Low Stress Valentine’s Day Activities
Of course they’re going to want all the candy, but how can we make Valentine’s Day a sweet fun day about love for all? Well think about what values you have and what is important to you on Valentine’s Day. Do you love nature, are you all about self care, do you see it as a day of pampering, yummy treats, or all of the above? I think it’s a great way to show your kids how much fun it can be and it doesn’t have to be romantic at all. But you can end it with a date night with your hubs.
For me I like to spread the fun out so we aren’t just celebrating the day of. Or if you don’t have time even just the weekend prior can be great. Sensory play is so fun, even for elementary kids. And while you might not be a Pinterest mom, there are plenty of fun ideas. How about making homemade play dough together? My kids love helping me cook. So this time I put them to work, mixing and stiring. My 7 year old is old enough to actually follow the recipe and my 4 year old loves mixing it all together, and the 2 year old he loves to play with it! So when we finished it was a family collaboration and we all had fun. Add some extras to your dough- gems, beads, fun characters, and containers/cups. They played for at least an hour. If play dough isn’t your thing, I highly recommend you try it!
My kids love decorations, and I think we all love to look at them, but why buy them when we can make them? Eco friendly is awesome, especially when you can teach your kids to use old things to make new and fun things. Toilet paper rolls are always an easy one, but even left over paper or old “art” we can re-use. We recently started making garlands so we can hang them all around the house. It’s a great way to spend time together, be creative, and save money on decorations. And honestly you can be as “crafty” as you want. Let your kid’s imaginations be their guide. I love crafting so when I have an idea and share with them it’s like we are in sync and it’s fun. The dollar store is my go to if I need any extra supplies and sometimes Michael’s. But try to use what you have already. Also, my personal favorite is we are not using screen time and spending time together.
Lastly, if crafts and cooking are not your thing many places offer a Valentine’s Day themed activity. Sometimes you can drop them off so it can be a fun play date with their friend, while you have a play date too! Or if not invite a friend to join you to something fun, and you can do together. Even a nature hike can be a Valentine’s Day theme because maybe your snacks are heart strawberries, or you look for rocks shaped like hearts. Possibilities are endless you just need to be creative. Your best bet is the local library as well, they not only have plenty of activities scheduled but lots of books that are themed with fun Valentine’s Day stories.
Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to be a stereotypical day. It can be whatever you want it to be, the most important part is that we all feel loved. So doing what we love or being together is great, but you can also make it about spending time with friends and family too. Check your schedule and see what time you have and think of ideas you can change it up. Sometimes you can even get pizza in the shape of a heart- something fun and creative is always a great way to enjoy the day. Happy Valentine’s Day!
