There is something about fun out-of-the norm activities that break up the routine of daily life and make the day memorable. Together with my pre-teen daughter, I have put together a list of more than 20 activities that can brighten up your Valentines Day and help you create fun Valentines memories together.
Paper Valentine Fun
1. Cut out paper hearts of several sizes and colors and confetti the floor with them. So fun to wake up to this in your room, but also works well in a living or family room!
2. Hang read, white and/or pink streamers from the doorways
3. Make Valentine cards for each other
4. Make paper king and queen of hearts crowns and other props and take silly photos
Active Valentine Fun
5. Plan a Valentine scavenger hunt. Ideas:
- Hunt for hidden hearts all over the house or grounds
- Leave a trail of clues leading to a special Valentine treasure
- Hunt for hidden pieces of a puzzle that they must put together to read the special Valentine message
- Hunt for Valentine icons hidden in your school lessons for today (heart, arrow, cupid, word “love” etc. You could use stickers or sticky notes if the books do not already have those.)
- Plan a photo scavenger hunt for Valentines things around town and take pictures at each stop before giving them the next clue
6. If you live near the beach go write hearts and “I love you's” in the sand. Be sure to take your camera! I love to take beach photos with my camera!
7. Set your timer for every hour and have your kids race to the “heart” of your home (whatever location you pick) every time the timer rings to collect a special treat or surprise or instructions for a new activity.
8. Go do something nice for someone less fortunate. (suggestion: homeless sacks)
Food Valentine Fun
9. Bake heart shaped sugar cookies and decorate together
10. Bake red velvet cupcakes, or any and decorate for Valentines Day or a heart shaped cake. I always loved Valentines Day because my Grandma would make her signature chocolate hot water cake as a double decker heart-shaped cake! Get heart-shaped pans here.
11. Stage a bake sale for the neighborhood, but give away your goodies with a homemade Valentine and a gospel tract for each person. (We did something similar at Christmas with cinnamon rolls. Read about it here.) Find free printable Valentines here.
12. Eat a red and white meal. Fancy up your table with paper doilies and confetti, use Valentine paper plates, napkins and cups or the fancy family tea set or party glasses.
- Vegetables: red peppers, red tomatoes, califlower, ranch dressing for dip
- Fruits: red grapes, strawberries, watermelon
- Meals: pizza, spaghetti (white noodles, red sauce), breadsticks & dipping sauce, barbacue chicken, red jelly for PBJ sandwiches (try cutting your bread into heart shapes with a cookie cutter to make sandwiches)
- Other: white popcorn, strawberry milk, red jello
Artsy Valentine Fun
13. Make a valentine character (or monster, robot or car for boys) out of recyclable items
14. Make paper art using only heart shapes
15. Paint pocket sized I love you rocks to gift to each other
16. Make Valentine bead jewelry, or noodle jewelry for the small tots
17. Finger paint – make your own with this flour recipe by Learn, Play, Imagine
18. Make red and pink playdough. Use this recipe from Kids Activities Blog to make super soft playdough with just 3 household ingredients.
19. Create a giant Valentine greeting card on your driveway with sidewalk chalk
Valentine Drama Fun
20. Watch this 2 minute animated video about the history of Valentine's Day
21. Write and perform a Valentines skit (maybe based on the history of Valentines Day)
22. Record the Valentines skit and watch it together or email the video to relatives and friends
Need more activity ideas? Check out our Valentines Day Pinterest board!
Do you have other ideas? I'd love to hear them! Please leave a comment!
FUN WITH A MESSAGE says
Hi Katie,
Thanks so much for sharing this. Lots of good ideas to celebrate Valentine’s Day 🙂 visiting from Praire’s Linkup
Katie Hornor says
Thanks for leaving a note! Happy Valentines Day!