10 Fun & Free Ways to Say “I Love You” this Valentine’s Day
Valentine’s Day can get expensive fast- especially when buying chocolates and gifts for several children.
Moms want to make Valentine’s Day special for the whole family. Who doesn’t want an extra reason to get to say “I love you” and give extra snuggles?
I’ve really felt the need to make Valentine’s Day special since my oldest son started shying away from everyday displays of affection. (In fact, I actually think he also loves the excuse of Valentine’s Day.)
You can enjoy Valentine’s Day with your kids for free. There are an infinite amount of gestures to show your children your love and appreciation without spending a single dime.
10 Fun & Free Ways to Say “I Love You” to your kids this Valentine’s Day
Rise and Shine – There’s nothing better than waking up to the smell of a delicious, homemade breakfast. Sautéing their favorite morning meal or getting creative in the kitchen with a new recipe is sure to put a pep in their step.
Need some ideas? Serve up some heart-shaped strawberry pancakes made from scratch or a berry smoothie. Or make it even easier and simply tint their milk pink and serve your normal everyday breakfast with candles and construction paper heart cutouts on the table.
Sweet Mementos – Take an afternoon to yourself to write individual notes of your appreciation for your kids. Fold the notes individually and place them in a clean and recycled container, such as a jar of jelly or pasta sauce! You can write enough notes to last a week, a month or even a whole year. When your kids need some inspiration or feel a bit blue, they can reach for this love-filled jar and read the sweet mementoes you have personalized just for them.
Cardboard Valentine Family Project – The entire family will love expressing their admiration for each other with this fun and nearly cost-free project. By using an old piece of cardboard, some old magazines and a glue stick, the entire family can create an original collage of what makes your family special. The colorful text, images and colors will invoke creativity and fun for everyone!
Pack a Special Lunch – Surprising your kids with a lovely and healthy Valentine’s lunch is sure to win their hearts. Use a knife or cookie cutter to cut heart-shaped sandwiches. You can also pack some carefully-sliced strawberries that are naturally shaped like hearts! For an extra special touch, draw a sweet love note on a clean napkin and send your child off to school.
Set the Scene – If you have younger kids, accumulate your child’s stuffed animals and place them in funny yet creative places around the house. Make little signs for the animals to hold onto that proclaim “I love you to the moon and back!” or “You make my heart warm and fuzzy”. They will find it hilariously adorable and very memorable.
Watch a Family-Friendly Romantic Movie – With the infinite amount of content on Netflix, Hulu and Disney Plus, there is bound to be a movie to watch without needing to rent a Redbox. The Princess Bride, Cinderella or the Princess and the Frog are great family-friendly movies about romance that everyone would enjoy this Valentine’s Day. Here is a great list of Valentine’s Day movies that kids and parents can enjoy together.
Create a Journal Together – Passing love notes back and forth to your kids throughout the week is a great way to strengthen your bond with each other. Find an old notebook (there’s bound to be at least one lying around somewhere!) and start the first entry. Then, hide the journal for your kids to find and encourage them to make their own entry. If your kids can’t yet write, they can draw! Continue this trend throughout the entire week. On Valentine’s Day, read the journal entries together and prepare yourselves with smiles, snuggles and a new-found appreciation for each other.
Put Down the Phone – In today’s age, most people carry a smart phone or other personal device. This means parents are more prone to have a deeper disconnection from their families, especially their kids. Vow to put your phone away for at least 24 hours and devote your precious time to your kids. Your undivided attention will only grow and strengthen your bond, as your kids totally deserve it.
Get Warm and Fuzzy– Physical touch is one of the most important aspects of parenting that you will instill in your kids. Hugging your children and providing them physical touch is crucial for their self-confidence and overall brain development. This Valentine’s Day, give your kids even more love and affection than they already receive! It’s bound to create more smiles and perhaps even more requests for hugs in the future.
Funny Mad Libs – These hilariously sweet printables are sure to break your kids out in a fit of giggles! This activity is a great way to teach young kids about nouns, adjectives, verbs and places. Once your kids have made their choices, have them read their finished mad lib out loud and queue the endless supply of belly laughs. https://www.woojr.com/valentine-mad-libs/
There are more than a million ways to say “I Love You” to your kids this Valentine’s Day. However, providing them your unconditional love 365 days a year is by far the best gift you will give them. Even if you had all the money in the world, your kids would realize that in the end, your continued love and support is all they need to grow into the amazing individuals you’re raising.
Happy Valentine’s Day!
