Family Fun Valentine’s Day Ideas

I know that Valentine’s Day is supposed to be for sweethearts, but when you are married with kids, they are all your sweethearts, right?  Think back when you were in school and how much you looked forward to celebrating Valentine’s Day at school.  You had your shoebox covered in pink and red construction paper with a slot cut out on the lid, ready to receive the valentines from your friends and classmates.

Maybe everyone in your class was your friend, but at a young age, you typically reserved the best valentines for your best friends, right?  Back in the day, we didn’t have a choice of 30 or more different school valentine cards.  You got a box of pretty generic cards and that’s what you took to school.  Most of them had animals on them and typically used a bad pun like “bee my valentine” with a picture of a bee, or “Let’s horse around” with a picture of a horse.  I usually reserved the ones with the pictures of a skunk or pig, for the girls.  Remember, this was grade school.

Kids enjoy Valentine’s Day today just as much as you did when you were their age.  Not much has changed in that respect.  Now that we are adults with children, it’s not always easy to get out for a Valentine’s dinner or date, so why not celebrate as a family right in the comfort of your own home.  Here are some ideas for you to have a great family Valentine’s Day celebration:

1) Create your own Valentines

That’s right, get out the construction paper, get out the glue.  Use your imagination.  There is nothing more special than a Valentine created out of love!  Let your kids be creative, even if it means making a bit of a mess.

2) Have a Valentine’s Day Treasure Hunt

Kids love suspense and they love surprises.  Don’t just hand them a valentine and say “Happy Valentine’s Day”.  Make it interesting, hide their valentine somewhere in the house (or outside if weather permits) and draw up a set of clues that will ultimately lead them to the prize.

3) Decorate Some Cookies

Decorating cookies is not just for Christmas.  Most stores have a heart shaped cookie cutter.  Cut out some heart cookies and create and personalize your own conversation heart sugar cookies.

4) Have A Valentine’s Day Breakfast

Valentine’s Day is on Thursday this year, so the kids will be going to school.  Why not prepare a special Valentine’s Day themed breakfast for them?  They will love it!  Cut up some strawberries and make some heart shapes on some waffles or pancakes.  Here is another time that you can use that heart shaped cookie cutter and make some heart shaped eggs or pancakes.  If they are taking their lunch to school, you can make heart shaped sandwiches.  Not sure about your kids, but mine typically don’t like the crusts anyway.

Spending time with the family is probably the best way ever that you can tell them happy Valentine’s Day.  This lets them know that they are loved and appreciated and it helps to establish traditions that will be passed on for years and years.