Hey Families! One of the most polarizing holidays of the year is upon us… Valentines Day! We can be real here: no matter your relationship status, Valentines Day can be a drag…
It might feel like an obligation, a capitalist nightmare, or just an unwelcome reminder of old traditions that don’t make sense for your lifestyle anymore. But with your little valentines alongside you this year, you can throw some glitter & glue on this “holiday” to make it sparkle with love and joy again!
Three At Home Valentines Traditions to Start with Your Kiddos This Year:
Valentines Breakfast
Who doesn’t love the smell of breakfast coming from their kitchen in the morning? This is a great tradition if you have a significant other that tends to sleep through anything…. because you & your kids can surprise them in the morning! A classic two birds with one stone situation: making a surprise breakfast can be a fun activity for the kids as well as a sweet valentines gift for your partner. One of my most fold memories from childhood is when my dad woke us kids up at the crack of dawn to make blueberry muffins for my mom to bring to her in bed. The best part of this tradition is there are plenty of short cuts for busy mornings! Of course, you don’t have to wake up at 5am to surprise anyone with baked goods from scratch (but you can if thats your jam…) having the whole family bake together in the morning is a great option as well!
Remember: its really the thought that counts. So you can keep things as simple as you'd like!
Have your little one help mix up some instant pancakes instead! There are tons of affordable and healthy options that you can just mix with milk or water (and of course blueberries or chocolate chips!)
Even just cutting up some fresh fruit with bacon is a wonderful treat to start the day off with (have you ever made bacon in the oven? Its LIFE CHANGING, and so easy— just pop it in and take it out, no splatter!)
Heart Shaped Pizza
Heart shaped pizzas are an oldie, but an oh so goodie. This tradition is great for little ones that love to get their hands dirty before lunch or dinner! Up your chef game with an apron or two, and you’re making happy valentines memories with your littles :)
Making dough from scratch is certainly the most economical choice, but if you just can’t be bothered with letting it rise for an hour, you can buy pre-made pizza dough in stores like Trader Joes or Whole Foods for a decent price! A flour-free & mess-less option would be to buy a pre-made pizza crust and use a heart shaped cookie cutter to make mini-heart pizzas. You can also blend up carrots and spinach into the sauce to sneak some extra veggies in for your kids ( shhh!)
Letting your kids do something hands on in the kitchen is a sure fire way to give them a sense of productivity and independence! Even if all they really do is put on their own toppings :)
Valentines Pajamas
My family always got Christmas Eve pajamas, but a VALENTINES SET is a great way to spend your at home holiday in style this year. Pajamas are a super fun and super practical gift. Kids live for their pajamas and spicing up the day with a fresh outfit (even one thats meant for sleeping) is a great way to keep fresh in these stale times. If everyone wants in on the PJ fun, there are tons of options for matching family sets at different price points!
Check some of these matching pajama sets out:
Getting blank T-shits for everyone and a hand full of fabric markers is a great way to turn this gift giving tradition into an activity for everyone. If your kids are a little bit older, you could even make some at home tie dye shirts (though I'd recommend starting that process the night before!) And the least messy (but equally as fun) solution to home-made valentines pajama shirts would be to pick out some iron on patches to decorate your shirts with! Just be careful with that iron :)
Any combination of these three Valentine's Day traditions with your kids will do wonders to help them feel connected to you and keep your at home Valentine's Day sweet (and spicy!) Let us know which ones work best for your family, if any!
Remember its not about the money or time that you spend on this silly holiday but the thoughtfulness and love that you share with your kids everyday!
Happy Valentine's Day!
Miss Sophie
Babies @ MAFS