A few years ago when my son was little, I started a tradition with my kids for Valentine’s Day and the days leading up to it. I started the 14 Days of Love! I found it online or in a parenting magazine I am sure. However, I really do not remember where at this point. It has changed a little over the years but my kids love it more and more each year.
I do not know about you, but winter seems so gloomy and dark. By February, I am ready for something cheerful to brighten everyone’s days. This is why I started the 14 Days of Love. February 1st will dawn bright and early and will bring something special for each child to make them smile. That day starts 14 days of reasons I love them! Each child will have a heart on their door with a reason or something I love about that child. It could be I love playing cars with them, knitting with them, their bright blue eyes, the goofy smile they have when they know it is taco night, etc. I will have either already placed it on their doors or, last year, I found large felt envelopes that I tied on their chairs at the table and placed the hearts in there.
What is fun is that each year they get so excited because, let’s be honest, they forgot from the year before until they see the first ones come. Then, every morning after that, they rush to see what is the new heart. It is a great way to also throw in any sight words or vocabulary you may need to study without them knowing it (hehe). I will make a new heart for each child every day till the 14th. 
After the holiday is over, we will take them all down and I hole punch them into a book. Each child then gets to keep that year’s hearts to read whenever they feel like it. They are on each of their bookcases and they do get them out from time to time.
This is a simple way to show love and have fun with it. You could buy premade hearts from local craft stores or cut them out of any kind of paper you like. One year I did pre-cut hearts, one year scrap book paper, one year just red hearts I cut out. It does not have to be fancy or anything. What you write on the heart is way more important than what it looks like for this valentines fun with kids.
Now, before you think I leave my hubby out – I do not. His ‘I love you’ is a little different. Two years ago I made a picture frame I bought at the dollar store into a dry erase board and it hangs on our bathroom door. I simply took the frame, cut a pretty piece of solid scrapbook paper to fit inside. Then on the paper, I wrote “I Love You Because:” After the paper has the words, you slip it in the frame and can use a dry erase marker to fill in the blank. We take turns writing something in the blank throughout the 14 days of love in our house.
It was simple to make and allows us to share special little things with each other. We do not have to hunt for paper, cards, etc. It is right there for us to use. We actually enjoyed it so much, I leave it up year-round. We may go weeks without writing anything on it, but then some days you will get a surprise message.
I hope these ideas may spark a try of 14 Days of Love at your house this Valentine’s holiday season.
