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I am not an Elf on the Shelf mom, and I don’t plan elaborate birthday parties. However, I am really good at making small holidays special. St. Patrick’s Day? I’m your girl. I’ll build a leprechaun trap and serve green milk. On the Fourth of July, we absolutely have matching bathing suits. With Valentine’s Day approaching, here are three simple Valentine’s Day activities you can do to make your children’s day a little more loving.
1. Decorate Your Kiddo’s Door
I promise this idea isn’t an overly done elementary classroom door. I keep it super simple and write reasons I love them in multiple pink and red hearts. You could add one to the door every day from February 1 to 14, or opt for the simpler (and my preferred) way and put them all up on Valentine’s Day.
Passionate Penny Pincher has a great example of decorating a door for Valentine’s Day. The decorations are so sweet and special that we leave them up for months before recycling. I like putting the heart messages on their bedroom door, but you could opt to put them in a lunchbox, on their breakfast placemat, or seat in the car.
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The hearts really boost their self esteem and improve their mental health. It also builds our relationship. I like thinking of all the reasons I love my kids. It reminds me why I am a mom to begin with and makes the hard days a little brighter.
2. Read Valentine’s Day Books
I admit it: I am a book nerd. I love, love, LOVE to read. If you were a child of the ’90s, I’m sure you watched Arthur on PBS. The author, Marc Brown, has a cute Valentine’s day book you can purchase on Amazon, check out from the library, or watch the read-aloud on YouTube.
While you are on YouTube, you can view tons of other books read aloud for Valentine’s Day.
3. Get Your Bake On
To make Valentine’s Day extra special, I get my kids in the kitchen! First, we use heart-shaped cookie cutters. Then we bake and decorate cookies with heart-shaped sprinkles and use pink, white, purple, and red frosting. Here is a great recipe from Sally’s Baking Addiction to get you started. Kroger and Walmart have slice-and-bake Valentine’s Day cookies or pre-made cookies if baking isn’t for you.
We also take pre-made pizza dough from Trader Joe’s and shape it into a heart. Add toppings as your kids prefer. If you want to get really extra, cut the pepperonis into hearts with kitchen scissors or place cut bell peppers in a heart shape.
>> RELATED READ :: 10 Interesting Valentine’s Day Traditions Around the World <<
Finally, I like to serve Welch’s Sparkling Grape Juice in champagne flutes at dinner to make the meal feel extra special. This is available at almost any grocery chain and best served chilled.
Part of the fun of being a parent is recreating our own childhood magic and special holiday activities. It is incredibly nostalgic to relive these experiences through our children’s eyes. While social media can make us feel guilty with all the over-the-top creativity and financially draining holiday activities, you are still a great mom for doing something small. So, take advantage of this love-ly holiday with these simple Valentine’s Day activities.
