Yes, I’ll admit it, Valentine’s Day is my favorite holiday! From the hearts, to the colors, to all the cheesy one liners! I love it all.

To me, the importance of this holiday comes not only from the fact that I get to shower my favorite people with an extra dose of love but, that I also get to teach my preschoolers how important it is to love and recognize others around us.

Here are some ideas on how to make your Valentine’s Day extra special for you and your children:

• Wake them up with a heart love fest.

Write affirmations in heart shaped sticky notes and leave them around their bedroom. Tell them how much you love them and what they mean to you and others in their life.

2. Enjoy a yummy Valentine’s day breakfast.

Need I say more? Here are some great ideas to get inspired:

• Heart shaped eggs from Mommyhatescooking
• Valentine’s Day Pancakes from Country Living
• Bacon Hearts from TheSpruceEats.com
• Valentine’s Day Fruit Kabobs from SimpleandSeasonal.com

3. The lunch box of love.

Use a heart shaped cookie cutter to make a heart sandwich and watermelon hearts. Add a Valentine’s day themed napkin, a sweet love note and a red or pink treat like these amazing cookies from Alicia’s Delicias (our favorite!). They’ll be the ones giving you hugs and kisses when you pick them up after school. 

4. Share the love.

Take some time in the afternoon to call close family members and tell them how much they mean to you. Little ones can also make fun Valentine’s Day crafts as gifts for the next time you see them. Some of my favorite ones are:

• Cardboard Roll Heart Stamp from Housing a Forest
• I Love You to Pieces from I Can Teach My Child
• Valentine Butterfly Treats from Craftymorning.com

5. Heart shaped pizza dinner.

Who doesn’t love pizza night? Just roll out a pizza crust, cut it into a heart shape, add tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese, stick it in the oven and voila, an easy Valentine’s day dinner! You can add as little or as many toppings as you and your kids enjoy. 

6. Get extra bedtime cuddles.

Have them pick their favorite Valentine’s Day book and have a “cuddle party” after you’re done reading. Maybe play some music too, my kids love the Canticos bilingual songs, Amor and the I Love my Mommy Song / Te quiero mamá which are perfect for preschoolers and easy to find on YouTube. There is nothing like some tickles, kisses and laughter to end your day on a high note!