Valentine's Day is all about love. So why not celebrate it with those you love most - YOUR FAMILY! The month of love is quickly approaching and if you are like me, you are trying to figure out how to make it special for your family.
Showing love is a 24/7, 365 day a year kinda thing for parents - but Valentine’s Day is a throw confetti in the air and kisses all around kinda day. It doesn’t have to be big or complicated to show your family how much they are loved - I can almost guarantee they already know it. So let’s make it a fun day to outwardly show our love.
Mom Tip:
1. Just a reminder, the traditions you start when your kids are little are ones your kids will be looking forward to each and every year. So don’t go overboard with gifts and make it like another red & pink Christmas - that is unless you're the kind of parent that doesn’t mind going big every Valentine’s Day for the next 18 years.
For me, I like to keep it simple and rotate what I do each year so it’s a surprise. It makes it to where if I’m having a hard parenting/mom season I’m not expected to do a whole Love-themed day. Which makes it a fun low stress holiday every year.
2 Know what your child's (and significant other) love language is! Some kids love physical touch like hugs and snuggles. Some kids value quality time where you are focused and present with you doing, well, anything together. Some like acts of service like you helping them with chores or doing something for them. Some prefer words of affirmation which fills their cup every time they hear words of love and praise. Others feel loved by material things like gifts. Knowing how they view love through their eyes will help connect you both on a deeper level and they will appreciate and know how much they are loved all year long. Take the quiz to find out how what everyone's love language is!
Here are some fun tips & ideas to make Valentine’s Day 2022 special:
1. Grab some heart cookie cutters (in all sizes) on Amazon ASAP! Maybe even a heart ice tray. This will make it easy to add cute little touches to the day for snacks and dinner.
2. Use Post-it notes to show how much you love them! Start on February 1st putting up one encouraging note a day - telling them all reasons you love them (make you laugh, help around the house, a good friend to others...). Post them on their bedroom door or bathroom mirror, telling them all the reasons you love them every day of February. Maybe write one reason why you love them. You could do this just on the 14th but why not sprinkle the love into more days of the month. Your kids will never truly understand how much you love them. But you can try to let them know! Involve the whole family by having the kids and adults in your house leave hearts with kind words on each others' doors. Need some inspiration? Check out these 100 Punny Valentines sure to make your kiddos laugh -- or groan.
3. Get them a cute Valentine's shirt or pajama set. Give it to them on February 1st so they can get more use of it vs. just one day.
4. Plan a fun Mystery day.(examples below) The excitement of not knowing what comes next is what makes this a fun game to play. The best part is you can plan this activity around your daily schedule. You can do this on Valentine's Day or the weekend before/after. Just grab some card stock and envelopes. Write down one activity and place it in an envelope. Decide what time of day you want to do that activity (based on availability during the day and how long it will take to complete it). Then on the outside of the envelope write the time they will open the envelope to complete their mystery activity. That's it! The best part is it doesn't have to be fancy. 
Here are some examples of what we have done in the past:
Envelope: 8 AM or Before school - Message: Have heart-shaped pancakes with all the fixings!
Envelope:1:00 or Afterschool - Message: Go miniature golfing at Family Fun Center! or head to the park for some fun! Then bring things to do at the park, scooter, bubbles, sand toys.
Envelope: 5 PM or Evening - Message: play your favorite board game during
Envelope: After dinner or 6:30 - Message: Get ready for your favorite desserts.
Of course, you can add outings and any fun activities you want to do that day. You can go as big or as small as you want - the fun is in the surprise! Use some cute ribbon and clothespins to hang up the envelopes so they double as Valentine's Day decorations too!
5. Decorate on a budget! Go to dollar tree and load up on cute little valentines hearts you can sprinkle around the house. Take the kids with you to pic out their favorite decorations too!
6. Add your favorite family sayings! Get some 11x17 construction paper or cut a poster board in half or n the shape of hearts and create your own personalized love sayings around the house.
7. Get them their favorite candy or yummy snacks. If you homeschool, put them out on the table during the day for an I LOVE U grazing table. If they go to school, pack something special in their lunch box or plan a fun after-school snack table using those heart cookies cutters.
Looking for more Valentine-themed food ideas? Check out our heart-shaped fruit kabobs, and more ideas from our friends at Macaroni Kid EATS!
8. Plan a fun road trip just for them - based on their likes, interest, and age! Road trips don’t have to be far. It can be a fun museum or park day to somewhere they have been wanting to go. If you homeschool take the day off (if you can) and plan an outing to surprise them or take them out on the weekend if they go into school. Here are some of our favorite places to explore:
KidSpace Children’s Museum, Natural History Museum, California Space Center, The Getty, La Brea Tar Pits, Huntington Library, Skirball Cultural Museum, Grammy Museum LA, Museum of Tolerance, San Bernardino Museum, Southern California Railway, Irvine Railway, Planes of Fame Air Museum, Downey Space Center. Have more time?Head to San Diego for the day to see all the amazing museums and family fun they have with their MONTH LONG MUSEUM PASS with 50% off admission to 45+ San Diego County museums, historic sites, gardens, zoo/aquariums and more. Just pick up your pass at a San Diego Macy’s store or one of 75 libraries throughout San Diego County.
9. Watch Charlie Brown Valentine! You can stream on Apple TV+ or buy the DVD at Target or on Amazon.
10. Plan "love" meals! Have their favorite meal for dinner. Grab take-out and eat at home or head out to a fun dinner together.
Local family fun restaurants/food:
Haven City Market!
Septembers (kids can make their own pizza)
Vince's Spaghetti
El Tio Alex Mexican Restaurant (Family Meal Deals)
Hills Kitchen
Stonefire Grill
Brandon's Diner
Bushfire Kitchen
El Perico Ranchero
The Poke Place
Zait Bistro
Wabi-Sabi
Shogun Restaurant
Punch Bowl Social
Spaghetti Factory
Want a Heart-Shaped Pizza - Place your order BEFORE Valentines Day at Papa Johns, Pizza Hut or California Pizza Kitchen. Don't be afraid to also call your local family-favorite pizza place BEFORE Valentine's day and see if they will make one just for you!
Here are some of our local favorites:
Monaco's Pizza, The Parlor Pizzeria, 19th Street Pizzeria, Anya's Pizza, Barboni's Pizza, Piara Pizza, Graziano's Pizza, Double Play Pizza, Dalia's Pizza, Pizza Guys, Anthony's Italian Kitchen.
Make heart-shaped pancakes and sprinkle with powdered sugar or waffles covered with strawberries. Serve with hot cocoa and you'll be the best mom ever! Break out the cookie cutters and cut sandwiches, quesadillas, or even pizza into heart-shaped yumminess.
11. Create homemade no-sew fortune cookies for them! (directions below)
Directions:
1. Cut red & pink felt into 3-4” circles out, we used a red plastic solo cup as a guide.
2. Write out a fun fortune about 2"x1.5". Fold it up and place it in the center of the circle.
3. Add 3 dots of hot glue to one side of the felt circle cut out and fold it in half.
4. Fold the half-circle in half again. Secure the middle with a dot of hot glue!
12. Make a craft together. Head to Sawdust Factory or Purple Easel to make a fun valentine's masterpiece together or check out this fun and easy paper heart chain. Look to our Macaroni Kid Pinterest page for more Valentine crafting ideas! Then your crafts can double as decorations!
13. Plan a sprinkle of love day where they (and you) make valentines for their family and friends! Spend time sprinkling love packages off of their houses. Everyone wants to feel loved! Check out our free printable Valentine's Day cards, perfect for last-minute valentine's gifts!
14. Create conversation heart prompts! Get the family talking with these Valentine-themed dinner table conversation starters.
Enjoy showing your love to the people who mean the most to you on Valentine's Day ... and all year long!
