Activity: A Daily Valentine Love Note

Over the last 5 years, I’ve grown more and more into a words of affirmation love language gal, and it’s pretty typical that the love we want to receive is the love we tend to give as well. I love writing little notes in my kids lunches and post-its on my husband’s bathroom mirror. And this little craft is the pinnacle.

A few years ago, I decided I wanted to make the kids (and my new husband) feel really special for Valentine’s Day. But not on Valentine’s Day. I wanted them to feel special the whole month leading up to the day. Think of it as my take on the 12 Days of Christmas (although that technically starts on Christmas and runs until January 6th). Each morning I put one heart on their door frame inside their room so it was one of the first things they saw in the morning. By the 3rd day, they couldn’t wait to see what I was going to write because now they knew it was coming!

This is such a simple project, but it does involve a lot of thought if you want to do it well, so I suggest mulling over each “I love you because” fact for a few days to get you to 14. I might also suggest that if you do have another parent in the home, they could take 7 and you take 7! My husband isn’t the best at expressing himself to the kids, so having these daily visual reminders means a lot to them!

Supplies:

1. Scissors
2. Sharpie or other fine point marker
3. Construction paper (I like red, purple, and pink for variety)
4. A list of all the things you love about someone

My hearts are a mix of serious, funny, and personal thoughts—same with my husband’s. The intention behind it (particularly for my kids) is for them to know that Valentine’s Day is an expression of love, and it has absolutely nothing to do with whether or not someone in your class likes you or has given you flowers or chocolate. My oldest is about to hit middle school, and next year, things like Candygrams and other cute deliveries will become a reality to her. I want her to always know that her worth isn’t determined by things like that, and Valentine’s Day is an excuse to tell everyone you love how you feel about them—mom, brother, grandma, best friend. You name it! There’s a reason we did Valentine’s for our entire class as children. Sharing the love and kindness to many is what the day is about. And while it’s nice to get some flowers or chocolates, it’s more important to feel loved. And that is the point of 2 weeks worth of affirmations that they keep up in their rooms for months.