Do you want to teach your children about TRUE love this Valentine's Day? Our tradition is a great way to do that+Free Printable so you can start with your kids.
Holidays

Valentine’s Day Tradition to Show Kids True Love

February 4, 2016 /

Valentine’s Day is one of my favorite holidays as a parent. That might sound strange because Valentine’s Day is usually thought of as a romantic holiday, BUT we started this sweet tradition several years ago.

My daughter was just old enough to start understanding that there was a holiday, and it involved presents and chocolate. I mean, what else does a girl need to know? She was all in.

But I wanted to find just the right way to celebrate Valentine’s Day as a family. When I saw John 3:16 written so the word VALENTINE was created, I knew that was the message I wanted for her, because it is the message I still need written on my heart.

It reminds us to celebrate Christ’s coming everyday and focuses on Godly love, not just romantic love.

But I have all these cute ideas and by the time one holiday is put away, the next one is looming. I had always wanted to be the fun pinteresty mom that makes every holiday special, but frankly, these holidays sneak up on me like ninjas.

Free Valentine's Day printable for your children. Fill their love tank with God's love. Click To Tweet

I’ve learned one trick to manage this holiday, keep everything grouped together and labeled. For Valentine’s Day, I keep everything in a clear project folder that I can just pull out and put up. It’s served me very well for the past nine years now!

Our Valentine’s Day Tradition is easy to do and make it really cute and fun!

Our Valentine’s Day tradition is that we post a handwritten copy of the John 3:16 Valentine’s Day printable (link at the end of post) on her door. Although we use the printable version too now!

Then everyday we add a heart with a character trait we love about her. This is day 1.

Character hearts for a Valentine's Day tradition that will build self-esteem.

I used colored construction paper and just cut out several different sizes and colors of hearts, but you could buy heart shaped wall decor or doilies if you wanted.

We start on the first and go through the 14th, but you can do however many days you want. You could start on the 14th and go through the end of the month as well.

The first few years, we also used this as a way to help her memorize the verse. It was the very first verse she had memorized.

This image is our cute Valentine’s Day Printable version.

Free Valentine's Day John 3:16 Printable with love tank filling traditions to celebrate Valentine's Day with your littles.

What I really love about this tradition is that I spend the month of February reminding my daughter how much I love her. She is so special because she was fearfully and wonderfully made by her creator, who loved her so deeply that he sent his Son to die for her.

Psalm 139:14 ESV  I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.

My daughter has many wonderful traits, but I made a point to choose traits that I really want to encourage in her: her faith, her kindness, her curiosity, her joy, etc.

We read each trait together everyday as we add new hearts/traits to the door, so she gets to remember each one. Then we continue to read them everyday through the end of February.

This tradition will build on the love we show her daily to create a memory of being valued for who she is. We can fill her love tank based on the qualities and gifts God has given her. Hopefully, she will learn her worth is based in her true identity as a child of God.

Valentine’s Day Printable

And establish a good foundation for what true love looks like for the Valentine’s Days her future holds.

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