6 Valentine’s Day Activities for You and Your Children

Your young child undoubtedly views Valentine’s Day with anticipation because of the heart-shaped boxes of candy and cuddly stuffed animals traditionally given as gifts. Make this year’s Valentine’s Day even more special by sharing a story about the original St. Valentine, showing why love and cards are given to those we care about. The best private schools in Orlando in the Diocese of Orlando have compiled a collection of clever activities you and your child can share to honor St. Valentine.

• Write out Valentine’s cards: Father Valentine healed his jailer’s daughter while he was imprisoned. Before he was executed, he wrote a note to his young friend, signing it “Your Valentine.” We have kept this tradition alive by exchanging cards on the St. Valentine’s Day. Write out and decorate a few handmade cards using cardstock, stickers, and crayons or markers, and distribute them to friends, family members, and teachers.
• Create a party: Decorate the living room with paper streamers in red, white, and pink, and buy a bundle of inexpensive, heart-shaped mylar balloons to give to each other. Even better, take a collection of mylar balloons and your homemade cards to a nursing home and distribute them to the patients; they will greatly appreciate the effort you made to make their Valentine’s Day special.
• Places, everyone: Use construction paper to design a Valentine’s place mat for each family member. Glue on hearts, write happy messages, and adorn the edges with paper lace or a ribbon.
• Just desserts: Rice cereal treats are always a hit, and you can jazz yours up with a few drops of red food dye added to the marshmallows and butter as they melt. The creamy pink mixture turns ordinary snacks into sweet wonders of love, especially when you shape the snacks into hearts before they cool using hands coated with a cooking oil spray.
• Show your love: Watching a movie such as Beauty and the Beast or A Charlie Brown Valentine is an entertaining way to bond with your child. Eat one of the Valentine snacks you prepared, or accentuate the movie with its lifelong partner: popcorn.
• “I love you”: Grandparents and friends love hearing these special words spoken over the phone. Call friends and relatives to wish them a happy Valentine’s Day, and have your child participate by expressing his or her love.

Praying for those less fortunate than you is always a great way to celebrate St. Valentine’s Day. Learn what the best private schools in Orlando are planning for Valentine’s Day and volunteer for any special events. Call the Diocese of Orlando at 407-246-4903 for information on holiday activities, and read about the significance parents have on their child’s education in our blogs.