Make it a family affair

VALENTINE’S Day is a special day to focus on those you love. It’s a perfect opportunity to teach kids about the meaning of love within your own family.

Here’s a list of some fun, creative ways mums and dads can teach their children about love through activities.

Eat with love: Make a Valentine’s dinner together using only foods that are red in colour (before and or after cooking). For example, for starters, make a beetroot salad, red carrot salad, or tomato salad, for main dishes make lobster, steak, or red snapper fish, for dessert make strawberries, raspberry fruit salad, cherry pie or raspberry sorbet. Let the kids help chop, cook and decorate the table.

Family movie date night: After enjoying your special Valentine’s Day family dinner, why not end your night with a family movie such as Beauty and The Beast, Anastasia, Be My Valentine Charlie Brown, Cinderella, High School Musical and more.

Secret Valentine exchange: Try a secret Valentine exchange with small handmade gifts and candy. Ask each family member to pick a name. The gifts must all be Valentine’s Day-themed. This will give you and your children an opportunity to be crafty and creative. Think outside of the box to come up with the perfect gift for your valentine (think baking heart-shaped cookies, red and pink handmade bracelets, Valentine’s Day photo frames, etc). Every member of the family will love having their very own special Valentine.

Sweet treats scavenger hunt: Organise a fun Valentine’s Day scavenger hunt. Provide them with a map or leave clues around the house that lead to yummy valentine’s treats and cards. If you have more than one child, try giving your children different maps for different surprises to keep it interesting, competitive and fun.

Tree of love: Trees aren’t just for Christmas anymore. Pick up an artificial Christmas tree (you should be able to find one on clearance), spray it pink (or buy a white one) and decorate it as a family with handmade valentines, pink and red paper hearts, pink lights and family photos. Creating the “ornaments” of love will ensure an afternoon of fun.

Valentine’s Day is a special time to teach children important lessons about loving and serving others while at the same time creating meaningful family traditions.

Modelling love through shared activities has a profound impact on children and it is so easy to do. Happy Valentine’s Day! – Tribune News Service