During this season of hearts and chocolates, here’s a fun way to spread some Valentine cheer among your kids—while encouraging a bit of writing along the way!
Make a Valentine Mailbox!
One year, just before Valentine’s Day, my daughter found plain mailbox-shaped tins in the dollar bin at Target, which her children decorated with stickers and paint pens.
Unfortunately, by the time she decided Mom and Dad needed mailboxes too, Target had run out. So instead, they decorated Chinese take-out containers, available at most party supply stores—and a great alternative to the tins! (Any small box or can will work.)
Share the Love
Those little grandkids are now teenagers and young adults, but for years, their family mailboxes sat on a small table, along with a stack of paper squares and a few pencils. From February 1st through Valentine’s Day, everyone had fun writing little notes to each other and hiding them in the mailboxes.
If you can find tin mailboxes, they have an especially fun feature: you can raise the flag to announce that there’s mail waiting inside!
Get Creative
Everyone can get into the act. And the fun doesn’t have to stop at plain white notes! Try some of these ideas:
- Set out a supply of inexpensive valentine cards—either store-bought ones or printable cards with themes like Star Wars, LEGO, or flowers.
- Make your own cards using a fun valentine craft kit.
- Add stickers to notes and envelopes.
- Include colored pens, crayons, or fine-tip markers in a pencil cup.
- Invite grandparents or others to write notes too (I sneaked some in during a short visit today).
- From time to time, hide a treat in the mailbox: fruit snacks, a chocolate heart, a quarter, or a trinket such as scented Sweetheart Smencils.
More Resources & Links
Will you make Valentine mailboxes? If not, what special things do you do to encourage sibling love at Valentine’s Day?