When I was in school, I most looked forward to the Valentine’s Day party. We got to make bags, pass out Valentines to our friends and there was always lots of candy. At least for me, there was more candy at Valentines Day than at Halloween. Or at least that’s how I remember it. Not wanting to spoil some of the fun of Valentine’s Day, here are a few ideas to celebrate!
Making Valentines
Yep. My kids get all gluey, and glittery and make Valentines. But for who you might ask? They make for each other and for some elderly patients in a nursing home.
When they make Valentine cards for each other, they make sure to write one encouraging sentence (with my help of course) for each of their siblings. But more importantly, having your kids make Valentine’s for others can really be an exercise in community service. If you’ve never made special cards for your local nursing home. . .I consider it a must. They are thrilled to get my kids’ glitter and glue laden creations. (Just be careful and make sure that you’re not giving patients candy when they’re not supposed to have it. Ask the nurses and they’ll be more than happy to help you.)
Making Cookies
I still say that baking is a highly educational activity. Fractions, measuring. . .it’s all there in the simple cookie recipe. We deliver our cookies with our Valentines and save some for ourselves as well.
The History of Valentine’s Day
The history channel (of course) has an excellent page on the history of Valentine’s Day. Please be forewarned and look at the website first before you share it with your children. Overall, I found the site to be very well done and interesting, but you may find something in there that you’d rather your children not see depending on their ages.
And Don’t Forget Our Own Valentine’s Blogs on Families.com:
Decadent Valentine’s Day Bar Cookies
Mint Chocolate Treats for Valentine’s Day
Valentine’s Day is Coming Soon