Grand Valentine Activities

Encouraging your grandchildren to spread the love!

I admit it. I'm a hopeless romantic. I love Valentine's Day--always have, always will. And I love sharing the various traditions with my grandchildren. I'd like to rephrase the lyric to the song--let there be love on earth and let it begin with me. With these activities, hopefully we can encourage our grandchildren to share the love and fun of Valentine's, not just with their friends and classmates, but with their family as well. We all need to be reminded to tell our parents and our siblings how much we love them and what we appreciate about them.

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One year when my grandkids came over for some Valentine crafts and fun, I sent them home with mini-dry erase boards to use with their family. I asked them to set it up in a family area, and encouraged them to write notes on the board to each other--their parents as well as their siblings. The dry-erase boards were simply made from wooden frames with a glass. Perfect dry-erase board. Here, I'll show you:

Encourage your grandkids to set it up in a common family area. And be sure they have dry erase markers.

I tried to match the decor of their home--hence the animal fur motif.

I'm sure it's pretty self-explanatory. You write whom it's "To," mom, dad, sister or brother. Then under the line that says, "I loved it when you," write something you love or appreciate that they did. I had seen a similar framed sentiment, but it said, "I love you because..." and I didn't want my grandchildren to think they were loved just because they DID something. I feel they need to understand that love is unconditional and simply "IS." But of course they can love and appreciate certain behaviors from others. 

And more~

Another way to do this is with sticky notes. This would be fun as well. Simply get together with your grands and make Valentines for family members. Then suggest they stick them on their bedroom door or place them on their pillows. Besides cutting out and making Valentines, supply them with sticky notes and cards to take home. And once again, they can do this in the days preceding Valentine's and make sure they include everyone: mom, dad, siblings. Just another way to encourage communication and writing with a purpose! And it's just FUN! Who wouldn't love to discover a love note on your pillow, bedroom door, or bathroom mirror.

After a day of Valentine making at your house, send them home with a kit so they can send love notes to family members.

Include sticky notes and plenty of stickers--kids love stickers.

Example of love notes on Mom and Dad's door...

What if your grands don't live in town? No problem. Just mail them the mini-dry erase board, and FaceTime with them explaining where to set it up, and how it works. Isn't all our technology simply wonderful. We can still do these things even if our loved ones are out of town.

Special note~

If you do use the mini-dry erase board for your grands, be sure to include NON-TONIC dry erase markers. I checked online and the Crayola brand is non-toxic and washes clean from hands and clothes.

Also a reader suggested just laminating a piece of card stock for the message board. This might be easier for the little guys to write on, and perhaps a cheaper alternative. And please don't think this suggestion is just for older, school-age grandkids. The little guys love delivering love notes too. They can scribble or draw on their sticky notes. I'd say it's especially fun for them.

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone! This winter weather has us all with the blues. Valentine's Day is the perfect day to shed some of those negative thoughts. Have fun!

And please share any ideas of things you've done with your grandchildren......and even your own kids. I love hearing from you!

And finally~ 

You know you don't have to use the mini-dry erase board just during Valentine's. You can use it all year long. And the sticky notes on doors? That can be done on birthdays or other special days. Spread the LOVE!