Valentine’s Day may traditionally be about dinners for two, chocolates, and flower bouquets, but for families, it can mean fun celebrations with the kids. Ready for a family-friendly adventure that includes your little ones? Here are some fun ideas to elevate the celebration with your children.

1.   Make V-Day Crafts

Break out your pink and red craft supplies and get your creativity flowing. There are countless Valentine’s Day crafts you can do with your little ones to celebrate the holiday. 

You can have your kids make cards for relatives by using paint to make fingerprint hearts or flowers. For your baby’s first Valentine’s Day, you can make footprint hearts on dough or dip their feet in paint to imprint on paper. Grandparents, aunts, and uncles will love receiving a special gift showing your kids’ love for them.

2.   Deliver Flowers to Loved Ones

Valentine’s Day falls during Random Acts of Kindness Week, making it the ideal time to perform small acts of kindness in your community or family. Buy a bouquet of flowers and deliver them to grandparents, neighbors, or friends. You don’t need to splurge on this – one flower per person is just enough for a nice surprise. 

You can bake cookies with your kids and add your homemade cards to make this gift even sweeter. 

3.   Camp in Your Living Room

While the cold and snow may keep you inside for the rest of winter, you can bring outdoor adventures right to your living room. Set up camp inside by draping blankets over furniture like a tent and rolling out the sleeping bags. You can really set the scene by playing a nature sound playlist and using a starlight projector to create the night sky on your ceiling. 

Make your indoor camping trip a mindful bonding experience by putting away all your devices. 

Taking a break from screens can help kids build language and social skills as they focus their attention on in-person activities. You can play games, look at nature books, and tell fun bedtime stories before sleeping together in your DIY campsite. Don’t forget to make s’mores for a fun, sweet treat. 

4.   Make or Decorate Treats

You can’t have Valentine’s Day without some sweets. Instead of store-bought chocolates, make it a fun family activity by making your own treats. 

You can bake sugar cookies – bonus points for using heart-shaped cookie cutters – and have your kids decorate them with pink and red frosting or sprinkles. For fruit lovers, melt some chocolate and have your kids dip strawberries in it. The desserts will taste even sweeter knowing you got to bond while making them. 

5.   Cuddle Up for a Family Movie Night

Plan a family movie night at home this Valentine’s Day. A simple yet intimate celebration can make this day extra special for the kids. Let the children pick their favorite movies while you prepare snacks and admission tickets for everyone. For instance, you can write what you love about each family member on the ticket to make it personalized.

To make it even more fun, you can let your kids lay pillows, blankets and their favorite stuffed animals out on the floor to create a cozy living room fort. 

6.   Write (or Film) Valentine’s Day Letters

Set up a time when every family member writes a love letter to each other. Do it over an afternoon picnic at the park to make it more memorable. Life gets busy, and it can be easy to overlook expressing your love for each other every day. Let this holiday be a reminder to make each “I love you” count.

For youngsters who can’t write yet, you can make video letters instead. Film them saying, “I love you,” to their grandparents, aunts, or uncles. Nothing will warm their hearts more than a sweet video they can watch over and over. 

Have a Fun Celebration

The day is about more than just romance. It’s an opportunity for parents to slow down and appreciate their little ones. In this hectic world where it can be challenging to carve time for quality time, take this time to show and tell your love to your children.

How do you celebrate Valentine’s Day with the whole family?