Valentines they receive in the included party box.

Price at time of publication: $10

Courtesy of Amazon

If your little cupid is princess-obsessed, she'll fall in love with this set of Disney Valentine’s cards. With 32 cute Valentine's Day cards and eight different princess designs to choose from, there is a perfect card for all of her friends. Featuring the whole gang of dazzling Disney princesses, these perforated, tear-away style cards will make the holiday much sweeter.

Price at time of publication: $10

Minted

Custom Valentine’s Day cards are, as advertised, paw-sitively awesome, especially these adorable customizable Valentines from Minted. Choose from different quantities, color themes, types of paper, and silhouette options. You can even select the foil color of the dog’s sunglasses, which shine in the light when tilted in different directions. Each card can also be personalized with a tic-tac-toe game on the back for extra V-day fun.

Price at time of publication: $30 (25-count)

Amazon

Keep little hands busy with these fun and brightly colored Valentine fidget toys. All 24 mini pop bubble fidgets are attached to Valentine’s Day cards, with plenty of room to write special messages to friends. Each card also features funny pun-filled messages, like "You make my heart pop" and "So glad you popped into my life.”

Price at time of publication: $25

Amazon

You can’t go wrong with an arts and crafts Valentine’s Day card. Kids will love watching their heart-shaped Valentine come to life using the included wood stick. Each time children scratch away at the black background, a rainbow of colors appears, regardless of what shapes or pictures kiddos draw. All 24 Valentines come with ribbons to showcase their creativity and envelopes to create a more personal giving experience at school.

Price at time of publication: $23

Courtesy of Amazon

Get ready for your little one to turn into the class favorite with these extra-sweet Valentine's Day card alternatives. Instead of just a card, your kid can give friends a special Valentine’s Day treat with these classic Fun Dip packets. The box comes with 24 candy packets with each packet including a “To” and “From” line so you can address and sign the Valentine's Day cards for classmates.

Price at time of publication: $18

Amazon

Look no further if your kiddo is a Pokémon fan. This set of Valentine's Day cards for school includes a total of 32 cards, 35 stickers, one teacher card, and one box. Favorite characters of the classic video games series are featured on the cards, like Pikachu and Jigglypuff.

Price at time of publication: $10

Courtesy of Amazon

Kids can give Valentine's Day cards for classmates and a toy with this pack of 36 cards and Squishy figurines. There are nine different designs with coordinating toys, including a unicorn, panda, dinosaur, crocodile, and more. While these mushy, colorful toys will likely be a hit with your child's friends, they are about 2 inches tall and shouldn't be given to kids younger than 6 years old.

Price at time of publication: $12

Courtesy of Amazon

If you have a few kids and a lot of Valentine's Day cards for classmates to buy for, a bulk pack may be the best option for you. This set comes with three packs of 30 valentines and 150 stickers to ensure that all of your children's classmates have a card with their name on it. Valentine's designs include pirates, superheroes, puppies, cupcakes, rainbows, and more.

Price at time of publication: $13

How We Selected the Best Valentine’s Day Cards for Kids

We chose the best Valentine’s Day cards for kids by studying the design and features of more than 30 cards on the market and researching reviews from customers and competitors. We also monitored shopping trends to bring you the best and most up-to-date offerings on Valentine’s Day cards for kids. We considered age recommendations, size, ease of use and assembly, design, and value. Overall, we chose Valentine's Day cards for kids that are fun, easy to use, and age-appropriate for children of various ages.

What to Look for in Valentine's Day Cards for Kids

Design

Eye-catching designs will help your child’s Valentines stand out. You can go with a classic red, white, and pink color palette, pastels, or more modern primary colors.

You can have Valentines that have characters that your child and their friends will know, or you can go with cards with simple words, colors, and shapes ideal for pre-readers. Many kids will enjoy giving and receiving interactive Valentines that come with stickers, candy, crayons, or toys.

Age-Appropriateness

When choosing Valentines, choose those that are age-appropriate for your child and their classmates. For example, cards that come with small crayons or hard candies aren't suitable for kids under 4. Use your best judgment, and check each box for any age range recommendations.

Ease of Use

Especially if your child has a long list of card recipients, be mindful of how long it will take to assemble and address each Valentine. Kids are likely to lose interest or grow frustrated quickly if assembly is complicated or to/from spaces are small, and they have a hard time completing a card. Once that happens, the card-making process becomes a parent's problem.

Frequently Asked Questions

What do kids learn from giving Valentine's Day cards to friends?

Children can learn many social skills from having friends, and giving Valentine’s Day cards is one way to help children develop friendship-making skills. It can help with confidence and communication, as well as empathy, which is important in preventing bullying.
Should kids give Valentine's Day cards to all their classmates?

Your school might require that Valentine’s Day cards be given to the entire class, so check before purchasing your set. At an early age, it’s important to encourage empathy and inclusiveness. By giving every child a Valentine’s Day card, no child feels left out.
Sometimes, children might not want to give Valentines to someone in their classroom, such as a peer they don't get along with. If that is the case, or if your school mandates that every child gets a Valentine, keep the sentiment of a Valentine neutral and positive to err on the side of caution. Children can take Valentine’s Day messaging literally. Instead of choosing one that says, “Be Mine” or another conversation heart phrase, look for one that says something simple like “Happy Valentine’s Day” or that doesn’t have any words.
Should parents help their kids fill out Valentine's Day cards for classmates?

If your child is unable to write, help them by filling out their Valentine’s Day cards for them. If they can write, Valentine’s Day cards are a great opportunity to practice spelling and writing. If your child has a large class, divide and conquer addressing the cards over a few days so as not to fatigue your child or turn what should be a fun project into a burden.

Why Trust Verywell Family

Ashley Ziegler is a staff and freelance writer who covers lifestyle, home, parenting, and commerce content for a variety of platforms. She’s a mom to 1-year-old and 4-year-old daughters and an aunt to 3 nieces and 2 nephews ranging from 5 to 11 years old. In addition to regularly scouring the internet to find the best things for herself, Ashley spends multiple hours a week researching, comparing, and writing about products specifically for kids and families.