Target Tuesdays: Valentine Edition

Why not start off with my first "Target Tuesday" with a collection of things for Valentine's Day to show my love for the Target Dollar spot. I know this little section by the door is a favorite of most of my teacher friends and I am no exception.

Even though I'm still at work rooting for the girl's basketball team and making sure my cheerleaders are synchronized and spirited, I want to share my finds from two weeks ago (and wish I were at Target now, but alas I have cut myself off until St. Patrick's Day).

So what did I buy?

1. 3 adorable tin buckets: I am such a sucker for these in general and the valentine's collection did not disappoint: dots, hearts and monkeys (with heart noses). They are fun and cheerful and have a variety of uses.
   
2. create your own bookmarks: unfortunately this kit only came with 4 and it was the only one I could find. Even if I don't use this right away, I will be making bookmarks with my students to keep them excited about reading! I might have them collaborate to make one for the books we are reading as a class.
3. 6 tin mailboxes with movable flags: having just taught a SS unit about addresses, I thought these would be a great edition to my collection of things. Not only that, but I think starting Feb 1, I am going to designate a mail delivery person in my classroom whose job will be to put little treats into each students' mailbox. I think they'll be super excited to check them every afternoon!
4. 3 packages of cellophane bags: while I made lots of chocolate dipped treats at Christmas for my students, their parents, my cheerleaders and co-workers I do not think I'll take on such a challenge for Valentine's Day. I do think we might have to do some sort of cooking and decorating activity though to watch a liquid (batter) change to a solid (cupcakes maybe) to reinforce our current science unit. They are going to need a cute way to carry them home, right!?!
5. transportation and dessert themed erasers: my kids are much more obsessed with erasing than I would like and because I doubt these will leave their pencil marks as clean as I would like I think we'll be using them for counting or some other sort of math related activity.
6. an assortment of brightly colored pencils: my students love new pencils and I love them for this! What else can I do but indulge this love and keep them writing!
7. two rolls of wrapping paper: I think this will probably be used for wrapping birthday presents for my students and others in the school rather than something Valentine's related.... but maybe a Mystery Box is in their future.... we'll have to wait and see!
8. scrapbook paper: This we will definitely use to make a Valentine to send home to their parents... haven't decided what sort of format I'm going to use yet, but that's what long train rides and Pinterest are for.
9. valentine's stickers: these stickers feature plays on words that my students won't understand, but it doesn't mean their hearing family members won't. We will use these to make cards and such to send home as well as for reinforcement because my students love stickers almost as much as they love new pencils.
   

Whew... of course I didn't leave Target with only the things pictured above! I managed to buy a pair of tights in the wrong size and a box of cookies (that I needed for a recipe that night) that had already been opened among other things. Clearly I was a bit out of it as I was shopping, but I was fortunate enough to make it out with some little treasures (plus 6 magazine holders from the dollar spot that are already in use in my classroom). I think I am going to use them to hold all of my seasonal center packets (I keep them separated in ziploc baggies and then inside a large manila envelope). How do you store all of your sensational center packets you make or purchase from TPT?

Hope you all had a sweet start to the week (regardless of when it started)!