10 simple Valentine's Day activities and crafts

CREATIVE CRAFTS

1. Homemade Valentine's Day cards

Materials needed:

• Sheets of cardstock or paper
• Coloured pencils
• Stickers and other decorative items
• Glue

Invite your kids to make personalized cards for their grandparents, friends, teachers or family members. For a ready-made version, go with our love letter to print out and fill in! 

If you like, you can also make a mailbox where everyone can drop love notes for the other members of the family.

2. Paper heart garland

Materials needed:

• Paper (in Valentine's Day colours, of course!)
• Scissors
• Glue or stapler
• String or ribbon

Instructions:

1. Cut out hearts of different sizes.
2. Glue or staple them onto a string.
3. Decorate them with drawings, stickers and love messages.
4. Hang your creation up around the house!

3. Love jars (to give as gifts!)

Materials needed:

• Mason jar or clear container
• Coloured paper
• Ribbons, stickers
• Treats or little messages

Choose one of these two options:

Treat version: Simply fill the jar with the favourite candies of the person who will receive the love jar, and of course take the time to decorate it! 

Love message version: Write “52 reasons why I love you” on little slips of paper (one for each week of the year), fold the papers and add them to the jar. A wonderful way to add a little sweetness to a loved one's everyday life!

4. Personalized love bookmarks

Materials needed:

• Thick cardstock or construction paper
• Scissors
• Hole punch
• Ribbon or yarn
• Pencils, markers, stickers
• Laminator or clear contact paper (optional)

Instructions:

1. Cut rectangles out of the cardstock (about 5 cm x 15 cm).
2. Decorate with drawings of hearts, love messages and/or stickers.
3. Punch a hole at the top of the bookmark.
4. Thread a ribbon or yarn through the hole and tie a knot.
5. If you have the necessary equipment, laminate your creation to make it more durable.

Feel free to add a sweet little note so you can give it as a gift!

5. Hanging heart mobile

Materials needed:

• Metal hanger or two wooden sticks placed in a cross
• String or thread
• Coloured cardstock
• Scissors
• Decorations

Instructions:

1. Cut out hearts of different sizes.
2. Decorate the hearts on both sides.
3. Tie the hearts to strings of different lengths.
4. Hang the strings from the hanger or the wooden sticks.
5. Hang your creation wherever you like.

COOKING ACTIVITIES

6. Heart-shaped cookies to decorate

What you'll need:

• Basic cookie dough (homemade or store-bought)
• Heart-shaped cookie cutter
• Icing (red, pink, white)
• Edible decorations (edible glitter, candies, sugar pearls)

Instructions:

1. Prepare the cookie dough.
2. Cut out the heart shapes.
3. Bake the cookies.
4. Decorate the cooled cookies!

7. Heart-shaped fruit skewers

Ingredients:

• Strawberries
• Red or green grapes
• Pieces of watermelon
• Cheese cut into cubes
• Wooden skewers

Instructions:

1. Cut the strawberries into heart shapes (remove the top and cut in half vertically).
2. Thread the fruit onto the skewers, alternating colours.
3. Serve with a yogurt or chocolate dip.

8. “Magic” pink hot chocolate

Ingredients:

• Milk
• White chocolate
• Pink food colouring (or a few drops of beet juice for a natural version!)
• Marshmallows
• Whipped cream
• Edible glitter

Instructions:

1. Heat the milk.
2. Add the white chocolate and stir.
3. Add the colouring to get a pink colour.
4. Pour into mugs.
5. Top generously with marshmallows and whipped cream.
6. Sprinkle with edible glitter.

Best enjoyed slowly with the family in front of a movie or a board game!

FUN AND SPECIAL ACTIVITIES

9. Love treasure hunt

Preparation: Set up a treasure hunt around the house where each clue leads to the next, with love messages at every stop.

Examples of clues:

• “Go where we keep our clean clothes” (closet) → message: “I love you because you help me fold the laundry.”
• “Go where we make good meals” (kitchen) → message: “I really like it when you cook with me.”
  

Ideally, plan a final treasure, whether it's a small chocolate gift, a special snack or a special activity.

10. “Love and friendship” movie night

The activity: Host a family movie night with a film about love, friendship or family.

Preparation:

• Set out blankets and cushions, and dim the lights.
• Make popcorn or a special snack.
• Serve the pink hot chocolate from activity #8.
• If you like, everyone can dress up in red or pink!

Happy Valentine's Day! ❤️