I absolutely love celebrating holidays with my special education students! Seasonal changes in the classroom help keep things fresh for me and my students. It also helps me teach them about real-world scenarios. Luckily, there are a ton of fun ways to incorporate Valentine cheer while still focusing on students’ IEP goals. Keep reading for five fun ways to celebrate the season AND practice skills!
Reading Goals
Comprehension and being able to retell a story are common reading goals for our students. One way to work on these goals is by using a Simple Book Companion! Book companions are a set of activities that are paired with read aloud stories to enhance student understanding. Each set comes with a story map, leveled comprehension activities, book sequencing, vocabulary, a craft, and teacher planning pages! I love that each book companion has the same format, which makes the reading activities predictable for my students.
Using one of the Valentine’s Day book companions, such as “When an Elephant Falls in Love,” lets you introduce a fun seasonal read aloud while also working on reading goals!
Math Goals
Counting and one-to-one correspondence is something that my students are always working on. Even after counting has been mastered, maintenance of these goals is crucial! That’s why I am always looking for seasonal counting activities to incorporate into our centers and independent work systems! The FREE Valentine Task Box 4-Pack has two great counting activities – counting clip cards and ten frames.
Social/Emotional Goals
It’s important to recognize that many of our students have social, emotional, and behavioral needs. The Valentine’s Visuals pack has a plethora of resources to help prepare your students for the changes that come with the holiday. I use the Valentine’s Day social story to help prepare my students for class parties and card exchanges. And the practice cards are also a super fun way to model handing out cards!
Fine Motor Activities
Developing fine motor skills is crucial to helping children build independence. I LOVE using Cut and Paste Fine Motor sheets throughout the year! The February pack has adorable Valentine’s Day themed images that students will color, cut, and glue to create a picture.
Daily Living Skills
Daily living skills are another type of goal that is common in our special education IEPs. A Valentine-themed cooking activity is a great way to help students learn to safely use cooking tools, follow food safety rules, and try new things!
As you can see, it is so easy to incorporate a little Valentine’s Day fun while still hitting on those IEP goals. Do you celebrate Valentine’s Day with your class? Share some of your ideas for the holiday below!
