February Friday Freebie

“People show love and appreciation in different ways; you just have to learn their way.” ~ Sam Owen

Many schools across the country will be celebrating Valentine’s Day in some way next week. As a teacher, I’ve had times when I’ve struggled to find activities that bring authenticity to this day. One year, we did random acts of kindness. Another year, we planned in advance and put together care packages to donate to people who needed to “feel the love” around our community. 

This year, I am going for a more introspective approach and I’m excited to share this idea with you. My Friday Freebie this month is called: My Ways of “I Love You.” Everyone has their own unique way of expressing love and feeling loved, but we may have never identified these ways in our own lives. In this activity, students, teachers, and families are invited to reflect on how they say, “I love you,” how they show, “I love you,” and how they feel, “I love you.” To give you an example, here are mine:

• Ways I say, “I love you:”

• Tell me about your day.

• I’m really proud of you.

• When I think about you, I feel happier.

• Ways I show, “I love you:”

• Going grocery shopping for the family

• Leaving positive notes around the house

• Smiling and laughing

• Ways I feel, “I love you:”

• When someone tells me, “Thank you”

• When someone really listens

• When someone makes me laugh

This activity can be paired with read-aloud books, short videos, and authentic conversations. This activity inspires a discussion on how to value different ways we might say, show, and feel love. To download this activity, click HERE.