Valentine’s Day Songs for Young Students

There are so many adorable Valentine’s Day music activities and songs for kindergarten and pre-school. I just can’t get enough of them! Each February, I pull out my binder full of songs and enjoy looking through the many I’ve collected over the years. Here are four of my favorite activities and songs geared especially towards Kindergarten.

 

Valentines Activity #1: “When You Send a Valentine”

For many years I have used this song and game, and it has become a staple each year. It is called “When You Send a Valentine,” and I found it in my school’s Kindergarten Spotlight on  Music curriculum textbook. You can also find a recording of it here:

 

The game setup is quite simple: face one solo chair away from the rest of the students, and also place a bell or chime behind this chair. Pick one student to sit in the chair and hide their eyes while the song is sung. 

During the song, point to one student to tiptoe up and deliver a Valentine to the person in the front – slip a heart under their chair and as the song says, “ring the bell and run, run, run, run.” Then when the song is over, I sing “Ding dong! Check your mail! Who gave you this card?” (to the tune of “Rain, Rain” on sml) The student then has three guesses, and play continues with another student in the chair.

 

Valentines Activity #2: Vocal Explorations

After that exciting song, I transition by asking, “Who else wants to send a Valentine’s Day card?” Just about everyone raises their hand. I tell them that the post office needs our help getting each of the letters into the mail boxes. So we take a look at these vocal explorations. It is an interactive PowerPoint where the letter will “fly” to the mailbox, and the students follow its path with their voices on “oooh.” My students LOVE it each year!

 

Valentines Activity #3: Love Somebody

“Love Somebody” is a great classic Valentine’s Day song. I also use the regular version with my 1st and 2nd graders, but with Kindergarten, I use slightly different lyrics to practice beat and rhythm. 

I change the lyrics to create a question and answer between two people:

          Love somebody?               Yes, I do!

          Love somebody?               Yes, I do!

          Love somebody?               Yes, I do!

          Love somebody?               Can you guess who?

 

After I teach the song, I split the class into two different groups – group 1 asks the question and pats the beat, and group 2 answers the questions and claps the rhythm. Then we transfer the beat to body percussion and later instruments.

“Love somebody?” Steady beat Stomp 2x Hand drums

“Yes, I do!” Rhythm Clap words Maracas/ shakers

 

My kindergarten students have always loved this simple activity.

 

Valentines Activity #4: Preparing Rhythms

Another activity I use with my Kindergarten and 1st grade students is to prepare them for reading ta and ti-ti or ta rest (quarter rest). I use this pre-reading activity to help them speak simple rhythms, except using Valentine’s Day themed words. Students pat the steady beat and speak the pictures that they see on each page at the same time. I also like to switch it up, having them clap the rhythm of the words.

 

Later on (maybe a few weeks later), when my students are ready to learn ta rest, we do a drumroll, and I announce it by name. Then we all practice reading rhythms with the “big-kid names.” If you’re interested in the prepare-present-practice method that I use for teaching rhythms, you can find what I use by clicking here.

 

Another way to practice rhythm reading is with this great video from Music with Mrs. Gibbs:

 

 

I hope you find some of these Valentines’ Day music activities useful for lesson planning and that your students enjoy them! Send me a DM on Instagram if you enjoy these or have any other Valentine’s Day songs. 

 

If you’re looking for more kindergarten music activities, check out this post!