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Door hearts is our favorite Valentine’s Day Tradition. During the month of February we love to shower our kids with this fun and completely free activity. This is a simple activity that challenges us to think of a new encouraging thing to write for each child each day. All it takes is some construction paper and kindness. Door hearts are something any family can do!
Kids can get involved too by making their own hearts and sharing with their siblings and parents too. Encouraging words are the love language of so many, this easy activity is a great way to live out that love. Door hearts do not have to be done every day, don’t let the ‘task’ stress you out. Just make sure to add a loving note when you can. Our kids often saved their favorites over the years!
We’ve recently added some new Valentine’s Day Coloring Pages, Printable Valentine’s Day Cards for classrooms, and more fun Valentine’s Day activities. Children will love our new Bluey themed Valentine’s Day printable cards. Door hearts are one way to cut and paste a fun Valentine’s Day craft, but instant print cards and coloring pages are available too!
Easy Valentine’s Day Tradition
DOOR HEARTS for VALENTINE’S DAY TRADITION
Last year we started a ridiculously easy Valentine’s Day Tradition in our house. We knew it would be a hit, but we didn’t realize how much they would love it. This little Valentine’s treat was not at all my idea, my Pinterest feed was full of posts from awesome bloggers that are far more creative than I.
This craft is super simple. Cut out little paper hearts in festive colors and write something you love about your child on them. Tape one little heart to their door each night of February leading up to Valentine’s Day. We don’t do a lot of fancy, over the top stuff. Door hearts are just so simple and inexpensive. I only wish we had started this sweet Valentine’s day tradition sooner.
Not Crafty? Don’t have the time to cut out hearts? This is not a problem. You can purchase pre-cut hearts for less than $10 on Amazon. 200 pre-cut hearts are enough for a teacher to decorate a room! This is plenty for a family to decorate the door of every family member! Your kids will likely want a few more to make other Valentine’s Day crafts, they won’t go to waste!
FREE Sharkboy and Lavagirl Printable Valentine’s Day Cards <– click here!
Baby Yoda Printable Valentine’s Day Cards <– click here!
Friends (90s sitcom) Printable Valentine’s Day Cards <– click here!
Sonic the Hedgehog Printable Valentine’s Day Cards <– click here!
So starting on February 1st we cut out a bunch of little hearts and put them on their doors, completely unannounced. It was a hit! It was no surprise that the kid that loved it the most was our son. He is one of those kids that will take a lull in a conversation as an opportunity to remind you of something good they did previously simply so he can fill the dead air with praise. He loved checking out the hearts each morning and I would catch him going back to read them multiple times a day. He told everyone he met about the heart thing on his door enthusiastically. Then one day (I think it was the 5th) we forgot. Parent Fail. We did not hear the end of it all day. So from that night on, he would remind us every single night “Don’t forget our hearts Mom!”, sometimes multiple times. OK, always multiple times.
“We won’t Buddy! Go to bed!”
This is a tradition I think we will keep up until they move out. For one, it is crazy easy and not expensive. Two, it is a great affirmation for the kids and it is a great affirmation for us. Sometimes after a long day we forget to be thankful. This was fun for Harry and I to do together. “Hey Babe, can you write their hearts tonight?” “Sure!” Then we would read what we wrote to the one who didn’t do the hearts that night and we both go “Awww.”…… It seriously is the little things!
I love how many people are visiting this fun Valentine’s Tradition idea! Thank you for sharing with your friends! I’d love for you to pin it too! Pin it on Pinterest!
This post is always so popular every February! We know we meet lots of new friends this way and we don’t want to lose you! I hope you will like Highlights Along the Way on Facebook and follow along as we share fun traditions throughout the year. We love to celebrate and highlight this journey called family life. We share our own ideas and some of the best from other mom bloggers and websites around the world.
Parents can easily make these hearts out of plain computer paper. Scrapbooking enthusiasts or lapsed scrapbookers like myself might just have pages and pages of pretty acid free scrap book paper sitting unused. I dig into my stash every year and have not even scratched the surface. Construction paper is an inexpensive option that is easy to find and you might have lying around anyway.
Even if you have to purchase paper, this is so easy and very inexpensive. I know so many parents simply don’t have the time or money for elaborate gestures. This is a minimal effort project with maximum response. Our big kids actually save their hearts year after year. I love that they both have a little stash of love notes from us tucked away in their ‘treasure boxes’. Our littlest is just now starting to read and I am pretty sure her hoarding of hearts is about to start as well. I don’t do too many fun traditions like this, but door hearts is here to stay and I really think everyone should do them!
What is your favorite Valentine’s Day tradition?
Don’t miss our adorable Baby Yoda Valentine’s Printables! They are perfect for last minute Valentine’s Day celebrations!
Until Next Time ~Kate
Categories: Crafts, DIY, Family, Kids
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Kate Hamernik says:
January 24, 2015 at 7:15 am
thank you Aunt Jewel! It is so busy but we try to squeeze some sweet memories in from time to time =)
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Susan Evans says:
January 27, 2015 at 7:51 am
What a beautiful idea to encourage your family members!
Reply
Kate Hamernik says:
January 27, 2015 at 11:08 am
thank you!
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Jamie Greene says:
February 9, 2015 at 8:50 am
I love this!!!
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Kate Hamernik says:
February 9, 2015 at 9:04 am
Thank you Jamie! =)
Reply
Shannon R says:
March 7, 2015 at 11:48 am
What an awesome idea!! And such a great and easy tradition to have. I love it.
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Jenny says:
January 6, 2016 at 5:26 pm
What a sweet and fun idea! And so simple, too. I think I will try it this year. Thanks for sharing!
Lauren says:
January 20, 2016 at 9:52 am
I have totally seen this and I think it is so cute.. we will see if I actually do it
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Lorry Curtis says:
January 25, 2016 at 11:21 am
Going to try it out this year! So exciting!!
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Brittany says:
February 10, 2016 at 9:25 am
Aw that is a super sweet idea. I’m sure any kid would love that.
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Jessica S. says:
January 15, 2018 at 5:31 am
I absolutely love this idea My husband’s birthday is Valentine’s Day, so the 14th is a big deal to our family! My kiddos love little surprised and this would be so special….and easy!!
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Cory says:
April 11, 2018 at 10:48 am
I’ve loved this idea since the first time I read it on your blog. I cut 90 hearts 3 years ago, and still have them in an envelope. 🙁 Someday, I’ll be/do better. My oldest goes to college this fall and I won’t have the next 4 Valentines Days with her. I may just have to send them to her at college :’) Thank you for the idea! ❤️❤️❤️
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Free Thanksgiving printables individual Thankful Tree kit says:
October 25, 2018 at 10:54 pm
[…] classroom Thankful Trees are so much fun, but we have a new idea. As an extension of our “Door Hearts” tradition, we have added “Thankful Doors” to our family traditions. Today we are […]
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July 2, 2019 at 7:57 am
[…] kids adore this tradition that Kate sharedhere. Basically, from February 1st to Valentine’s Day you leave heart-shaped notes on kids doors […]
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February 23, 2020 at 12:27 pm
[…] Valentine's Day Tradition for the Kids | Highlights Along the Way […]
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March 29, 2020 at 8:53 am
[…] Easy Valentine’s Traditions for Kids – Highlights Along the Way […]
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January 24, 2021 at 3:00 pm
[…] simplest and cheapest idea comes from Highlights Along the Way, with an idea using paper hearts. Use paper you have to cut out hearts to stick to your […]
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Free printable Valentine's Day Cards and virtual cards! says:
January 21, 2022 at 8:02 am
[…] Door Hearts Tradition (Not a free card – but a fun and free activity for the holiday!) […]
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