Valentine’s Day is my favorite holiday. Add in Valentine’s Day activities for the whole family, and I swoon. Before I became a mom, I would sit in my empty dining room and dream of the day I could give my children the same Valentine’s Day that my mom gifted us kids when we were young. I dreamed of helium heart balloons tied to chairs, pink farina atop heart-shaped placemats, jars of mixed heart candies topped with lace doilies, and a simple gift wrapped in red and pink paper (spoiler – the gift was always undies with hearts).
I love everything about Valentine’s Day…especially Valentine’s Day activities. The thought of the day wraps me in warmth and reminds me of all the love in my life. For me, it has never had anything to do with being in a relationship or about being in love. The holiday instead has always represented kindness and our ability to give and receive love– to ourselves, our family, our friends, our loved ones, our neighbors, and even to strangers.
What is more symbolic of Valentine’s Day than hearts? Hearts, hearts, and more hearts. They represent love, emotion, and affection. There are so many fun heart crafts and activities that you can do with your children. Why not extend Valentine’s Day activities for the whole family? I’ve added to what my mom started and created a few favored traditions of our own during Valentine’s Season (yes, it’s a whole season at our house)!
Below are five Valentine’s Day activities for the whole family to inspire love, kindness, encouragement, and self-confidence:
What I LOVE About You
Write inspirational words or messages on hearts and put them around the house to inspire and encourage. Tape them on the door of kids’ rooms (and mom and dad’s room, too!) around a “What I LOVE About You” sign. Add to the collection daily leading up to Valentine’s Day and beyond.
Hearts in a Jar
Fill out many hearts with different adjectives. Put the hearts in a jar and pull out one at a time during a family meal. Discuss who the adjective reminds you of and why. Some words to get you started might be sporty, enthusiastic, humorous, dedicated, kind, fascinating, etc.
Hearts for Acts of LOVE
Create a Family LOVE collection of hearts. Have a stack of hearts on the counter with markers. Encourage family members to give each other hearts for acts of love they’ve done. Display the hearts on the fridge, string them over a doorway, create a hanging chain of hearts, create a fireplace banner, etc.
Collect Hearts Challenge
Have a collect hearts challenge. Kids can earn hearts for love shown to others, kindness, and good choices. After a certain number of hearts earned, offer a reward. This can be a positive and loving way to encourage and reward positive behavior.
Tree of LOVE
Make a tree of love! Find twigs or petite branches, keep them natural or paint them, and add them to a vase. Have children practice fine motor skills by cutting hearts, punching a hole at the top, stringing twine, and hanging on the tree. Write short conversation starters about giving and receiving love. Some phrases might include “I like to make people smile by…,” “When someone helps me, I feel…,” “Hearing someone laugh makes me…,” “When mom gives me a hug, I feel…,” etc.
These activities and more can be found in the free LOVE Notes & Tags download at www.lovenotesandtags.com.
