Valentine's Day Word Scramble

Put it at the card-writing station on party day, so children who finish their valentines have something to do. About fifteen minutes is enough for most. You can also print a sheet per child and let them swap with a friend once they are done: each child checks the other's answers against the key. Adults at a galentine or couples evening can run it as a timed round with no hints. Add a small treat for the first full page.

Valentine vocabulary is full of useful spelling patterns: the silent E in LOVE and ADORE, the CH in CHERISH, the TION ending in AFFECTION. Short words like CUP, RED and HUG are quick openers. VALENTINE and TOGETHER are the long ones, and children often have trouble with the middle of both. Because the words are friendly ones, this page also leads naturally to writing a message inside a card using three words from the list.

Let the youngest children keep the first letter on every line. Grades three and four do well with just the bank. Skip hints for a faster, harder party round. If you want every word to be about friendship rather than romance, type your own words, such as KIND, SMILE, SHARE and FRIEND, into Your own words.

Is the Valentine's list suitable for elementary school?

Yes. It keeps to hearts, cards, candy and kind words. If your school wants friendship words only, replace it using Your own words and leave out terms you do not want.

Which Valentine's Day words are hardest to unscramble?

AFFECTION and VALENTINE are the toughest because of their length and the double F. Hints with the first letter help, and so does finding the ending -TION or -TINE first.

Can I turn the sheet into a card activity?

Yes. After solving, ask each child to write a note using three unscrambled words. The answer key makes it easy to check spelling before the words go on a card.