Valentine’s Day with toddlers can be such a special time. As a child grows up, their perception of love for themselves and others is directly learned from their caregivers and the people around them. While some may say Valentine’s Day is an “over blown commercial holiday” (I mean… they aren’t wrong), young children don’t know that.
Valentine’s Day with toddlers can be a special time to bond, talk about what love means, and introduce elements of self love and self care. That and a day full of crafts, fun, smiles and laughs. Valentine’s Day can be completely re-imagined when you have a child / children and there are so many fun and delightful ways to spend the day together.
Here’s a list of different activities to do to make a Valentine’s Day with toddlers fun and meaningful
What do I do with my toddler on Valentine’s Day? Turn off your phone, take the afternoon off and spend quality time together
- Pack a picnic basket, go to their favorite park to play and have lunch. I can’t help it, I’m a sucker for this heart shaped picnic basket.
- Have a beach day if you live in a warm area. Don’t forget the beach toys and adorable heart shaped sunglasses.
- Book a mini staycation at a kid friendly hotel
- Have a family movie night with your toddler’s favorite snacks and a kid friendly charcuterie board
- Do a Valentine’s Day photo shoot – either professionally or with a Polaroid camera – let your toddler take the pictures and watch them develop!
- Go on a Valentine Scavenger Hunt to find red and pink things
- Turn off your cell phone/social media and play your toddler’s favorite game
- See a movie and splurge for the popcorn and candy (or bring your toddler’s favorite snacks for the movie)
- Have a chocolate / cheese fondue dinner
- Gather all of your biggest blankets and build the ultimate fort to hang out in, read, watch their favorite shows, snack in, etc.
- Be a tourist in your own city – take a city tour bus and show your toddler the town
- Dress up in fancy clothes and go to a fancy restaurant, or your toddler’s favorite restaurant
- This is simple but can be very surprising: Ask them what makes them the happiest, and do that.
- If your kiddo likes to read, gather up all your Valentine’s Day books and have a read-a-thon.
- Spend some time playing Valentine’s Day bingo!
What can I do for my toddler on Valentine’s Day? Tell your toddler how special they are to you.
- Write your toddler a short letter or poem telling them all the things you love about them.
- Help your toddler write a short poem or letter to a family member or close friend.
- Messages-in-a-mason-jar: A few weeks before Valentine’s Day jot down things you love about your toddler and put them into a mason jar and read the notes outloud to them
- Write a Valentine’s Day letter together, seal, and save for next year
- Help your toddler write out 20 things they love about themselves (model this behavior by writing out things you love about YOURSELF as well)
What can I make with my toddler on Valentine’s Day? Here’s a list of arts and crafts for preschoolers
- Help your toddler with a craft to surprise another family member
- Make simple Valentine’s Day cards and deliver them to other kids in the neighborhood
- Make Valentine’s Day bird feeders and take note of the local birds that by
- These adorable pipe cleaner rings are perfect for little fingers and adult fingers too
- Set up a Valentine’s Day sensory bin, light table activities or indoor sandbox
- For the science loving toddler, try this fizzing heart art activity using simple ingredients like vinegar, food coloring, and baking soda or this erupting hearts experiment
- Make melted crayon hearts together (either for your toddler to keep or give away)
- This unique color changing paper plate craft is fun to make and even more fun to spin
- Valentine’s Day Self-Love ribbon craft
- Oh finally! I found a use for my salad spinner: Toddler Valentine Easy Spin-Art Hearts
- Hang this stained glass heart craft up in a window for big smiles beyond Valentine’s Day
- Make Shrinky Dink Plastic Valentine’s Day pins or jewelry
Valentine’s day gifts for toddlers ideas: In addition to spending time together, making decorated heart crafts above, here are some Valentine basket ideas for toddlers.
- Heart Shaped Spill-Proof Water Bottle [Related: 41 simple ways to increase water intake for parents and toddlers]
- Montessori self care entry way: One of the key principles in Montessori is teaching children how to take care of themselves. This wooden entry way is a perfect addition to any toddler room.
- Little Renegades Mindfulness Cards: I love these mindfulness cards. They are so beautifully illustrated and promote calmness and emotional awareness. [Related: Mindfulness Books for Toddlers]
- Travel Folding Brushes for Kids: Great addition to a Montessori self care station and compact enough for travel bags, purses or backpacks.
- Manhattan Toy 34-piece emotions set: This emotions gift set is like a modern day version of Mr. Potato Head, except more advanced and purposeful.
- Flower Garden Building Toy set: If you are a fan of flowers on Valentine’s Day, this flower building kit is great for encouraging fine motor skills.
- Wooden Heart Blocks: These Wooden Heart Blocks from Grimm’s are a an open-ended toy that could be a puzzle, a stacking set, decor, materials for sensory box and so much more.
- In My Heart: A Book About Feelings: We have this book and it’s delightful! The drawings eye-catching and it explores so many different relatable emotions
- I am Enough Book: This book helps young children understand that they are unique and enough. It helps build positivity and self-confidence within themselves
- Love Makes a Family Book: I love this book because it talks how love exists in all different types of families no matter how the family is structured.
- Unique magic music wand: This unique little heart shaped instrument is hand crafted and makes the sweetest chime sound.
This post was all about ways to make a Valentine’s Day with toddlers fun and meaningful
Remember that anything you do to show your toddler on Valentine’s Day is enough. At this age, anything is fun. From making decorated heart crafts to taking a day off from the Zoom meetings to spend some quality time together, use the opportunity to cherish the moment and cuddle your little love because they won’t always be so little. Ok, yeah I’m “that mom” who says things like that but I believe it!
What are some things you’ll be doing together on Valentine’s Day? Do you have any special traditions or crafts you’ve been doing or want to start?