Valentine’s Day can be sweet… and completely overwhelming.

For ADHD, autistic, and sensory-sensitive kids, classroom parties, sugar, loud activities, and unexpected schedule changes can quickly lead to dysregulation.

And when routines shift, emotions often follow.

The good news?
You don’t have to avoid the fun to keep things calm.

You just need predictability.

Why Valentine’s Day Can Feel Overwhelming

Valentine’s celebrations often include:

• Different classroom schedules

• Surprise activities

• Candy and sugar spikes

• Social expectations

• Craft overload

• Loud group energy

For neurodivergent kids, this creates uncertainty — and uncertainty creates stress.

When kids don’t know what’s coming next, their nervous systems stay on alert.

That’s when we see:

• emotional outbursts

• shutdowns

• resistance

• meltdowns

Not because they’re misbehaving.
Because they feel unsafe in unpredictability.

The Calm Solution: First-Then Structure

One of the simplest ways to support kids during holidays is using a First-Then board.

First-Then supports help kids see:

• what’s happening now

• what comes next

Instead of saying:
“Finish this, then we’ll go to the party.”

You show it.

Visual clarity lowers anxiety.

How to Use a First-Then Board on Valentine’s Day

Here are a few simple examples:

❤️ First: Morning Work
❤️ Then: Valentine Craft

❤️ First: Pass Out Cards
❤️ Then: Candy Time

❤️ First: Clean Up
❤️ Then: Dance Party

At home:

❤️ First: Homework
❤️ Then: Valentine Movie Night

❤️ First: Pick Up Toys
❤️ Then: Heart Cookie Decorating

This small visual shift can prevent emotional spirals before they start.

Introducing the Valentine’s First-Then Kit ❤️

To make this easy for you, we created the Valentine’s First-Then Kit.

This printable set includes:

• Valentine-themed First-Then boards

• Seasonal visual cards

• Calm, predictable designs

• Kid-friendly graphics

• Ready-to-print options

It’s designed specifically for:

• classroom parties

• homeschool celebrations

• home routines

• therapy sessions

No scrambling.
No last-minute stress.
No guessing what will help.

Just a simple, visual tool that supports calm during exciting moments.

👉 Grab the Valentine’s First-Then Kit here:

Get Your Valentine's First-Then Kit Here!

Final Thought

Holidays don’t have to mean chaos.

With a little structure and visual support, Valentine’s Day can feel joyful and regulated.

Calm doesn’t remove the fun.
It makes the fun sustainable.

With calm,
Betsy 🌿