With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, some of us moms are thinking about the romantic side of the holiday, while there are plenty of mothers who are simply looking to spend some time with their children to celebrate the concept of the holiday. Valentine’s Day is a wonderful time to spread the love around, so why not choose one of these ten great activities specifically created for a mom to enjoy with her kids?
1. Heart Shaped Cookies
Throw together some sugar cookie dough and allow it to chill for an hour or more. Then you and your child can roll out the dough and you can teach him or her how to cut out little heart-shaped cookies. After the cookies are baked, decorate them with swirls of white and pink icing or with sprinkles. This is a wonderful way to make some sweet treats that are perfect to enjoy for the cold holiday.2. Nature Walk
Even during the cold days of February there is plenty to see and hear at the park. Bundle up your kids and take them out to enjoy a wonderful walk in the park. If there is snow on the ground, enjoy a fun snowball fight or simply look at how nature is coping with the cold weather.3. Family Movies
If you would rather enjoy a day in, why not share some movies with the kids? Try to find your favorite movies from when you were a child and share them with your children. This is a great way to enjoy your time indoors if you or one of the kids is feeling under the weather. Pop some popcorn and enjoy some time vegging out in front of the television, guilt-free.4. Paper Heart Cut-Outs
Show your children how to fan-fold a sheet of paper and then draw a heart on one of the end segments. If both of the heart’s edges touch either side of the fold, when the heart is cut out, it will reveal a chain of hearts all strung together. Cut out several of these and hang them up in your child’s room.5. Heart-Shaped Sun Catchers
If everyone is missing the sun in the cold February days, make some sun catchers. Purchase some pink, white, and red tissue paper and cut them into hearts with your children. Show your children how to line the edges with lace and have them write messages on the hearts in black marker. Then have them tape the hearts to a sunny window and watch how they glow.6. Heart-Shaped Pins
Help your children make heart-shaped pins by purchasing little wooden heart cut-outs. After the children have painted the pins and decorated them with rhinestones or glitter, allow them to dry and then hot glue some pin backings to the rear of the cut-out. This is a fantastic way to make some wearable art for this holiday.7. Valentine’s Day Mural
Spread a piece of butcher’s paper on the ground and put out a box of crayons or markers. Then have your children draw pictures of everything that they love. Get down and do some drawing with them as they create a Valentine’s Day mural. Afterward, tape the mural up on the wall as a souvenir of your Valentine’s Day together.8. Valentine’s Day Cards
Ask around at work or at a local retirement home to see if there are some people who would love to receive some fun letters for Valentine’s Day. Holidays are more fun when they are about giving rather than receiving, so sit down and make some Valentine’s Day cards for strangers who could use some cheering up.9. Valentine’s Day Reading
Gather up stories about love and friendship and read them out loud to your child. If you are feeling especially creative, you can make them up yourself. After telling them a few stories, ask them to make up one that they can then tell you. If you like, you can have them illustrate the stories or act them out.10. Car Ride
Make sure that your auto insurance is up to date and take the kids for a drive. Whether you go to a favorite friend’s house or you simply hit the road and drive out to the park or the movies, have them think about the fact that love is a journey, and that there are many ways to love someone. A car ride is also a great way to simply get out of the house without getting into the cold! When Valentine's Day rolls around, don't let your little ones be left in the cold. Take some time to think about what fantastic Mommy and Me dates could delight your whole family!Author Bio: Jessica H. is a car insurance specialist who enjoys weight training, hiking, and jogging in her spare time.
