5 Really Last-Minute Valentine's Day Ideas for PTOs and PTAs

Sure, plenty of PTOs and PTAs are ready for Valentine’s Day—some have been for weeks. But if you’re one of those people who tends to wait until the last minute, we say to you: No worries. We have a Valentine’s Day action plan for you.

1. Take a quick look at our Valentine’s Day board on Pinterest. We have more than 100 pins on this board, and the majority are straightforward and easy-to-do craft and snack ideas. One of our favorites is a Valentine’s Day bird feeder. All you need is bird seed, plain gelatin, water, twine, and large heart-shape cookie cutters. Mix the seed with the water and gelatin, and shape with cookie cutter. Thread twine through the top of the hearts. Let them dry and then hang them in trees.

2. If you’re helping out at a classroom party, go to our sister site, HomeroomMom.com. You’ll find ideas for crafts and activities that work well for groups. They are quick to put together and require only basic materials like paint, pipe cleaners, and pom-poms. The selection of Valentine’s Day ideas includes thumbprint heart bookmarks, a handprint heart tree, and popsicle stick picture frames.

3. If you don’t want to do crafts, there’s still time to do a simple Valentine’s Day project to support the community. Our article “7 Fun Valentine’s Day Ideas” has good suggestions, including valentines for seniors. Ask teachers whether you and a few volunteers could host a group of older students during a recess period this week to make the cards. Then deliver them to a local senior center.

4. Want to make sure teachers and staff get a little nod on Valentine’s Day? You can’t go wrong with love notes. Ask students to write a quick note about a teacher or staff member. You can collect them and put them in a pretty box, jar, or envelope to present to the recipient. To save time, get our free Valentine’s Day love note template from the File Exchange.

5. Finally, you can quickly add a little splash to any note, email, or social post without having to spend extra money or time by using free Valentine’s Day clip art for parent groups.