Valentine's Day party ideas please!

[AimeeM]

I need ideas for super little guys (think preschool age), elementary age, and then middle/high school ages.

The little guys and elementary school kiddos will be partying together; the middle and high schoolers separate from the elementary crew.

 

Favorite brands for cake/cupcake mixes that are dairy free OR gluten free would be great.

 

Craft ideas, favorite blogs or pinterest buzz words, etc.

 

I'm pretty familiar with planning for tweens and teens (I've helped plan a couple big dances for the older crew), but I'm not super familiar with planning for the elementary ages. I do have a couple gals helping me plan for this, and I'll be planning for the tween/teen party with my normal co-host, but we have planning meetings coming up, it's kind of last minute, and I want to be prepared, lol.

 

[almondbutterandjelly]

Duncan Hines is usually dairy free.

 

I think candy topiaries are super cute.  You get a cone shaped styrofoam from the dollar store, cover it in frosting, and put conversation hearts all over it.  So cute!

[MercyA]

I've had good luck with Betty Crocker's gluten-free cake mix. It doesn't make as much cake as a regular mix, though, so be sure to buy enough boxes. 

 

I've found that picture bingo is a good game for a mixed age group. You can make bingo cards here, but you'll need to have your own images or clip art ready to use. You can find free Valentine's Day clip art here. I like to bring lots of non-food prizes, like pencils, bouncy balls, play jewelry, stickers, finger puppets, etc. (I make sure everyone has at least one prize at the end.)

 

You can do a variation of musical chairs, using a circle of colored hearts on the floor. When the music stops, you draw a colored slip of paper from a bag, and anyone standing on that color heart is out.

 

Have fun!  :)