Jill Morgenstern
14
SWEET IDEAS FOR VALENTINE’S DAY
Since many children are missing out on usual traditions, why not make Valentine’s Day extra fun this year? Here are 14 ideas to help make this a memorable Valentine’s Day!
3. Decorate in Hearts
1. Make a Valentine’s Day Charcuterie Board
Put clues around the house and let your kids search high and low for a surprise sweet treat.
While a simple cheese plate used to suffice, today the charcuterie board is all the rage. Technically a charcuterie board means a board of prepared meats, but these days anything goes! Cut cheeses or salami into heart shapes to make a beautiful food presentation.
2. Send Valentines Sites such as Blue Mountain Cards, American Greetings or Punchbowl allow people to email fun cards for free. For a small fee, the TouchNote app lets users send postcards with a photo. They do the printing and mailing and your valentine receives a special postcard. Alternatively, go the old-fashioned route. Children love picking out their own stamps and mailing valentines. (Hint: They also like receiving them!) Depending on your child’s age, address the envelopes for them or use it as an opportunity to teach the finer points of letter writing.
22 • SanDiegofamily.com • February 2021
Heart-shaped balloons or pink and red heart cut-outs create a festive atmosphere at home.
4. Create a Valentine’s Day Scavenger Hunt
5. Have a Valentine’s Day Photo Shoot Cut a heart out of construction paper (as a prop), dress the kids in red and have a photo shoot! Be sure to share your photos with long-distance relatives who miss your family.
6. Surprise Your Kids with Love Notes Leave Post-It Notes of love and encouragement for your kids on the fridge, bathroom mirror and other key spots around the house. For extra fun, use pink notes or design them in the shape of a heart.
Read “21 Ways to Say I Love You to Tweens and Teens”: www.sandiegofamily.com/ parenting/teen/21-ways-to-tellyour-tweenteen-i-love-you.
7. Put Up a Valentine’s Day Tree Haven’t taken down that Christmas tree yet? Don’t despair! Switch the decor to hearts and other festive ornaments! It may become a new family tradition.
8. Break a Heart-Shaped Piñata Who doesn’t love breaking open a piñata full of treats? Heart-shaped piñatas are available online if you can’t find one locally.
9. Play Tic-Tac-Toe The x’s and o’s in tic-tac-toe make it a natural choice for Valentine’s Day fun! Winner gets the number of kisses and hugs on the board.
10. Bake to Your Heart’s Content This may be obvious, but pink frosted cupcakes or sugar cookies with heart sprinkles are a big hit.
