If babysitters are in short supply this year – try these ideas for celebrating Valentine’s Day with your sweetheart and the kids. It doesn’t take a lot of money or a trip outside your home to make this Valentine’s Day special and loads of fun.

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1. Build a romantic fire. Before the kids go to bed, have fun roasting marshmallows or making s’mores. Then after their lights are out, host your own indoor picnic, complete with a bottle of wine and chocolate-covered strawberries.
2. Re-create your first date together. What were you wearing? Where did you go? Do you remember what you talked about? Spend the evening reminiscing and reflecting on how far you’ve come as a couple. Kids love hearing real-life stories!
3. Say it with music! Make a tape or CD of the songs special to your relationship. Include ‘your song,’ songs from your first date, songs from favorite movies, etc. Then dance with each other and the kids to this sentimental compilation!
4. Have a scavenger hunt. Write a few poems, wrap candy kisses inside and hide them around the house. Each poem should be a clue to finding the next one. Your kids and partner can have fun helping each other find the goodies! Or, you could hide long-stemmed roses around the house, each one a different color.
5. Have fun putting together a special puzzle. Send a photo of you and your partner (or perhaps a photo of a special outing with you two and the kids) to a puzzle company that can put the picture on a puzzle (you can find such services on the Internet). An extra-gushy gesture is to make the puzzle heart-shaped. Then, spend the evening laughing as you put the pieces together!
6. One way to the heart is through the stomach! Obvious? Yes, but so much fun. Get your partner and kids together to prepare a homemade, heart-shaped pizza. Or, if those with a severe sweet tooth are in the majority, then make some heart-shaped Rice Krispies® Treats. For a special variation in honor of Valentine’s Day, prepare the treats as usual but then take a funnel and stuff it with some warm Rice Krispies. Once the treat is in the shape of the funnel, gently pull it out. Repeat until you use up the batch. Next, wrap each one individually in aluminum foil and attached a special little note at the tip of each one. When they are all finished, they looked like giant Hershey’s Kisses.
7. Make a Valentine’s Day scrapbook. Get a binder and some construction paper and create a Valentine’s Day alphabet book with your partner and kids. Begin with ‘A ‘and come up with something special between you two or the whole group for each letter of the alphabet.
8. Balloon fight! Easier cleanup than a food fight, but just as fun. Fill your place with balloons of all shapes and sizes, and then have at it! It might take a few hours to set up (either alone or have fun with the gang setting up together), but it is worth it.
9. Drive-in movie at home. Get a large refrigerator box and everyone can have fun decorating it like a car or truck. Paint it red and then lay it on its side and cut one side out. Make a heart-shaped steering wheel, a license plate that reads ’lovebug,’ cardboard wheels, headlights, etc., and put it in the living room. Then everyone can climb in with popcorn to enjoy a rented movie.
10. Silly time – starring the kids! Rent a karaoke machine and everyone get silly and sing, or ask the kids to put on a puppet or dance show for you two about love and family.
11. Valentine’s Day family fashion show. Get some plain white T-shirts and spend the evening decorating them with crazy Valentine’s symbols or other images. Or make bright and cheery tie-dye T-shirts for the whole family.
12. Landscape with LOVE. Get some sidewalk chalk and have fun with your partner and kids by decorating your driveway or sidewalk for Valentine’s Day. Be sure to include an “I love you” for each person at the party. Love notes are not limited to paper!
13. Hugs and hallmarks. Perhaps your kids would like to make a card or friendly Valentine for your partner. Then they can give the card to your significant other themselves.You two can do your own part after they are asleep!
14. Flower power. Buy flowers and let the kids help you arrange them for your partner. Then everyone can have fun counting the petals as you tear them off and make a big, fun mess. You and your partner can creatively use those petals later that night!
15. Read about love and friendship. Go to the library and get some books about Valentine’s Day and the love that goes with friendship. Then on the big day, everyone can read the books together and say what it is you love about each of the other people in the room.

And remember, including your kids (or your partner’s kids) in your Valentine’s Day celebration is a great way for the children to better know your partner and feel like they are loved and valued, as opposed to being replaced by your love interest.

What’s your favorite way to celebrate Valentine’s Day with the kids? Write us and let us know and you could see your answer in a future story.

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