How it works
These Valentine's Day icebreaker questions are about friends, kindness, cards and candy. None of the 60 mentions romance or anyone's love life, so a teacher or a team lead can read any card out on February 14 without checking first.
Read the full guide
Why the deck skips romance
A room of coworkers or fourth graders is not a room of couples, and a question about love lives puts somebody on the spot. Some countries already agree. In Finland February 14 is ystävänpäivä, Friend's Day, more about remembering friends than partners. In several Latin American countries the day is also called Día del Amor y la Amistad, Love and Friendship Day.
What each topic asks
Friends and Kindness are about valentines for friends: "Roses are red, violets are blue. Finish the rhyme for a friend." Hearts, cards and candy is the lightest: "Milk, dark or white chocolate?" takes one word. Appreciation sends valentines to objects, places and the whole group, never to one person in the room.
- Handing out valentines in class? Deal one card while the bags go round: "Which is harder to cut from paper: a heart or a star?"
- At work, open with Appreciation: "Who deserves a surprise valentine: a bus driver, a librarian, a custodian or someone else?" thanks someone outside the meeting.
- With a younger class, press Easy: those 36 cards take one word or a show of hands.
Questions and answers
Are these Valentine's Day icebreaker questions safe for a classroom?
Yes. No card is about romance, none asks a child to name a favorite person in the room, and none asks how many valentines anyone received. By a U.S. Greeting Card Association estimate, once school exchanges are counted, teachers receive more valentines than anyone.
How do I use them at the office without it getting awkward?
Stay in Multiple choice or Appreciation. "A valentine for the whole team should be: funny, short, sweet or edible?" is about work. Do not ask about anyone's real plans for the evening: no card does.
What if someone in the group dislikes Valentine's Day?
The deck allows for it. "Candy hearts: tasty or chalky?" welcomes a complaint, and several cards are arguments about chocolate. If the day is a hard one for someone, deal from the winter deck, which never mentions February 14.