Here are some great ideas from our editors and writers to celebrate Valentine’s Day with your little ones!
In spite of the fact that we’re both adults, my mom and I still put together Valentine’s Day bags for each other that are loaded with goodies. While my bag is probably easy to compile, because I mostly just want to eat candy, my mother is a bit trickier. She’s not a sweets person, so I like to fill her bag with fun stuff like candles, pink pens and note cards, “smelly-good” lotions, and heart-themed items like kitchen dish towels or pot holders, or some cute gardening gloves (because Spring is just around the corner!). — Sherry Hang, editor
I’m not a big fan of Valentine’s Day, and usually don’t celebrate it. BUT, I am a fan of the kids crafting their own Valentine’s box during elementary school days. One of my favorite boxes was when my daughter and I turned a hat box into a turtle for collecting valentines. That was super fun. For me as a mom, my favorite day is the 15th. My husband will get me a box of half-priced chocolates and a bottle of wine. I love my frugal man and Momma loves her chocolate! — Bonnie Jean Feldkamp, writer
For our writing station (totally a former teacher!), I put out blank cards and Valentine’s decorations. The kiddos make their own cards, draw, write messages, and then “mail” them. I bought a play mailbox that I put over by the table that they love to stuff with Valentine’s cards. We always make homemade heart-shaped pizza for dinner on Valentine’s Day as a family. I try and keep all of the kids’ lunches and snacks to a Valentine’s theme – cut the sandwiches into hearts, find heart-shaped pretzels … and I like to add a little note in the lunch box too. I usually cut out hearts and write on one each day why I love them up until Valentine’s Day, but this year with adding classes I didn’t have time to cut hearts … luckily, they didn’t notice! This year, we did the Love Languages and I am gifting them things that fit within their Love Language. – Tina Pratt, writer
My sister’s birthday is on Valentine’s Day and my mom always made heart-shaped cupcakes and a heart-shaped cake. When my kids were younger, we made valentines with construction paper, markers, stickers, doilies, and glue. We exchanged them with cousins and grandparents. It was messy, but fun! – Barbara David, columnist
We’ve done the salt dough ornaments time and time again, but I learned to love the one that uses corn starch and baking powder instead. Then end result is white and looks a lot nicer. Everyone loves the conversational candy hearts, so why not make some that are NOT edible and can be used as decoration? Just use this recipe – the only difference is that after you’ve made your dough, knead in a few drops of food coloring to give it color. Roll out your dough to about a quarter of an inch – any larger and we noticed that they easily cracked as they dried. Use heart cookie cutters to cut out several hearts. Allow them to dry. Once completely dried out, you can use a pink highlighter to write in your message. – Kiera Ashford, editor
We usually go on a family date! We do lunch and a movie/activity. Then my husband and I will have our movie/later dinner thing at home when the boys are in bed. I really like to teach the kids moments of kindness in every month … but I’m finding with being more mindful myself, I am taking more time to explain to them what we are doing and why. For example, giving a homeless man an extra granola bar and juice box off the highway exit, surprising our sweet nutritional aide with a special prayer box after a hard day with a flat tire … just to reinforce that these are kind, extra special things we can do in our lives to make others happy and in return fill our hearts with even more love. — Shelbie Todd, sales rep and Instragram guru
Want more great ideas? Check out these links!
http://www.popsugar.com/moms/Valentine-Day-Traditions-Kids-40077706#photo-40077706
https://blog.urbansitter.com/12-ways-to-celebrate-valentines-day-with-your-kids/
http://www.parenting.com/gallery/valentines-day-ideas-kids