Valentine’s Day is quickly approaching so it’s about time to start thinking about what to do.  When I was younger, I would have been excited about a romantic night out.  But now that we have kids, staging a romantic night out takes a little more effort.  We need to secure a sitter (on a high-demand night) and then figure out something we can do in that short amount of freedom (or pay a sitter a ton in addition to a dinner out.)  Then after executing all of that, we need to get dressed, get out and try to not be tired.  The past few years, my husband and I have come up with a simple Valentine’s ideas to celebrate being sweethearts. 

We love to celebrate at home with the adorable kids we made together.  It is an all day affair of simple gestures or details.  That sounds like a lot of work, but it really isn’t.  I find it is cheaper and easier for us to stay in that night since we can get a nice dinner out ANY day of the year when we aren’t competing for sitters and table reservations.

We start the day with a cute themed breakfast.  In our house, we make heart-shaped pancakes, which are usually blobs that kind of resemble a heart.  If you aren’t terribly handy with cooking, something as simple as some fresh berries and a dollop of whipped cream makes for a sweet treat.  If you are in a crunch and not creative, grab some cheap holiday plates and napkins to make your typical breakfast feel more festive.  

Usually, we try to play as much as possible on our simple Valentine’s Day.  When it falls on a school day, that makes effort a little easier on the parents of school-aged children.  But if your children are too young for school or are home-schooled (like us), aim to wear them out.  By dinner time we are ready to relax with a sparkling juice (and a sparkling “mommy” juice) toast.  We splurge on take-out and get something we love to eat.  By bedtime, my kids are usually ready for bed and we try to get in some adult time without the kids. 

Celebrate this year with a simple Valentine’s Day!

If you find yourself in a position where getting out of the house seems impossible this Valentine’s Day, here are a few simple Valentine’s ideas you can do to celebrate at home with your kids.

• Get some great take-out, drinks and enjoy a dinner at home as a family.  Grab a take and bake heart shaped pizza or get some of your favorite sushi.  Add some flowers and a tablecloth or maybe some candles if you have older kids and it’ll make for a great meal.

• Have a dance party.  We love our streaming music and it’s a fun way to get all the wiggles out.  If you are feeling extra cute, dress up a little for it. 

• Brave a kid-friendly night out.  There are so many options now with kid-friendly locations.  We always try to make an earlier dinner before the rush, so there is less wait time and we aren’t all cranky when we finally get a table.  Here are some fantastic kid-friendly patio ideas if the weather continues to be nice.

• Send your kids on a scavenger hunt.  It can be indoors or outdoors if weather permits.  Each new hint can have a small treat or reward for the kids.  I like to leave little love notes along the hunt for my boys.

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  Create your own drive in movie.  The kids can be in their pajamas for it and it makes for an easy bedtime at the end of the night.  Don’t have toy cars?  Make some with Amazon boxes.  You know you have those sitting around the house. 

• Host a Valentine’s themed play-date. If you have children who are home all day, help wear them out with a small Valentine’s themed play-date with friends.  All big-box stores have cheap and easy crafts for kids.  If you are unable to get out for craft supplies, make a heart shaped collage from family photos.

Whatever you choose to do as a family, we always love to end our simple Valentine’s Day calling family and making loving connections with people we can’t always visit.  Plan some Facetime with a grandparent or an aunt or uncle to end your night and spread the LOVE.