Are you looking for things to do with your kids for Valentine’s Day? For many, this is a tricky holiday. Because it’s handled so differently depending on what grade your child is in, and even which teacher they have. If your child is consistently disappointed with how the Valentine’s Day card distribution is handled at school, it may be helpful to reach out to your child’s teacher before the big day.
Find out how they’re handling Valentine’s distribution in the classroom. Many teachers will send home a list of names expecting that families address a Valentine to each child in the class. If that’s the case in your child’s class, you have nothing to worry about, unless a student purposefully leaves your child out. If there’s no protocol in place for handing out Valentines, gently suggest to the teacher that they implement something for the sake of fairness. Chances are your child’s teacher wants to alleviate anyone feeling left out as well. If by some chance, however, the damage has already been done, here are some ways to ensure your child feels special on Valentine’s Day; whether they get classroom cards or not. Here are 7 things to do with your kids for Valentine’s Day.
Have a One-On-One Date With Your Kids Individually
If you have more than one child and have the ability to do one-on-one parent-child dates, definitely take the opportunity to do something with one child at a time. While it’s not always feasible for families, spending that time with one child at a time is a great opportunity to connect on a deeper level without input from a younger or older sibling.
It’s a great way to make your children feel special and often can be done with a little extra planning; for example after a doctor’s appointment or when the sibling is at a sports event. A simple one-on-one quick lunch or ice cream trip every once in a while can go far to building your relationship and connecting with your child. Just remember to balance things out and ensure both children get time alone with you within the same timeframe.
Plan a Fun Family Paint Night with Your Kids
Nothing says family fun like a paint night. Many of the local sip and paint establishments across the country offer family-friendly paint nights as well as themed nights. This is a fun way to get creative by painting together as a family while learning from a real artist in real-time. Often the company allows you to bring in snacks and drinks, making it one of the most creative and kid-friendly things to do with your kids on Valentine’s Day.
Giving Back to the Community: One of the Most Loving Things to Do With Your Kids for Valentines Day
Many times when we face disappointments, it’s easy to throw ourselves into something that will take our mind off of the hurt. Sometimes this is helpful, other times it only masks the feelings. If your child is feeling disappointed about something that happened at school or you’re anticipating they may not be one of the popular kids this year and get a ton of Valentines, consider talking with them about how they can turn that sad energy into something positive.
One way to do this, which also teaches a great lesson in perspective, is to do something within the community to help others. Collect items from the dollar store with your kids. You can keep them in the car and hand them out to those in need. Items like warm gloves, socks, bottles of water, and protein bars can be put in individual bags and handed out when you’re out and about. This is a wonderful way to express to kids that while we may not always feel included, we can be of service to others which can easily lift our spirits and put good energy and love out into the world; which is what Valentine’s Day is all about anyway.
Make a Delicious Kid-Friendly Charcuterie Tray for Valentine’s Day
Charcuterie boards aren’t just for couples and date nights. Get the kids in the kitchen to help put together a delicious charcuterie board of all of their favorite snacks and treats. This is a great activity that sets the mood for a family movie night. Some items to consider for your kid-friendly charcuterie board include heart-shaped cookies, candy, cheese, turkey salami, and other kid favorites.
ALDI and Trader Joe’s offer impressive collections of snacks and treats that make great additions to a kid-friendly charcuterie board. Include some sparkling grape juice or hot cocoa and settle in for a family movie night they won’t soon forget.
Take Older Teens on a Coffee Date for Valentine’s Day
If your teen loves coffee, a trip to Starbucks or your favorite local coffee shop may be the perfect Valentine’s Day date. Grab a few snacks, a cup of something delicious, and spend an hour chatting and sipping to your heart’s content. This is a great way for older siblings to connect with one another and with their parents in a grown-up setting. A coffee shop isn’t just relegated to teens, add it to the list of the fun things to do with kids on Valentine’s Day no matter your child’s age. Everyone can enjoy tea, hot cocoa, and brownies, no matter how old they are.
If your child is struggling this school year – and let’s be honest, we’re all kind of on the struggle bus lately – consider making Valentine’s Day one of those special days to celebrate them and express to them how much you love and appreciate them for being themselves. It is this sense of connection that will propel them through difficult times at school when, for example, they’re left out or don’t receive Valentines from everyone in the class.
Just a small bit of connection with parents and siblings can arm your child with the self-esteem and confidence needed to work through these seemingly devastating (to them) events that each of us go through as kids. If you’re able to find special things to do with your kids for Valentine’s Day (and beyond) their sense of self won’t be tied up in how a few random kids in their classroom treat them.
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