What to Get My Kids for Valentines Day?

I started making pizza sized chocolate chip cookies for my kids when they were 4, 6 and 10. Now that they are grown they still look forward to pizza sized cookies decortated with icing, and m&m's.

We had fun traditions with my girls since 8 years ago!!

When they were little they loved Balloons, color books, and educations toys like puzzles, books, crafts. We always made home made cookies, dipped strawberries and more.

I love to make fun meals for my girls. I made hearts shaped pancakes for their breakfast with fresh strawberries. I had heart chicken nuggusts (two nuggests together like a heart) or heart shaped sandwiches for the lunch. I sometime ordered Papa John Pizza as they have heart shaped Pizza.. Whole Market have heart shaped pasta. You make pasta, too. Everything is hearts.

Now the girls loves cookies from Cookies by Designs or dipped chocolate with strawberries, and gift cards from Justice, Barnes and Noble bookstore, and Claire's.

Enjoy it!!

I always get my kids a card (even when they were little, they loved to look at it and play with it), usually a small stuffed animal, some candy, and other small toys. Coloring books, play jewelry, heart shaped glasses, etc. Look at walmart or target for cheap ideas.
I think valentines day is a wonderful holiday to remind everyone around you just how much they mean to you =) my girls are almost 4 and 6 and we made valentines cards for their grandparents, aunts, uncles, and their daddy of course!
Saturday and Sunday we will also do some fun valentines crafts and make heart shaped sugar cookies!

My answer is pretty boring now that I have read it, but here it is :)

My parents did just candy for us when we were kids and we were happy with that. My husband and I have continued that with our kids (10 yr old girl, 6 yr old boy) and they are happy with it, too. This year we're not limiting the candy to Valentine candy, no reason just to get out of the "routine" of the holiday. We asked the kids what their favorite candy is. One said Tootsie Rolls and the other said Riesens. They truly ask for these all year, but only get a few pieces at a time from a bag we all share from. This year they will get a personal bag of their favorite even though it won' be in a holiday themed bag. We also like to have a special family dinner or breakfast at home, depending on the day of the week Valentine's falls on. The restaurants are usually packed any way.

We don't do "big" gifts for Valentine's. I get so tired of the jewelry and other commercials that say if you *reeeeeally* love him/her then you'll buy diamonds or you'll buy from a certain store, a certain brand teddy bear, pajamas, an expensive weekend getaway, dinner at the most expensive restaurants, you know the ones. You can do these things *any* day of the year. Each year my husband asks me what I would like? I ask for whatever type of candy I like that year. No card, no cut flowers, no jewelry. I traditionally ask for and receive rose bushes for Mother's Day. We explain to the kids that we tell each other "I love you" every day, we go out to eat now and again, we save up and buy things during year if we decide to, and we have Easter, Christmas, birthdays and Halloween for the "big" stuff, so we don't need another holiday for spending money on expensive gifts to say it.

We've explained that if you only celebrate your "love" on one particular day and the "bigness" and price of the present is what you measure the other person's love for you by then *you* don't love *them*.

Hope this helps.

Updated

My link wouldn't let me edit my previous answer. My other post made me sound like a grouch :)

I forgot to write that the we do make cards for each other. Also, the kids do get to pick out their own card kits and exchange store-bought Valentines and candy at school. I do buy large bags of candy and make Valentine's for the teachers, administration office, the librarians, the counselors, the cafeteria ladies and the custodians as well since they know which kids are mine by name and take such great care of my kids. It's usually just a few miniature candies each, but it really is the thought that counts and they are normally looked over by most parents. Not out of thoughtlessness, but simply because it gets so *expensive* to buy for everybody. This I spent $8 on a 300-count bag of lollipops, but everyone will get a few.

I know this is Caitlyin's question, but after reading the other responses I think I may start getting them "little somethings", after all. I used to get them little stuffed animals, but they have a ton of those now. :) The crafts listed look like fun. I have lots of old crayons and some silicone baking sheets with hearts and other shapes. We're gonna make some of those tonight and maybe some other things which I already have the supplies for.

I think my kids may be missing out on some fun stuff just because I'm trying to stress expressing you're love every day. Thanks for helping me while helping C.. Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!

Valentine's pajamas and chocolate covered strawberries at our house.

mine always enjoyed helping to make cookies or cupcakes that they could eat later.

I know when my kids were that age they were fascinated by balloons! Well, they are 6 and almost 4 and STILL love balloons! They have some really cute Vday mylar balloons at the party stores. =0)

You may think a box of candy is boring, to you. But, to a 2 1/2 year old, they will be happy receiving it. They don't really realize at this age what holidays really are. What is wrong with making it a tradition that they get a box of chocolates for Valentine's? Why does every holiday gift have to be something grand? Believe me, I am not scolding you for thinking this (which is the impression I am getting from your post), because I am right there getting caught up in the hype of holidays and want to make every gift for my son the most memorable, fabulous gift he has ever gotten in his life. But, I have to remind myself that it is the small things that count.

If you are looking to make a tradition out of it, have them make cards for their dad. Do something like a handprint in them to show how their hands grow through the years. Make it the little things from the heart that count.

i have two 5 year olds so we are taking them to a special dinner date, all dressed up, hubby and i and the girls. since mine are girls i got them beautiful dresses and a heart shaped purse (each). my husband said he got us all something likely chocolate. and a card from each of us. my kids love valentine's day. i love valentine's day and i want to teach them it's a special day when everyone should go out of their way to express love. everyday is a lovefest for us, valentine's is a special day.

Make crayon shapes. If you have broken crayons, get a candy mold of hearts or whatever shape, and melt crayons. I just saw this here,
http://www.skiptomylou.org/2010/02/12/crayon-heart-pencil...

Try tipjunkie.com too, they always have great ideas for all holidays.

Kids don't know any better. You could get a bag of M&Ms for my kids, and they'd think it was the best gift ever.

Last year for our kids (then 2.5 and 11 months), we got them $5 lunch boxes from WalMart (his had Cars on it, hers had Littlest Pet Shop) and got a $5 toy to go in. For our son, it was a Cars car, for our daughter it was a beanie baby-type toy. They still play with them a year later.

Honestly, at their age, the sentiment is more on our end that we want to do something perfect and show them how much we love them. Even if you make a family tradition that you continue year after year (going to McDonalds to get ice cream cones, etc), it's the memory and being able to spend time with them that is i the greatest gift in the long run.

Give it a rest for a while. If you feel you have to give them something, maybe a video. They have no concept of the holiday at this age. Save yourself some money for a while!

Growing up we didn't get anything for Valentine's day. I do get my son a little something, but we don't make a big deal out of it. I think a box of chocolates or a small stuff animal would be fine. Personally I think Valentine's day is a holiday more for couples than children and at 2 they won't know the difference anyway. I didn't start getting my son anything until he was in kindergarten.

My hubby and I don't celebrate V-day and we don't get our son anything for it either. We believe expressing our love in a daily basis is more important than cards and candy on V-day. We believe its a Hallmark holiday and nothing more.

http://www.ohdeedoh.com/ohdeedoh/how-to/valentine-heart-h...

http://sassypiggy.blogspot.com/2009/02/happy-valentines-d...

bake cookies, make cards using stickers.

My kids are 2.5 and 5.5 months and we're not getting them anything specific this year. My parents always got us presents for pretty much every holiday so when they get alittle older, I'll probably do the same.

I did have my daughter create a Valentine's Day card for my hubby and we will all have dinner together on that day. When they get older, I'd like to do something special like let the kids get dressed up and go out - even if it's for ice cream like a poster said or to go to the movies.

While I do agree it's a Hallmark holiday, I do not mind spending a little bit of money and time to reassure the man/children/friends that I love and care about them! And who doesn't like chocolate/flowers/etc? I also think it's a nice way to show my kids' daycare providers how much we appreciate them!

We always gave our daughter a card and a small heart shaped box of chocolates. Every once in a while on Valentines, I would find a cute Disney Video or whatever she was into video.. She loved them and could tell you which ones were Valentines gifts, years later.