Happy Valentine’s Day! If you haven’t gotten your kids a valentine yet, don’t worry! Help is right here! Here are a few ideas for easy, inexpensive ways to say “I love you.”

Preschool:

• Take a picnic to the park. Play the “I love you more” game. Say, “I love you more than all the leaves on that tree.” Your child takes a turn, maybe by saying, “I love you more than all the clouds in the sky.” Go back and forth as long as you can think of things to say.
• Make valentines for each other out of red construction paper and doilies, or whatever supplies you have on hand. Coffee filters work well for this also!
• Make up “I love you” songs to the tune of “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star,” or any tune they’re familiar with.

Elementary:

• Bake heart-shaped cookies, either with your children, or as a surprise for them.
• Make a heart in their breakfast toast and fill it with red sprinkles or cinnamon and sugar.
• Write a note to your child telling him or her the many things you love about them. Leave it on their plate at supper or on their pillow to read at bedtime.

Teens:

• Surprise your teen with balloons or a bouquet of flowers. Attach a note telling them how proud you are of the person they’re growing into and that you’re blessed to be their parent.
• Bake them a pazookie (pizza-sized cookie). It’s easy with a heart-shaped cake pan and a tub of their favorite store-bought cookie dough. Short on time? Just give them the tub of dough and a spoon. They’ll be thrilled!
• Make them some valentine eggs–just like Easter eggs, only all red and pink. They’ll get a laugh at the offbeat gift and I bet they’ll even take a picture to post on Facebook.

All ages:

• Buy them an age appropriate Bible so they can read God’s love letter to them. Tell them how loved they are by God and by you.
• Do one of their chores for them without laying a guilt trip on them. They’ll be pleasantly surprised and glad they don’t have to do it.

What if they don’t respond to your gift as enthusiastically as you hoped? That’s okay. They still got the message that you cared enough to do something special just for them. And chances are, they’ll remember it for years to come. No matter what, don’t ever stop saying “I love you” in crazy, creative ways!