Valentine’s Day has become so commercialized that sometimes kids think they can’t give a valentine without spending money. But at its core, Valentine’s is about love! And what a better place to focus on love than inside your own home. When we slow down and create intentional moments together, we give our kids something far more lasting than cheap chocolate: the deep assurance that they are seen, valued, and loved.
Here are three simple, meaningful ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day as a family. Each one is designed to strengthen connection and highlight the goodness in your children!
1. Fill Their Cup with a “Love Dinner”
One of the most powerful gifts you can give a child is to help them see what’s good about themselves, especially through the eyes of the people they love most.
Each year, my family sits down to a favorite meal and tells each person one by one how much they are loved!
Here’s how simple it is:
- We make a meal that we all love. It can be normal, or something a little more fancy!
- We print out the Things I Love About You Placemats for everyone’s seat at the table.
- Before we eat, we all go around and write something we love about each family member.
That’s it! It’s so easy and so effective! There is such a sweet energy in the room after everyone has read what people love about them! It melts my heart every year.
What’s more is that the placemats become a tangible reminder kids can look back on again and again. Valentine’s Day is the perfect excuse to pull these out—but many families love using them for birthdays, back-to-school dinners, or anytime they want to reconnect.
2. Teach Love Through Service
Service is one of the best ways to show love for someone! If you’ve ever wanted a simple list of service ideas for the whole family, the Heart Prints Service Bundle has a great list to get started. These ideas will get kiddos thinking of ways they can serve others inside and outside their homes.
Every time a child does an act of service, no matter how small, they get to color in a heart. There are also nice notes they can cut out and leave for others to find. Try to fill in the whole heart chart together as a family, or print out one for each person and turn it into a friendly competition.
This activity helps children connect love with action, and they can watch their hearts fill up (inside and on the chart!) when they do kind things for others.
3. Make Kindness Sneaky!
If your family loves playfulness, this one is ALWAYS a hit!
The Love Ninja turns service into an exciting, sneaky game. Family members perform a quiet act of kindness—making a bed, leaving a note, helping with a chore—and then place the Love Ninja at the scene of the service. The fun comes when the recipient discovers what was done for them…and then gets the chance to “become the ninja” and serve someone else!
This playful back-and-forth builds a culture of kindness in your home. Kids learn that serving others can be fun, creative, and contagious. Valentine’s Day is the perfect time to introduce the Love Ninja, but many families make it a year-round tradition that keeps love and service alive always!
If you want to see more Valentine’s related resources, you’ll love these posts: