What are Some Ideas for Valentine's Day Gifts and Activities for My Kids?

Valentine's Day is traditionally a money-spending, feelings-evoking display of PDA-ing adult couples. But there are plenty of ways for kids to get in on the shopping and emotion, as well. If you're stuck for ideas of what to do with your kids on Valentine's Day beyond giving them a sugar-high, here are some simple activities to get them in the loving spirit.

Make cards for classmates

This is the classic and most common Valentine's Day activity. It's a nice way for your child to express friendship to all his friends and fellow students. It's also a good way to teach your child about the feeling of being excluded. I remember giving a card to every person in my class, including the teacher and the icky boys, because it would be mean to only give valentines to some people and not others.

It was also fun picking which cards should go to which classmates. Your little girl can't send "Please be mine!" to a gross boy.

Valentine's Day treasure hunt

This was a tradition in my house when I was growing up. I have no idea why it happened on Valentine's Day in particular, but my mother always created a treasure hunt for my brother and me on Valentine's Day. She wrote rhyming clues that we had to find based on the clue before. The final clue led us to a big Valentine's Day treasure, which was usually lots of candy and little toys in red wrapping paper.

Here's an example of a rhyming clue:

You're not done yet, so keep on going.

Next, go to the room where Mom does her sewing.

In that room, you'll find a chair.

Who knows what might be under there?

Valentine anagrams

Kids who like word games may enjoy Valentine's Day-themed anagrams. An anagram is an activity in which you find words using the letters of a long word or phrase. For example, from the words Valentine's Day, you can form words such as let, net, say, dent, stale, etc. You can make up your own, but if you're stuck for ideas, here are some suggestions:

• Valentine's Day
• St. Valentine
• Candy Hearts
• Hugs and Kisses
• I Love You
• Be My Valentine
• My Sweetheart

Make a Valentine's Day book

Another fun activity for any holiday is to have your child become a published author. You'll need some supplies for this one. You could either buy a blank journal of some sort for your child to write a story in, or you could have her make it herself, using construction paper, a hole-punch, and some ribbon. Challenge your kids to write and/or illustrate a story with a Valentine's Day theme, either fictional or about his/her own V-Day experiences. It can be typed or hand-written, colored or sketched. And of course crafts like this are perfect for saving and bringing out to show your kid's girlfriend in 10 years.

Make V-Day cookies

Kids love to help Mom and Dad with baking, particularly if the results are full of sugar. This activity could be as simple as buying store-made cookies and a cookie-decorating kit, or you could make your own heart-shaped cookies and give your child icing and sprinkles to decorate Valentine's Day cookies. Either way, the results are perfect for Valentine's Day: spending time with loved ones and consuming mass quantities of sugar.

Make a picture of an animal entirely out of heart cutouts

A simple arts and crafts activity. Challenge your child to make an animal, insect, or fantasy creature only using heart shapes. The hearts can be drawn, making a 2-dimensional picture, or cut out, creating a picture with many layers.

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Make this Valentine's Day special for your children. Spend time on fun activities with them, because you love them. That's the meaning of Valentine's Day.