It’s not just for Romantic Couples! Six Family Traditions to Show Love to your Kids this Valentine’s Day
While you work hard to show love to your spouse this Valentine’s Day don’t forget the other people you love! Valentine’s Day isn’t just for couples; and there are more meaningful ways to show your kids love than simply giving them candy. This love-focused holiday is the perfect opportunity to celebrate and connect with your family. Starting meaningful traditions can create sweet memories that your children will cherish for years. Whether you prefer cozy evenings at home or festive activities, here are some fun and heartwarming traditions to start this Valentine’s Day:
1. Craft Heartfelt Notes Together
2. Heart-Attacking Doors
3. Family Valentine’s Day Dinner
4. Family Love Jar
5. Love Tree Tradition
6. Spreading Love to Others
1. Craft Heartfelt Notes Together
Forget buying Valentines cards, save money and teach your kids the joy of expressing their love to others through handmade cards or notes. Get the craft night started by setting up a “love letter station” to make personal and meaningful cards for each other, friends, neighbors, or anyone you love. Include any fun craft supplies that you have or can easily purchase such as markers, paper, stickers, ribbon, glitter, etc. You will be amazed what kids can create with very simple supplies.
Pro Tips:
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Encourage your kids to consider the interests, shared memories, and kindnesses given by those they are writing to.
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Write notes for each other and hide them around the house for a Valentine’s Scavenger Hunt.
2. Heart-Attacking Doors
This is one of my personal favorite Valentine’s Traditions. My son loved his hearts so much last year that they are still on his door! So, here is all you have to do to remind your child for the next year how much and why you love them. Simply cut out hearts and write reasons you love them on each heart then place on their bedroom door the night before Valentine’s Day.
Pro Tip: Don’t try to do multiple children’s hearts the night before Valentine’s Day. Start writing your notes early so you can take your time to write meaningful notes and not have to stress about writing them all late the night before!
3. Family Valentine’s Day Dinner
Move over Halloween, Valentine’s Day is the new holiday for fun dinner ideas. Turn this Valentine’s dinner into a Heart-themed meal, and we don’t just mean the heart-shaped food!
Use the Dinner Card Prompts from our Valentine’s Day Traditions Download [Get our free Valentine’s Day Traditions Printable] to show love to one another while you eat.
Question prompts include:
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Say your favorite thing about the person to your left
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Something you admire about the person to your right
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Name a talent of the person closest to you in age
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Name something you think they will be good at in the future…
Check out some fun meal ideas:
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Heart-shaped Charcuterie Board with veggies.
4. Family Love Jar
Want to take note writing a step farther? A week before Valentine’s Day, set up a jar and encourage each family member to write (or draw for younger kids) one thing they love about each person every day. On Valentine’s Day, gather to read the notes aloud. It’s a simple way to build positivity and show appreciation for one another.
Pro Tip: Use our free printable notes from the Valentine’s Day Traditions Download [Get our free Valentine’s Day Traditions Printable], that includes coloring options for younger kids.
5. Love Tree Traditions
Do you love the jar idea but want everyone to see the notes for longer? Instead of writing notes and placing them in a jar to read on Valentine’s Day consider a love tree. We have all probably tried to do a thankful tree at Thanksgiving with leaves reminding us of all the things we are thankful for, so why not start a tradition of heart-shaped leaves placed on a tree to remind those we love that we see the good in them. You can tape your hearts with notes on a small paper tree cut out on the wall, or even hang them from a real branch. Get a free tree from our Valentine’s Day Traditions Download [Get our free Valentine’s Day Traditions Printable].
Pro Tip: Laminate your tree, take it down each year with the hearts in place and then add to it again next year! Keep this going each year and see how much your love grows over the years!
6. Spreading Love to Others
One of the best traditions you can start this Valentine’s Day is a tradition of showing love to others in the community who might be lonely. Teach your kids the importance of kindness by creating care packages for those in need. Assemble goodies like snacks, small toys, or handwritten notes and deliver them to a local shelter, nursing home, or community center.
Conclusion
Valentine’s Day is an opportunity to focus on love, kindness, and gratitude as a family. By starting fun traditions that emphasize these values, you’ll create lasting memories and teach your children the true meaning of love. Whether you go big or keep it simple, your family will feel cherished and connected on this special day.
What are your favorite Valentine’s Day family traditions? Share your ideas in the comments below.