Family Friendly Valentine's Day Ideas
Low-cost, Easy Ways to Celebrate Love with Your Children
Feb 12, 2009
Valentines Day is traditionally a holiday celebrating romantic love between couples, but it can be an excuse to celebrate all kinds of love. If your budget won't stretch to include a fancy dinner at a five-star restaurant with your partner this year; you're a single, separated or divorced parent; or you'd simply rather include your kids in your Valentine's Day celebrations this year; here are a few easy and low-cost ideas to help you create a family friendly Valentine's Day.
Valentine's Day Crafts for Kids
Most kids love making arts and crafts, and holidays are a great excuse to break out the paint, paper doilies, construction paper and glitter glue. Make valentines for each other, for your children's friends and classmates, and don't forget to make a few for your friends too! Handmade valentines are a wonderful expression of affection and love for all the special people in your life. Kids also love to make decorations to display around the house and in your front windows.
Valentine's Day Treats
Heart-shaped sugar cookies, love heart candies and cinnamon hearts all say, "I love you." Turn sweet treats into a family celebration by baking them together, learning how to make fudge or decorating edible valentines with icing and candies. Other treats include a special family outing or event, which show loved ones that you care and want to spend time together without breaking the budget or blowing your diet.
Create a Valentine's Day Surprise
There is something thrilling about finding a secret love note, a hidden bag of candy or a flower delivered to you at school or work, no matter what your age. Valentine's Day is the perfect holiday to surprise someone you love with a special treat they're not expecting. Here's a few ways to deliver a sweet surprise to your kids, partner or friends on Valentine's Day.
- Send a Valentine to their cell phone by text.
- Write a love note on the bathroom mirror.
- Set the table for breakfast with red napkins, handmade valentines and a special edible treat (whether that means chocolate-dipped strawberries, homemade waffles or normally forbidden pop-tarts is up to you!)
- Hide some candies and a valentine in their lunch bag, coat pocket or purse.
- Almost everyone loves to receive flowers, even kids and teens. If you're sending flowers to a teen at their school, consider writing something like, "From your greatest admirer" on the note. Younger kids will probably still appreciate getting flowers from mom or dad.
Valentine's Day can be a fun excuse to be playful and sweet about love, whether that love is romantic or familial. Families can celebrate Valentine's Day with handmade crafts, edible treats, a family outing or a sweet surprise. Showing your love doesn't have to be expensive or fattening, just look for a way to show you care that fits your own family. Happy Valentine's Day!
