So why do we celebrate Valentine’s Day again? (Believe it nor not, my husband frequently asks this.) This got me thinking…and thinking harder…and honestly, all I could remember off-hand was something about it pertaining to 
St. Valentine. Well, I wasn’t too far off. For those of you who have a curious child, you can tell them that a guy from Rome, named Valentinus, was in jail for performing weddings for fellow inmates who were forbidden to marry. He also healed the daughter of his jailer, and before his death (which was on Feb. 14), he wrote a letter to this inmate’s daughter, and signed it, “Your Valentine” as a farewell. Valentinus was later martyred as a saint. So that’s where the name of the holiday came from.
As for the historical reasoning why we celebrate Valentine’s Day, we go back to the eighteenth century in the era of Geoffery Chaucer, when the tradition of courtly love flourished. Chaucer, being a poet, wrote a poem about the tradition of courtly love with the celebration of St. Valentine’s feast day–an association that didn’t exist until after his poem received widespread attention. His poem refers to February 
14 as the day birds (and humans) come together to find a mate. Soon afterwards, Feb. 14 evolved into an occasion in which others expressed their love for each other by presenting flowers, offering candy, and sending greeting cards (known as “valentines“). Valentines were given to each other as a romantic symbol and an invitation to unlock the giver’s heart (“the key to my heart” sound familiar?). They were also given to children, in order to ward off any ailments or diseases. The heart shape gradually became associated with Valentines day, in reference to the cupid, and moved on throughout Europe, and the rest of the world. Now, each country celebrates Valentine’s Day in various ways, and some even on different days. Pretty interesting stuff, huh?
Now onto the activities!
Do you have a writer in your family-or want to work on your child’s handwriting skills in a fun way? Here are a few ideas about Valentine Writing centers. These are new approaches to working on handwriting skills, other than just having your child write their name, and their friends’ names on the valentines cards. Why not try making your own homemade valentine creations for family members? (these are an all-time winner for anyone!) Rachelle Doorley provides us with 30 Valentines Day projects ranging from cards, decorations, treats, and more!
Be sure to check out this “all-in-one” valentine card. Decorate it anyway you’d like, according to your child’s ability!
I will also highlight the part from The Iowa Farmer’s Wife about the Valentine’s sensory bin which has great learning benefits to it, such as sorting and matching, identifying different shades of colors, in addition, working on the fine motor skills. Fun and work at the same time, can’t beat that! You can create a similar sensory bin with rice, and “hide” various objects in it too. (caution: this could get messy!)
Does your little one like to help out in the kitchen? The two of you can try out your culinary artistry with these cute food ideas (There’s also a couple of cute treats for adults too!). I really like the variety of different foods used for these Valentine-themed creations, instead of them all being just sugary junk food snacks. Daycares and preschools will appreciate this too! Don’t be afraid to use some of the recipes for an inspiration, and alter the recipe for some of your child’s favorite foods. Similarly, for a few of these, you can also adapt the recipe to your child’s special diet, if your little one has a food allergy (check out the heart shaped: eggs, potatoes, and melon kabobs; the Marshmallow Love Bug, and Strawberry Ladybugs-you can use melted dairy-free chocolate chunks if it’s a dairy allergy.)
For the not-so-crafty…
Don’t have much time to get creative, nor have all of the supplies needed for it? You can check with your local library and see if they’re doing any group themed activities for kids. Why not try painting your own pottery, where you can go to just paint an everlasting gift, and they do the rest for you. Some other ideas are to watch a Valentine-themed movie together as a family, or, at dinner beforehand, go around the table and have everyone share a few reasons they love each member of the family. You can also have these in prewritten notes made before dinner time, if your child is a little bashful about saying it aloud themselves. Above all, don’t forget to have fun during this time, and feel free to simply play some games. You’ll LOVE the time spent with your little one no matter what you choose to do for Valentines Day, and likewise, your child will feel the same! Happy Valentines Day!
