One of my favorite things about being a mom is getting to experience things through my kids’ eyes. Everything is new again; Ella and Jack are so easily surprised and I love it! I’m always trying to come up with traditions and different ways to make things special for them. Since it’s February, my sights have been set on Valentine’s Day.
I was thinking about how to make Valentine’s Day more memorable for them and how to make this time a season of love rather than just one day. Last month, I talked about eliminating the chaos in our home and now I want to replace that chaos with peace and love. I thought I could make an activity to make this a reality for my kids and after a few days of brainstorming, I came up with a Love Note Tree.
First, on a slightly warmer day, I had the kids collect sticks from our backyard.
This was great because it got the kids more involved and Jack could more actively participate (where he probably wouldn’t be able to later on in the project).
We put the branches in the vase and then forgot about them for a while– except for when Matthew would bump into them (forgetting about the sticks is not a required to-do for this diy).
Then we had our weekly family night and I cut out hearts and we all took turns sharing different ways we can show love for each other.
It was great hearing Ella’s sincere answers and watching her carefully punch the holes into the hearts. Then I tied each heart to one of the branches in the vase.
This was fun and simple but so meaningful. More than I even thought it would be because I got a window into how Ella sees and expresses love. We’ve also been able to reference back to the tree if the kids are having a tough moment, reminding them of how we’ve committed to love each other. So if you’re looking for ways to extend the spirit of Valentine’s Day or simply make special memories and traditions, try this easy DIY! You don’t need a lot of materials or any intimidating craft tools. Just love.
xo
eb