6 Ways to include kids on Valentine’s Day
With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, it’s time to start making plans. If you have kids, those plans are probably less romantically inclined and more focused on family-friendly activities. Given that V-Day is all about love—and not just the romantic kind—you actually have lots of options for keeping your kids entertained this February 14. Here are a few of them.
- Make a Valentine’s-themed meal. Dive right into Valentine’s Day with heart-shaped pancakes or a berry-red smoothie. For lunch, use a cookie cutter to transform typical peanut butter sandwiches into crustless hearts. Once dinner rolls around, dish out a special version of meatloaf and mashed potatoes. The meatloaf is, you guessed it, in the shape of a heart. Also, some pizzerias offer heart-shaped pizzas for Valentine’s Day, so you can check to see if your favorite local shop does.
- Deck out the apartment. If your kids don’t want to join you in the kitchen for a V-Day themed day of cooking, then maybe they’ll be interested in helping you dress up the apartment instead. You can go as small or as big as you want with your decor. For a simpler option, staple strips of paper into hollow hearts and string them onto streamers. If you’re more committed, break out the colored pencils or markers and challenge everyone to illustrate love as they see it.
- Watch a kid-friendly favorite on TV. While romantic epics like Titanic and The Notebook may not be appropriate for little ones, there are plenty of movies and Valentine’s Day classics that are. Think A Charlie Brown Valentine, Lady and the Tramp, or Enchanted. Cozy up on the couch, queue up a family favorite on Netflix, and enjoy a relaxing evening of cuddles with the kids.
- DIY Valentines for friends and family. If your youngsters love a good art project, don’t stop at decorating the apartment. Fill the dining room table or living room floor with pink and red construction paper, glitter and sequins, and markers and colored pencils. Then let your kids go crazy making Valentines for classmates, grandparents, or even each other. Of course, keep in mind that if you want the Valentines to arrive on time, you’ll have to do this activity a few days before the 14th.
- Go on a V-Day scavenger hunt. Let your little ones know how much their parents love them when you set up a special Valentine’s Day scavenger hunt. You can start the hunt a week ahead of V-Day or save it for the special day. Cut out 10 hearts per child in a different color for each kid. Fill the hearts with reasons you love each youngster, maybe the way they laugh or how good they are at sharing with their siblings. Then hide the hearts around the apartment and task your kids with finding all of the hearts in their color. They can display the compliments on their doors afterward.
- Celebrate familial love. Teach your kids that Valentine’s Day is about more than just chocolates by emphasizing the love between siblings and parents and kids. Gather around the table sipping on some hot cocoa and have everyone take a turn stating the reasons they love each member of their family. By the end, you’ll feel all warm and toasty inside—and it will have nothing to do with the hot chocolate.
With these ideas in mind, plan a family-friendly Valentine’s Day that includes the kids this year.
12 Ways to Celebrate Valentine’s Day With Your Kids [UrbanSitter]
Valentine’s Day Ideas for Kids [Parenting]
Valentine’s Scavenger Hunt to Find the Ways I Love You [Hands On As We Grow]