12 Things to do With Your Kids This Valentine's Day

Starting simple, making cards may sound a little lacklustre but just break out the colouring pencils and felt-tip markers to kickstart the creativity. This activity can be done with children as young as 1 year old but can be modified to suit tweens as well. 

All you need is some paper and some colouring pencils, crayons, markers, or paint. Depending on skill level, introduce glue sticks, scissors and hole punches to make this activity more interesting. 

Valentine Cards can be a lovely way to appreciate your family, or celebrate the day with other community members!

For a little festive decorations, make a couple of paper garlands to decorate your home in preparation for the big day! 

Similarly to cards, this craft activity can be modified to suit different age groups; level one involves a glue stick and nothing else, while older children can use scissors to make more intricate shapes! 

Tear coloured paper into stips, form a ring and glue each end to the other. Loop the second strip into the first ring and form a second ring. Repeat the process to produce a paper ring garland. Use scissors for a cleaner edge and more accuracy, and a stapler for a more secure ring. 

Get creative by cutting out different shapes and stringing them together, or using multiple different colours of paper!

A recent trend on TikTok introduced me to a new craft activity: Candle Painting! This involves painting one large plain candle with the wax of multicoloured little candles with patterns and pictures. Then, you can have super cute candles to use for the rest of the day or save for another occasion. 

You will need multicoloured tea-light candles, one large white candle and some paint brushes. Paint little flowers, hearts, shapes, funky patterns or whatever you fancy!

This activity does involve lighting the candles and being around an open flame, so take care and ensure parental supervision. Do this activity with older children.

Marshmallow pops are a super simple treat to make with kids, all you need is marshmallows, chocolate, your favourite candies and wooden skewers. Use strawberries or a different fruit for a healthier vegetarian option! 

Simply melt your chocolate, dip the marshmallows and use your assortment of candies to decorate them. Chill them in the fridge until the chocolate solidifies, and enjoy! You can dunk them in a warm drink or eat them just as they are.

Be sure to take care with the melted chocolate as it may be hot, and sharp wooden skewer ends.

Elevate your favourite cookie recipe for this special occasion by making them heart shaped! Flatten and shape the cookie dough into a heart by either pinching with your fingers or using a knife. 

Make sure your cookie dough will not spread too much, because then you will lose the heart shape! Check out This Article for tips on how to stop your cookie dough from spreading.  

For an even higher elevation to your favourite cookie let the baked cookies chill and cut out the centre in a smaller heart shape (or just a circle!). Then, fill the centre with melted chocolate, or melted gummy bears. Or simply break out the icing sugar.

You’re gonna wanna grab the wooden skewers again, cause I’ve got another use for them! If you’re not a big fan of the classic Valentine’s treat such as chocolates and candies, you’re gonna love this idea. 

Using a variety of fruits, you can make some Cupid’s Kebabs by putting them on wooden skewers in different patterns. These are awesome on their own, as a treat for breakfast, a snack during the day or a healthy dessert alternative. 

You can also make these Cupid’s Kebabs with accompanying dips: use your imagination and favourite ingredients for a tasty treat. I’m thinking peanut butter, cream cheese, or lemon and yoghurt.

Fully embrace the Valentine’s festivities by making some magical Love Potions! My go-to would be the fizzy, fruity, pink and tart Raspberry Lemonade. Here’s how to make it: 

• Crush raspberries with sugar in a bowl, and move them to a glass. 
• Add raspberry sherbert to the crushed raspberries. 
• Pour over sparkling berry or rose lemonade. 
• Et Voila! You’ve got a delicious Love Potion. 

If you’re not a fan of raspberries, have a quick search online for easy mocktail recipes that you know your kids will like.

Make your kids’ dreams come true with dessert for dinner! Marking Valentine's Day as something special, use some of the recipes above to create a dessert spread for (or for just after) dinner!

You can even brainstorm with your kids about other Valentine’s Day themed food to cook together for a special family dinner. Who needs Fine Dining when you can give yourself a Michelin star at the dinner table? 

Or up the ante with a living room picnic; a blanket on the floor and picky-bits can be a ‘Wow’ moment too.

Another popular TikTok trend has been the Colour Walk. This is when you set out to go on a long walk without knowing exactly where you are going, but choose a colour to follow and set your path. 

This can be fun with all ages of kids; those just learning their colours can feel involved in setting the route, or you can add more exciting elements like collecting colours to fill a worksheet for older kids. 

Bring a sheet of paper and some sticky tape, and you’re on your way! Fully embrace the Valentine’s Day festivities by following the colour pink or red, and counting how many hearts you can find, or simply make your own rules.

My favourite thing to do on Valentine’s Day is watch some of my nostalgic 2000s Romantic Comedies: Julia Roberts, Sandra Bullock and I are going to have a smashing time. 

If you’re like me, you could introduce your kids to some of your favourite Romantic movies. Although they may seem Retro nowadays, they never get old. Wow them with your psychic abilities by ‘guessing’ the lines you’ve memorised or ‘predicting’ the ending, or make a game involving tropes and cliches. 

All ages of kids can enjoy these films, but check out the BBFC’s website to ensure that your favourite film is suitable for your child to comfortably watch.