Valentine’s Day isn’t a holiday that’s limited to just couples. It’s a day to celebrate everyone you love! I put together a list of kid-friendly ways to celebrate the holiday in 2026:
Attend a Local Event
(Note: I live in Bucks County, so most of the kid Valentine’s Day activities I have listed here are in the Bucks County area or a short drive.)
Philly Mini Golf with LOVE at Franklin Square
When: February 1 – February 28; Thursdays to Sundays from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. (Plus February 16)
Where: 200 N. 6th Street, Philadelphia
Enjoy Philly-themed mini golf with special Valentine’s Day decorations and red and pink lights. Adults are $15, kids are $12. There’s also two playgrounds, food and a carousel! If you go at night, you can catch the Electrical Spectacle Light Show that runs every 30 minutes from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Daddy-Daughter Date Night at Chick-fil-A Oxford Valley
When: Tuesday, February 3 from 5:30 to 6:15 and 6:45 to 7:30 p.m.
Where: 2424 E. Lincoln Highway, Langhorne (by Sesame Place)
A reservations only event at Chick-fil-A! There will be table side ordering and service, festive photo booth, a visit from the Cow, and other surprises. No charge for admission, but you must purchase your food and drink. RSVP required.
DIY Kids Workshop at Home Depot
When: Saturday, February 7 from 9 a.m. to noon (go early though!)
Where: Participating Home Depot locations
Free in-person workshop where kids will make a Penguin Valentine Mailbox. Register and go early!
Kids Valentine’s Cookie Decorating Party at Uno Pizzeria
When: waiting on 2026 details
Where: 801 Neshaminy Mall, Bensalem
Kids eat free with the purchase of each adult entree. Reservations are required. Includes cookie decorating!
“Picture Perfect” Valentine Party at The Playgarden
When: Thursday, February 12 from 9:30 a.m. to noon
Where: 251 Perkiomen Ave. (rear entrance), Schwenksville
A special open play session in this indoor playspace for children 6 and under. Each child will enjoy a professional photo shoot and receive one photo of their choice. Also includes open play, a frame that they can decorate, snack and juice. $28 per child. Reserve tickets HERE.
Valentine’s Day Party with Elmo at Playpad
When: Thursday, February 12 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Where: 860 Town Center Drive, Langhorne
Make a Valentine’s Day craft, meet Elmo for play and pictures (6:15-6:45 pm), decorate cupcakes, and visit the tattoo station. Pizza and juice/water, snack and dessert included. $40 per child, $35 sibling, $5 adults. Reserve your spot HERE.
Valentine’s Sweetheart Ball at Romp n’ Roll Willow Grove
When: Thursday, February 12 from 4:30 – 5:30 p.m. and 6 – 7 p.m., February 13 from 9:30 – 10:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. to noon.
Where: 2856 W. Moreland Road, Willow Grove
Crafts, moon bounce fun, themed activities and a bubble dance party! $30 per child for non-members, $25 for members. Sign up HERE.
Valentine’s Party with Elsa at Princeton Playspace
When: Friday, February 13 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Where: 745 Alexander Road, Princeton
$45 ticket includes open play and Valentine’s Day craft, pizza and drinks for the children, meet and take photos with Elsa, plus singing and dancing, storytime, and makeover with Elsa. Tickets must be purchased in advance.
Animal Valentines Campfire at Churchville Nature Center
When: Friday, February 13 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Where: 501 Churchville Lane, Churchville
Learn about different animal relationships in nature! Join for a night hike on the trails followed by toasted marshmallows around the campfire. Admission is free for CNC members, $5 for non members. Registration is required.
“Small Living Things: The Magical Art of Eric Carle” at Michener Art Museum
When: Saturday, February 14 opening date
Where: 138 S. Pine Street, Doylestown
Come see 86 of the famous author’s original illustrations of animals and insects up close.
Elmwood Park Zoo Winterfest Weekend
When: Saturday and Sunday, February 14 and 15 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Where: 1661 Harding Boulevard, Norristown
Embrace the chilly weather and your love of animals with winter-themed entertainment and fun activities – including a 2-foot ice slide! There will also be animal ambassadors, live music, and fire pits for s’mores.
Funzilla Valentine’s Day Party with Ms. Rachel
When: Sunday, February 15 from 9 a.m. to noon
Where: 500 Lincoln Highway, Fairless Hills
Little ones will enjoy a Ms. Rachel experience with sing-along songs, storytime, games, parachute fun, snacks and glitter tattoos. Tickets must be pre-purchased and all attendees must be ticket holders. $25 for children, $10 adults.
Valentine’s Day Event at My Size City Quakertown
When: Waiting for 2026 details.
Where: 240 S. West End Boulevard, Quakertown
Kids can play in a city just their size, decorate Valentines for Seniors in the community, enjoy a bounce house/ball pit (ages 7 and under), and go for a “Love Bug” scavenger hunt to receive a prize. There will also be snacks and treats and Valentine’s punch. Tickets are $20 per child and $5 per adult. Reserve your spot HERE.
Love Bug Bash Family Valentine’s Celebration at Chatter Splatter
When: Waiting on 2026 details.
Where: 537 Foundry Road, Eagleville
Enjoy open play, crafts, cards and tattoos. Decorate mini clay pot “love bugs.” Make fingerprint Valentine’s Day cards. Plus a visit from Miraculous Ladybug and Stitch from 5:30 to 6. Snacks, desserts and drinks provided. (Feel free to bring dinner.) $25 per child, $10 per adult. (20% discount for Members and Daycare.) Purchase tickets HERE.
“I Only Have Fries For You” Family Day at Painting with a Twist Bensalem
When: Saturday, February 14 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Where: 2337 Street Road, Bensalem
Paint a cute Valentine’s inspired image of fries! BYO snacks and non-alcoholic beverages. $29 per canvas. Ages 5 and up. Book HERE. There are a number of other Valentine’s Day events happening during February, too!
Kids/Parents Night Out Events
Parents’ Night Out at My Gym Yardley
When: Friday, February 13 from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Where: 734 Stony Hill Road, Yardley
Drop the kids off for 3 hours of My Gym Fun including games, pizza, juice boxes and play! $69 per child. 15% off for 2 children, 25% off for 3 children. Ages 3 and up. (Must be potty trained.) Save your spot HERE.
Kids Night Out at We Rock the Spectrum
When: Friday, February 14 from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Where: 12357 Academy Road, Philadelphia
A fun night out for kids with crafts, face painting, playtime and some pampering! Includes pizza, juice and a special Valentine’s day treat. $30 per child. Call 215-904-6280 to register.
Additional Ideas
Make a Special Breakfast
Make heart-shaped pancakes or waffles, drink pink strawberry milk instead of regular, or use a cookie cutter to make heart-shaped toast. We have a waffle maker similar to THIS ONE that makes 5 mini heart waffles, and we love it.
If you need a few more ideas, try these recipes from Pinterest:
Valentine’s Day Funfetti Pancakes with Vanilla Yogurt Sauce
How to Make Heart Shaped Bacon
Easy Heart Shaped Cinnamon Rolls
Have a Hot Chocolate Date
Hot chocolate is always a winter favorite. Make a point to sit down with your kids and sip a mug in honor of Valentine’s Day. For a festive touch, get pink marshmallows or add some sprinkles.
You could also order or make Hot Cocoa Bombs!
Go Out to Lunch
If you’re able to, taking your little ones on a lunch date can be a fun way to celebrate the holiday, and restaurants are typically less crowded. We’ve spent many Valentine’s Day lunches at Nifty Fifty’s sharing a Reese’s Cup milkshake!
Plan a Movie Night
When you think of Valentine’s Day movies, you probably think of rom-coms that kids might not appreciate. But there are actually lots of cute movies that carry the theme of love but are still family-friendly. Consider Lady in the Tramp, Shrek, Beauty & the Beast, Gnomeo & Juliet, or Enchanted. Mix some Valentine’s-Day colored M&Ms in your bowl of popcorn for a sweet and salty snack that’s perfect for the occasion. Or try this recipe for Valentine’s Day Muddy Buddies.
Bake a Special Treat Together
A lot of kids love to help in the kitchen! Instead of just giving your kids candy, make a special treat together. They’ll love knowing that they helped make the dessert the family will enjoy that night.
I’ll try to add more recipes to the blog soon, but for now:
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles
And here are a few recipe ideas from Pinterest:
White Chocolate Valentine Fudge
Red Velvet Cupcakes with Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
And if you’d rather let the pros do the actual baking, try a decorating kit.
Try calling your favorite local bakery to see if they offer kits.
Spa/Party Bath
My kids love bathtime and they get excited any time I add something different to make it special. Valentine’s Day is a great opportunity to throw in a few easy extras. Dollar Tree has Valentine’s Day-themed bath sponges. We love the Crayola bath paint (try Target Dollar Spot for the best price). You can even put in a bit of red food coloring to turn the water pink. (It’ll be so diluted that it won’t stain skin or tub.) Or throw in a few pink or red glow sticks and turn out the light!
Valentine’s Day Mani-Pedis
Sure, you can take your little one out for a pro paint job, but it can be just as fun to do them at home! Let her pick out the color (the sparkly the better) and give her a little pampering.
Make Cards or Another Craft
This is an activity that you might want to get a head start on before the holiday, so you can decorate your home, get them in the mail or make some deliveries! (But really, there’s no expiration date on telling people you love them!) Help your kids make cards for grandparents, teachers, or anyone else special in their life. One of my favorite go-to crafts for the kids is to get small wrapped canvases and create holiday themed paintings that we then hang up during the season. A few years ago, I got heart and “LOVE” bath sponges from Dollar Tree that were great for this. After they used the sponges to paint, they took them in the bathtub.
Here are a few ideas from Pinterest:
Fingerprint Heart Valentine’s Day Tree
Valentine’s Day Heart Shaped Animals
Printable Valentine’s Day Cards to Color
Read a Love-Themed Book Together
I get my kids new books for just about every occasion. They have tons of books in their rooms, but I usually have a little basket in addition to their bookcase that I switch out seasonally. By getting them each a new book for each holiday, we have a great little collection. There are cute books out there about Valentine’s Day, but you could also just get a book focused on love – especially love between a parent and child!
Here are a few suggestions:
Happy Valentine’s Day, Little Critter
Little People Valentine’s Day Is Here
And if you’re looking for an activity book, we love these Sticker Doodle books. (They’re GREAT if you’re going to a restaurant or somewhere that you need to keeps the kids busy, quiet and contained!)
Eat a Special Kid-Friendly Dinner
There are plenty of options for this! Let the kids pick their favorite foods. Make dinner together, and have them think of foods that are red to go with the theme. Or, use heart-shaped cookie cutters whenever possible! I do this with toast, cheese, apples, and more. A set like THIS one is great because it has a variety of sizes.
Pick up (or make) pizza dough and shape it into a heart. Or, let the pros do it and see if your favorite local spot offers heart pizzas for Valentine’s Day. Piccolo Trattoria, Angelo’s in Doylestown and Southampton, Faraco’s in Quakertown, Guissepe’s in Richboro, Nico’s in New Britain, Parma John’s in Souderton, and Vincenzo’s in Bensalem are just a few that have done it in the past.
Aldi usually has heart-shaped pizza, pasta and cookie cakes!
Have a Dance Party
Make a special playlist of silly songs about love and let loose!
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