You’re in the right place if you’re looking for some fun and unique family Valentine’s Day ideas! These are some of the best things to do with family on Valentine’s Day, and will help ensure your children learn to love this special day.
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1. Cut Out Hearts
It’s super easy to cut out hearts on construction paper or high quality cardstock. Alternatively, you can use these super cute foam hearts that are already cut to the perfect size and heart shape!
Use big hearts you can decorate with each person’s name on one side, and a list of things you love about them on the other side.
2. Strawberry Pancake Breakfast
What could be more delicious on Valentine’s Day than pancakes with fresh strawberries and good quality whipped cream? I could go for that anyday!
Here’s what I love to have for breakfast on Valentine’s Day:
- pancakes (make them heart-shaped for a special touch!)
- fresh strawberries and raspberries
- whipped cream
- Grade B maple syrup (now called Grade A Dark Robust)
- orange juice (fresh-squeezed or at least with pulp!)
3. Poetry Jam Session
Take some time to come up with poetry, if your children are old enough to do so. It doesn’t have to be long poems. Look into simple rhymes, limericks, and other types of poetry. Once everyone is done, have fun reciting them, or make a little heart book with each person’s poem as the pages. Put the year on the book and repeat this activity every year for a simple yet fun family Valentine’s Day tradition!
4. Valentine’s Jar Full O’ Love
A Valentine’s Day Jar Full O’ Love is a cute see-through jar (use hard plastic for young children and glass for older children and adults) started with beautiful hearts, flowers, herbs and the like and then filled with beautiful sayings that will make someone feel 100% loved. These sayings can be on cute paper folded neatly and added to the jar, crumpled up and thrown in, cut out hearts, or even put on popsicle sticks like a love garden!
Want an example? Here’s our own Valentine’s Day Jar Full O’ Love, complete with printable instructions showing how we made them!
These can be created to give each family member as a gift, or it can be a fun Valentine’s Day family activity to share together, this way each person can have their jar look exactly how they want it to.
Then everyone can write a few sayings to put in each others’ jars.
Go with clear plastic jars such as these ones for younger kids who might accidentally break more expensive glass jars and potentially hurt themselves.
This round clear storage jar with wood stopper is perfect for older children and the adults in the family.
Whichever jar you choose, decorate with dried flowers and herbs that add a special touch plus an amazing smell.
You might also want to add in some of these vase decorations:
Pictured above are these beautiful red confetti hearts. But you can also mix and match from the following cute options. Keep in mind your child’s age and maturity level, as some may be choking hazards!
- Pink, Rose Red & Red Heart Rhinestones
- Multi-color Acrylic Heart Beads
- Rustic Wooden Love Hearts (perfect option if you need non-pink/red fillers!)
- Pink Rattan Twig Hearts
Finally, the most important part! Choose what you will write the sayings on, and whether or not you want to create a garden-style Jar Full O’ Love using popsicle sticks (remember to get glue if so!).
You can choose pre-made hearts such as these 3.5 inch heart notecards or this cute heart card set with stickers. You can also cut out small hearts to use for your Jar Full O’ Love!
5. Host A Valentine’s Day Party
Your family can host a Valentine’s Day party, even if it will only be your immediate family attending! Go and get pink and white and red balloons, and scatter them around the living room.
Plan a few activities from this list and make sure you have all the supplies that you’ll need.
Choose a delicious dinner such as spaghetti with red sauce, and a dessert such as strawberry ice cream, strawberry shortcake, or strawberry cheesecake. Cherry pie also works!
Have a glass of red or white wine for the adults, and sparkling cider or old fashioned lemonade for the young ones.
If you want the party to last a long time, watch a Valentine’s Day movie or two!
6. Watch Valentine’s Day Movies Together
There are several movies that the family can watch together to spread the theme of LOVE on Valentine’s Day. Here are a few of my favorites:
- Lady and the Tramp
- The Parent Trap
- 101 Dalmations
- Beauty and the Beast
- The Little Mermaid
Are there any movies that your family absolutely loves to watch together on Valentine’s Day? I’d love to hear about it, if so. You can leave a comment to let me know!
7. Make Homemade Jewelry
I love the idea of making homemade jewelry as a family Valentine’s Day activity. The kids will love the jewelry, and the parents (or dad) can gift their own necklace to the child(ren).
Crafting is not only fun, but it’s also a great way to foster togetherness as a family while relieving stress!
The Melissa & Dough Heart Necklace Kit featured above makes a fun activity for kids between 4 and 8 years old. It comes with enough cords to make 5 necklaces, which is perfect for a small family!
This Juicy Couture Pink & Precious Bracelet Kit is perfect for tween girls. It comes with several heart charms that makes this set perfect for a Valentine-inspired activity.
Go with this DIY Blush Bracelet Kit for older girls and adults. It has a more simple, sophisticated look that better complements more mature styles.
8. Make Valentine’s Sensory Jars
I can’t believe how EASY it is to make a sensory jar! I don’t consider myself a crafty mom. I’m not one who looks on Pinterest for stuff to make with my son. I wish I was, though, as my son really has fun making stuff.
We had to give these sensory jars a try once I learned that it’s basically just water and glue.
Check out this post to learn exactly what supplies we got to make our Valentine’s Day sensory jar. These make great gifts, by the way!
9. Make Cherry Vanilla Fruit Dip
Cherry vanilla fruit dip is super easy to make, and is a healthy dip for strawberries or other fruit.
In a food processor, mix together:
- 8 oz cherries (frozen is OK)
- 8 oz greek yogurt
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon honey
Put mixture in a mixing bowl and whip in 8 oz whipped cream.
Use as a dip for fruit, or you can chop up fresh fruit, fold into the mixture and serve as a fruit salad. Either way, IT. IS. YUMMMM!
10. Make Old-Fashioned Lemonade
Old-fashioned lemonade is the BEST lemonade! Go out and buy some fresh lemons, and get to work!
You’ll need:
- 1 cup freshly sqqueezed lemon juice (approximately 4-6 big lemons, or 6-10 smaller lemons)
- 6 cups water
- 1 cup sugar or honey
Mix together and chill, or serve over ice.
For some variety, crush raspberries or strawberries and fresh mint leaves into the pitcher. This will give the lemonade an added touch of deliciousness!
11. Decorate Valentine’s Day Cookies
Decorating cookies is a popular Christmas tradition for kids, but it also one of the best and simplest family Valentine’s Day ideas!
Make sugar cookies, use a heart cut out to shape them, and then decorate with pink and purple sprinkles! Yummy and purty!
12. Strawberry Shortcake & Vanilla Ice Cream
For dessert, go for strawberry shortcake a la mode. Choose vanilla ice cream of black cherry if you’re family really digs the flavor. The color combination is a win-win and the taste explosion in your mouth is to die for!
If you want to make it a little fancier, get some pink and red sprinkles, and dark chocolate + milk chocolate chips to top it off!
13. Make Heart Hand Prints
Get pink or red ink pads and make a heart with hand prints or foot prints! This is easy and fun to do, and a great sensory activity to involve younger children in! Babies and toddlers can participate in this one, although babies will need a little help!
14. Take Professional Valentine’s Day Pictures!
I love taking professional pictures to commemorate holidays!
Get everyone all decked out in their favorite Valentine’s Day inspired outfits (think all thinks pink, red, white, and anything with hearts!) and take some pics with huge group hugs!
Pictures with everyone holding helium balloons would be super cute, as well!
Final Thoughts
I hope these family Valentine’s Day ideas were just what you needed to have a beautiful Valentine’s Day celebration with your family! This is a list of things my own little family enjoys doing, and hopefully they will make great Valentine’s Day traditions for your family.
Is there something you’re thinking of doing this year, or other cool things to do with family on Valentine’s Day that you do every. single. year. and would just love to share with others? Leave a comment to let us know. If I absolutely love it, I’ll ad it on this list to make it easier for others to see and consider adding to their list of family Valentine’s Day activities!
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