Valentine’s Day this year gives us the perfect excuse to craft, bake, shop local, and above all, celebrate the small love-filled moments at home 💕
I am always “pinning” the latest and greatest kid-friendly crafts on Pinterest but it can be a challenge to find crafts that my kids will do together. It’s a huge bonus if the craft is something that lasts or that the kids can have fun learning while creating – without them knowing of course. With Valentine’s Day this weekend, I put a little extra love into finding purposeful, crafts that my 4, 7, and 10 year old could enjoy together.
If you’re gift-giver on Valentine’s Day or just wanting to spread extra love, check out the local shops I (virtually) explored for local features.
A Night Owl’s DIY Table Runner
This Valentine’s Day runner is a fabulous way to get the kids involved with cutting, gluing, and placement, and I can end up with a cute and festive table setting!
Items needed: paper, foam, or felt and a glue gun (or glue stick if using paper hearts)
Sippy Cup Mom’s edible tic-tac-toe
This tic-tac-toe board is great for kids of all ages especially if your little ones are intrigued by food-related crafts or crave puzzle and games. Be sure to get a kid friendly version of conversation hearts to make for a fun and sneaky way to practice reading!
Items needed: Candy melts/discs (or make your own icing with powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract) food dye, icing bags or ziplocks, graham crackers, and conversation hearts.
Design Improvised Jewel Picture Frame
With the hundreds if not thousands of photos we take on on our phones as parents, this picture frame craft makes for a great keepsake. I love that this craft is so customizable, I can picture how different all three of my kids would be painting and designing theirs, adding their own personal styles. This hot pink/Valentine’s Day one reminds me of Ava!
Items needed: Wood picture frame, paint and paint brushes. Extras: craft glue, stencils, jewels, mini rocks, beads, or feathers
Walgreens, CVS, and Target are all quick, easy, and accessible places to print photos right from your phone! Go to individual websites for more details but most are same day pickup.
Last Minute & Local
Flowers are a staple on February 14th but a bouquet of red roses isn’t the only flower that shows how much you love someone! Check out these links to take you directly to Valentine’s Day flowers right here in Chicago. 💐 Check websites for delivery or shipment information.
- Goldie’s Flower Shop – Buena Park
- Dilly Lilly – Lincoln Park (no same day orders)
- Daffodils – Bucktown
- Linda’s Flowers – Wicker Park
- Sprout – West Town
- City Scents – the Loop
- Flowers For Dreams – West Town – plus they donate to a ton of local charities so your flowers do good as well!
Valentine’s Day and other “mini” holidays, are ideal times to explore local shops for small, but meaningful gifts. Small card and gift shops around Chicago are more abundant than you would think and truly have the best gifts for everyone at every age – cards, games, stickers, calendars, mugs, candies, socks, dishtowels, you name it!
Here are a few to check out for gifts, cards, and treats – any time of year.
- Steel Petal Press – Palmer Square
- Urban General Store – Andersonville and Lincoln Square
- Foursided – East Lakeview
- Paperish Mess – West town
As always, but especially with the year we’ve had, don’t forget to treat yourself. You deserve it!
xoxo, Juliana