Love. One very special, powerful word. Parents will know that their love for their family is like no other. Valentine’s Day isn’t just about celebrating love for your partner or spouse (although this is equally as important) but also about celebrating the love you have for your parents, children and family.
But with a day centred around dates, couples and having a “valentine” there doesn’t seem to be much focus on familial love. How can families also enjoy the day that celebrates love? If you’re looking for some ways to spend quality time with your loved ones, this blog is the one for you. We’ve got some fun, affordable and creative activities that you can do together. As a family.
What is Valentine’s Day?
Valentine’s Day is a holiday celebrated annually on the 14th of February. It’s a day for people to show their affection for loved ones, often giving cards or gifts which can be called “valentines”. If you want to educate your child more on the history behind the day of love, you could show them this free Valentine’s Day History PowerPoint which is an easy way for your children to understand the meaning behind Valentine’s Day.
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Valentine’s Crafting
Why not start with making some crafts? No one is too old for crafts! This is a lovely bonding activity for you and your children and they can let their (and your) creativity and imagination run wild.
- Love Bugs – These super cute Love Bugs are a lovely craft and have really easy, printable instructions to make sure that all the family can follow along! They’re great for all ages but particularly if you’ve got young kids. The best part – all you need is an empty egg box, pens and pipe cleaners!
- Heart Wreath – Another cute, easy craft is this Tissue Paper Heart Wreath which all the family can be involved in. It’s also got easy-to-follow instructions and could be a great decoration for your house. It would look great on an inside door just to add that little bit of Valentine’s to your home.
- Homemade cards – Spread the love in your household by getting your children involved in making cards for one another. No celebration is complete without a card! These Special Person Valentine’s Colouring Cards are a fun way for your kids to make cards for you or their siblings which they can colour in and add their own personal touch. If they’re struggling to find the right words for the inside of the card they can use these free Valentine’s Day Words of Positivity which are great for inspiration. It might also be nice to print this Valentine’s Day Poem for a Daughter, or this Valentine’s Day Poem for Son and remind them how much you love them. You could pop this in a frame and hang it in their bedrooms for a personal touch!
- Valentine’s Gonk Paper Craft – Now these are just the cutest decorations! You can enjoy making these with your children and give them as a gift to someone you or your child loves. These would be lovely presents for their friends or grandparents. Your kids could put these in their rooms or have them on display around the house, or even add them to the front of a card.
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Valentine’s Baking
We all know kids love getting messy, so why not amp the celebrations up by baking some sweet treats? Take the time to do some baking with your little ones as a family and have some messy, delicious fun.
- Sweet – If you’re stuck for Valentine’s themed bakes, why not introduce them to this easy Jam Heart Tarts Recipe, which is sure to go down a “treat”! If you want more sweet inspiration, try this Valentine’s Day Recipes Pack which includes Chocolate Lovebugs, Valentine’s Cupcakes, Meringue Kisses and many more.
- Savoury – If you’re looking for a night in and want to cook dinner together as a family, you could try cooking some savoury recipes with the kids, instead. These free Budget Valentine’s Recipes include Heart Shaped Puff Pastry Pizzas and Heart Topped Savoury Muffins.
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Have a Valentine’s Games Night
What’s the best way to keep the kids entertained? Games of course! Games are a great way to develop their motor skills, as well as encourage them to use their imagination and improve their problem-solving skills.
- Scavenger Hunt – You could make an at-home Valentine’s Day Scavenger Hunt Game and hide items around your garden, or house, and let your kids find them. This is a winner for children of all ages, I know I still love a treasure hunt. Speaking of winners… don’t forget to incentivise them by offering a Valentine’s prize for the winner! Some prize ideas include:
- Some love heart-themed candy or chocolate
- A bracelet or necklace with a heart
- Slime
- Playdough
- A heart-shaped bath bomb or Valentine’s shower gel
- Valentine’s Bingo – This is a great one if you have a slightly larger family. This printable Valentine Bingo Game is one that any age can play, especially if you use symbols rather than numbers! Your children will feel confident and independent as you involve them in reading out the symbols you choose, announcing the winner and marking off their matching symbols on their sheets.
- Valentine’s Day Family Game Guide – This pack has so many different games for all ages, some of which you might not have heard of before! You can download the pack and find games such as “Colours Of Kindness” and “Where’s The Love?” which are both themed for your little ones’ Valentine’s.
If these two games haven’t appealed to you, you can always try this Pack of 10 Printable Valentine’s Day Quick Games for Children and take your pick from Valentine’s themed Snakes and Ladders, Tic Tac Toe, and lots of others!
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Embrace the outdoors for Valentine’s
Sometimes, the best way to spend time with family is by spending time in nature. Whether that be taking a walk or going for an ice cream in the park, it’s nice to bond with your children away from screens and other distractions. Outdoor activities are becoming less common, so try and get out if you can!
- Take A Family Walk – This might not sound like a Valentine’s themed activity, but it may mean that you can play and spend more time with your children than you might at home. It’s a great way to show them love and spend quality time with them, as well as explore the outdoors. Maybe go to a new park you haven’t tried before, or go on a new walking trail!
- Go to a cafe – Although this one isn’t necessarily a “budget” item, it’s a nice activity to do out of the house. You could find an affordable cafe to take your children and partner to and share a drink or a cake. You could go to a cafe of your children’s choice, or use this Family Valentine’s Day Activities Poster for more ideas on how to spend your day.
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Have a Movie Night
Relaxing together and laughing over your favourite movies is a lovely way to spend the night as a family. If you’ve got children, this is a foolproof way to wind down and keep them entertained after a day full of fun activities! You could even add some homemade snacks, their favourite treats, or even some of the bakes you made earlier!
You’ve reached the end of this Valentine’s activities blog… but you’re only at the start of your family Valentine’s adventure! We hope you’ve found our tips useful and that you have a wonderful Valentine’s Day, spending time with your family.
Please note: The “free” resources listed above are listed are free with a free Twinkl account.
