My favorite Valentine’s Day gifts aren’t the ones that cost the most, no, they are the little acts of kindness that warm my heart and make me feel loved! Our children should also learn that Valentine’s Day, the day of love, is as much for sharing love and togetherness as it is for receiving.
Even though our little virtual learners are so far apart and the usual cupcakes and Valentine’s card exchanges are put on hold, we still have plenty of opportunities to share acts of kindness in our households and beyond! If you have Valentine’s Day traditions, try to keep them up whenever possible to restore some normalcy and build excitement for the day. If you need some new ideas, we’ve got you covered. Here are some wonderful crafts you can do with your kiddos and some ways to safely share them with their classmates, relatives, and friends to make them feel loved!
Valentine’s Day Acts of Kindness
- Set up a valentine exchange with friends: This first craft idea is a classic with a twist. Rather than buying a set of 20 valentines complete with lollipops, have your little ones hand make valentines to send to their friends and family. They can write something that they love about the other person, something they are excited to do together after the pandemic, or share a memory that makes them happy. Try setting up a valentine exchange group with your child’s classmates or the other kids in your neighborhood and do a contactless delivery or send them via mail! Remember how special it felt (and still feels) to get mail? This is the perfect way to brighten someone’s day!
- Send valentines to seniors and soldiers: Valentine’s Day isn’t cheery for everyone. This year was especially difficult for those in isolation like seniors and for those overseas. Sit down with your child to write thoughtful Valentine’s Day cards that can be sent to seniors or troops overseas to spread kindness worldwide. Even just a small “thank you for your service,” a small doodle, or a fond memory your child had with their grandparents is sure to warm their hearts and make them feel special on this day of love.
- Plan secret surprises with your child: Keep the kindness going by planning small surprises for your child’s siblings or the other parent! Maybe you two will wake up early to make a big breakfast, make heart cookies together, or just make promises to help out and do chores together to make their day easier. In return, have a small surprise planned for your kiddo too!
- Plan a date night: Want your child to feel really special? Or, want to make your spouse feel extra special even if you can’t make dinner reservations together? Plan a date night together from home! Let your child pick your outfit, plan the meal, and make decorations to make the night extra special. You can even end the night with a special movie that you watch together. It’ll be an unforgettable date night!
- Make love-filled donation bags: Encourage your kids to share acts of kindness and love with people they don’t even know. You can create donation bags or boxes to distribute to homeless people on Valentine’s Day or donate to local shelters, both for humans and for animals. This shows that this day is dedicated to kindness, sharing, and love and will even help them to become more empathetic and encourage more giving in their everyday lives.
- Decorate the windows for passersby: If you’ll be spending this Valentine’s Day indoors, you can still share the love (safely) with the outside world! If you live in an area that gets a lot of foot traffic, or if you see your neighbors going on walks with their dogs every day, make them a valentine on your window pane using washable window markers. It’s so fun to let your little ones “make a mess” and color outside the lines knowing that it can easily be cleaned up. It’s also really fun for them to peek out the windows and wave and put a smile on someone’s face when they see their valentine.
- Make a virtual party: Let loose! Have your child make a Valentine’s Day backdrop for a zoom call and set up a time to have a virtual party with their friends. It’s all about building togetherness and showing love’s resilience despite the situation we’re in.
Another way that you can show your child acts of kindness is by clearing your calendar and making time to spend together. You can make crafts, play their favorite games, read a Valentine’s Day story, or make Valentine’s Day themed foods together and share how glad you are to spend time together and how much it means for them to make time for you. Play makes for the greatest teacher, especially when it comes to learning valuable lessons like the importance of kindness and sharing.
Sharing evening the smallest acts of kindness goes a long way, and there has never been a better day or year to share them in creative ways.
Have you made any special Valentine’s Day plans for this year? We’d love to hear them! You can share your ideas with us on Instagram or Facebook for a chance to be featured!