I love LOVE and for me Valentine’s has always represented another opportunity to celebrate the love around us – be it romantic, family, neighborly, or Godly love. It doesn’t need to be February to do these activities I’m outlining below, nor do they need to be in a particular order. Pick one or do them all, and celebrate love every day!
Send a letter through Operation Gratitude. I’ve been doing this since I was a teacher and this simple act of kindness is a great way to spread love to Military and First Responders. Follow the link above for specific details on how to participate. My guess is that you have everything you need right now to do this!
Facetime a friend. Whether you send a video message through the Marco Polo App or set up a time to Facetime someone far away, this year more than ever we are spending time apart from people we love.
Donate gently used toys or household items through Give Back Box. Re-use a corrugated cardboard box from your recent online shopping delivery and fill it with items that need a second life! We’re going to be doing this for gently used toys and the girls will be a part of selecting them and packing up as we talk about giving to those in need. This is a safe, free, and convenient way to do so! Visit their website to learn more and get started.
Encourage them to write a Valentine to their sibling, or a special family member. Talk through what special qualities they love about this person and get to work decorating something festive! Amy Ranier is hosting a Zoom class on this very topic, of writing meaningful Valentines. You can sign up here or download a handy printable for under $5 with tips and tricks for facilitating this on your own.
Send some snail mail! In a world of texting and instant gratification, I’m on a mission to help my girls appreciate the art of the letter! What better time to do so than Valentines!
Pick a Bible verse or quotes about love to memorize. This Southern Living article has a great round up of Bible verses about love, some more for Mom and Dad to meditate on, but some great options for kids too. And here’s a Good Housekeeping group of 75 quotes. Get creative! Write it in their lunch box note or draw it on the bathroom mirror with dry erase markers! We’ll be memorizing, “Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue, but with actions and truth.” John 3:18
Start a gratitude journal. This can be one of their very own, or one for the family, or both! We have one for the family and write in it periodically throughout the year. You could use any journal you have on hand, or here is a pretty linen one for $10.
Make, or eat, a sweet treat together! Whatever you have time for they’ll surely appreciate. Whether you make something from scratch, get some break-and-bake cookie dough in your Shipt delivery, or pick up some festive cupcakes from your local bakery, enjoy the sweet treat together with your littlest love and they’ll be tickled pink!
Donate to your local foodbank. You can search by zip code here at Feeding America. This is an opportunity to talk about how we love our neighbors, and further open the door to explain what it means to experience food insecurity and hunger in an age appropriate way. Visit Feeding America’s resource site here for a video to watch with your littles, as well as reading the children’s book they recommend, Lulu and the Hunger Monster which “explores LuLu and her family’s struggled to fight an invisible hunger monster after experiencing unexpected financial hardship.” You can even watch the trailer for the book, here.
Read a Valentine’s book with your littlest Valentines! There are so many good ones to choose from, this is easily something you could do every day! What a great opportunity to fill your library with books that represent diversity and show love in many forms. Pick books that represent their interests, or some that show love around the world! No matter what you pick to read, what matters most to them is that they’re spending time with you.
Paint Kindness Rocks and leave them around the neighborhood. We even do this with shells to add a little Florida flair. By no means do you need a fancy kit to do so, but in case it makes life a little easier, here is one we’ve used before.
Write messages about love on your sidewalk. Get out the sidewalk chalk and do this wherever neighbors are likely to see it! If you don’t have a sidewalk, or one where this is feasible, consider making signs to place in your window! Little messages of encouragement and loves notes for others to see. Talk about how much a simple message of kindness can mean the world to others.
Practice self-love with daily affirmations. We can’t pour out of an empty cup – an important lesson to learn as young as possible. While this is a big conversation with many facets, one simple way to practice self-love at any age is through daily affirmations. “I like myself!” “My brain is powerful!” “I can get better and better everyday” Thebump.com rounded up easy but important messages to our self here and I’m sure there are some personal and meaningful ones you could come up with on your own and here is a book with one affirmation per day.
Throw a party! Okay, not quite, but now is a great time to learn about and support The Birthday Party Project, a non-profit that brings joy to children experiencing homelessness through the happiness of a birthday celebration! Perhaps now more than ever, these sweet kids needs to feel our love so The Birthday Party Project has adapted with Birthday in a Bag to ensure that even in extraordinary times, those in need can still experience the joy of their very own birthday celebration! While you’re on Amazon or Oriental Trading picking up Valentines goodies, let you little help you pick items from the organizations wish list! Learn more about supporting The Birthday Party Project here.
