Love is in the air! If you’re anything like me, you’re still struggling to bounce back from Christmas. Your bank account is low, you energy is low and your patience is low. I want to get back into the swing of things but I’m pooped. Even when I’m feeling the “burnout” of winter, I always make a point to celebrate Valentine’s day with kids. It’s the perfect day to remember why I’m doing what I do and have some fun with the little lives I’m shaping, too.
Celebrating Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg. No need for chocolates and overpriced roses for kiddos! Nope, they prefer simple fun anyways.
Over the last few years, I’ve set out to make the best memories without spending hardly any money. I want my kids to look back and remember the fun things we’ve done to show our love for them.
10 Easy Ideas to Celebrate Valentine’s Day with Kids
Have a candle-lit dinner:
Kids absolutely love doing this! Make their favorite dinner, then turn off the lights and eat by candlelight. You can even take this time to talk about dining etiquette and how they should act in a fancy restaurant.
Deliver Cards or Goodies:
There’s no reason to keep all the love for yourself! Make and deliver cookies and handmade cards to the people you love. You could even deliver some to the local nursing homes. Trust me, this will make their day and the kids will enjoy seeing how a simple gesture can light up faces.
Have a Special Breakfast:
Kick the day off with a special breakfast to set the mood for the day. We love making homemade donuts. You can opt for a breakfast smorgasbord that you all make together, simple heart-shaped pancakes or by trying a new recipe.
Create a “Love Wall:”
You’ve probably seen the image on Pinterest where moms cut out heart shapes and write on them all the reasons they love their kids. Each heart has a different reason. They decorate the kids’ bedroom doors with these hearts so the kids will know why they’re loved. It’s such a fun but simple idea and can be done for basically free.
Give Flowers:
There are a few things in life that just make a kids’ day and getting flowers delivered is one of them. It makes them feel so special and they will love looking at it for several days after. You can make your own bouquet with cheap flowers from Aldi’s and a vase from the Dollar Tree.
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Get Together with Friends:
Kids love getting together with their closest friends. Find a few fun games, some easy snacks and invite some friends over for a tea party. The kids will love it and other families will love having something fun to do with their own kids on Valentine’s Day.
Make Chocolate Covered Strawberries:
Everyone loves chocolate covered strawberries so they’re the perfect treat for Valentine’s Day. Best of all, strawberries often go on sale during this time so make enough to take to the neighbors, too! While you’re at it, learn all about how chocolate is made!
Learn about St. Valentine:
Add some fun to your Valentine’s Day when you incorporate the holiday into your homeschool. There are hundreds of unit studies on St. Valentine but we love this one from Homeschool Share. They’ve rounded up all kinds of fun ways to learn about the special day!
Have a “Double Date:
Valentine’s Day is the perfect time to take your kiddos on their first date. We like to take our kids on “double dates,” where the boys go on a date with me and he girls go on a date with their dad. We all go together as a family but they enjoy getting all dressed up, pulling out the chair for me and “paying” for dinner. It’s the perfect time to show them how they should be treated so they won’t expect any less when it’s time for them to go on a real date.
Pray for their Spouses:
Now that we have a few teens and tweens in our house, we love to talk about the future. One way we can do that is to discuss what characteristics they would like to have in a partner. After we talk about it, we pray for their future spouse. We pray that they heal from any baggage from their childhood, have a good understanding of finances, treat our kiddos with love and respect and bring out the best in all of us. By showing our kids that we care, even now, years before, it shows them that you can even love someone you don’t know yet.
I’d love to hear your ideas on how you celebrate Valentine’s Day with kids! Do you do craft projects? Have special traditions? Eat a fancy meal? Drop a comment below and let me know how you’ll be celebrating this year.
