One of my favorite things about being a mom is getting to celebrate all the holidays, creating new family traditions and making magical memories. I love seeing my girl’s faces light up when they wake up and walk downstairs to find a little present and some decorations. They know that a fun family-filled day is in store! I typically will put together a little basket full of goodies for the girls. The sizes vary from holiday to holiday and I usually include practical stuff, as well as something that will entertain them! It’s such a fun tradition that we have and we love getting to play Cupid and deliver Valentines baskets for the kids.

I wanted to share a few different options for Valentines baskets that you can put together to create a fun little present! You can completely customize this to your budget and your child’s interests. Some years I go all out and do a big Valentines basket full of goodies and others I will just get them a book, a pair of pajamas, and a low-sugar lollipop and tie it together with a pretty bow!

Valentines Baskets I Love

This year I purchased these stackable and foldable crates from Cotton On. I liked the color selection and that I can fold them when I don’t really need them. They are cute for Valentine’s Day, but I wouldn’t purchase again due to them being kind of flimsy.

I usually reuse the baskets every year for Christmas, Valentine’s and Easter, so it is typically a one time purchase. I also use them throughout the house when they aren’t needed for holidays so it’s a win-win!

Here are the baskets I typically use from Target! They have various sizes so you can really customize to what you need!

Valentines Day Pajamas

One thing I always include is a new pair of pajamas! I feel like my girls are always outgrowing them, so this is a great way to sneak in a practical gift! They love their themed, matching pajamas! So it’s a win for everyone! Here are some really cute options for both boys and girls!

You can shop the post here!

Valentine’s Day Books

Pick one of our Valentine’s Day books from our 20 Books to Celebrate Valentine’s Day post HERE and add them to your basket! There is a variety of books depending on age or interest!

Valentines Basket Fillers

I added a few additional items for the girls based on what they needed and what interests they have right now! They are both obsessed with socks so I found some at Old Navy, but also am adding in some new underwear for Makena! We love these ones from Nordstrom!

You can also add anything from magnetic play scenes and playdough to flashcards and puzzles! It’s really up to you! You can see some additional items below that would be inexpensive, cute and fun for kids! But remember, you don’t have to go crazy!

Put everything in the basket! Add a little crinkle paper on the bottom and you are good to go!! Such a fun surprise for your kids to wake up to!

Here are my finished valentines baskets for my kids! Please excuse the poor lighting. I had to take photos once they were asleep so they couldn’t peak! Mom life!

I’m also going to make some delicious Valentine’s day pancakes using this recipe!

Hope you are all having a great week!!

xoxoxo

Kari

p.s. by purchasing form the links above we do make a small commission! Thank you !

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20 Books to Celebrate Valentine’s Day//Book Descriptions and Links

1. Mirabel’s Missing Valentines by Janet Lawler // When I saw the illustrations in this book I knew it was coming home with me! I am such a sucker for cute illustrations! This book is a super sweet story about a timid mouse, Maribel, who loses her valentines cards causing her to panic! She ends up stepping outside her comfort zone and brightening the days of those who find them! It’s a super sweet book!
2. In My Heart by Jo Witek // This is such a great book to build emotional intelligence in kids! We love this book so much and my daughter has memorized so much of it! Each page has a different emotion, ranging from happy and brave to sad or silly. It helps children understand how they feel and what emotions they deal with! Plus the little cut-out heart is so cute!
3. Celebrating Kisses by Amy Gibson // Love the bold graphics in this book and the sweet message that a kiss (love) can travel anywhere! It takes you all around the United States and is just a sweet book to read to celebrate Valentine’s Day!
4. Wherever you Go by Pat Zietlow Miller // I actually received this book as a gift at my baby shower and the story is so cute. It’s a book about the possibilities and adventures that are out there in the world. But the message is that the road will always lead you home again, like a parent’s love! I can’t help but get teary-eyed thinking of when the girls grow up and embark on their own adventures!
5. Love by Matt de la Pena // I recommend this book for a slightly older child. I read it with my 3.5 year old and it was a great conversation starter for us to talk about some different topics. The book is about finding love all around you, no matter who you are and what you look like. It also talks about understanding that sometimes loved ones can do wrong and that sometimes it’s hard to see the love in the world. You are probably thinking that’s a little dark right? But I think it is important to show that love isn’t always flowers and perfection, but that it is real and we can still choose to love in different situations. It’s also a super diverse book showing different racial, ethnic, gender, religious, and socioeconomic diversity.
6. Llama Llama, I Love You by Anna Dewdney // This is the perfect book for little ones. It’s short, sweet and has the ever lovable character, Llama Llama! //
7. Bunny Roo, I Love You by Melissa Marr // Love this book! It’s about a mom who reassures her baby and young children that they will always love them and keep them safe! It’s a classic, heart-warming family favorite in our house!
8. Love, Mama by Jeanette Bradley // This is a great board book for little ones! It’s about a mama and her baby penguin and her endless love for her child! It stretches across the wide ocean, through day and night and even when she and her child are apart! It’s short and sweet!
9. Tiny T. Rex and the Perfect Valentine by Jonathan Stutzman // Another cute board book for kids ages 2-4! It follows Tiny T. Rex and his friend as they try to make the perfect valentines! It’s a great story to teach children about overcoming obstacles and perseverance! It also has the cutest artwork!
10. Love Can Come in Many Ways by Terry Pierce // This book is an interactive lift the flap book all about how different creatures all over the world snuggle, love and reaffirm their family bonds. My daughters love animals and lift the flap books so it’s a fun book to add to our collection!
11. The Day it Rained Hearts by Felicia Bond // Such a sweet story about a little girl who collects hearts that rained down from the sky and turns them into Valentines for her friends. It is short and sweet, but a great book to read and then do a craft after! Here’s a fun craft to do after reading this book!
12. I Am Enough by Grace Byers // I love this book for many reasons! Valentines is a great day for both romantic love and friendship love, but it’s also super important to practice self-love! This book helps youth with positive self image while teaching them how to embrace people who are different.
13. Plant a Kiss by Amy Krouse Rosenthal // This book is short and sweet but my daughters love to point out things and shout out the words!
14. Sealed with a Kiss by Beth Ferry // My daughter spotted this book when we were at Target and asked to read it while in the cart! She loved the images so I decided to bring it home. It ended up being the cutest little story that made her laugh so much!
15. The Invisible String by Patrice Karst // Okay this book is a bit of a tearjerker! It’s about love, but it is also a great tool for helping kids understand numerous concepts including separation anxiety, loss, and grief. I read it with my daughter when she kept asking me if I would die one day and it was such a great tool to talk to her about our everlasting love! Basically, a mother tells her kids that they are connected by an invisible string and she answers with ” An Invisible String made of love. Even though you can’t see it with your eyes, you can feel it deep in your heart, and know that you are always connected to the ones you love” Are you crying?
16. Happy Love Day, Daniel Tiger by Becky Friedman // Who doesn’t love Daniel Tiger? It sure is a favorite in our house! This is another super sweet book that is interactive with lift the flaps! Follow Daniel Tiger and his friends around the Neighborhood of Make Believe to see them shower each other with love!
17. This is Not a Valentine by Carter Higgins // Love this book! It’s a book for those who don’t love the mushiness of Valentine’s Day. It’s not about the glitter or heart shaped cards, but rather the little ways people show they care! Cuuuuute!!
18. The Love Letter by Anika Aldamuy Denise // Obsessed!! We love this book! Filled with the cutest illustrations and an adorable message, it follows three best friends, Hedgehog, Bunny, and Squirrel who each find a letter and the chain of events that transpire after! It is a heartwarming story about friendship!
19. Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch by Eileen Spinelli // Great book to teach empathy to kids and also the importance of reaching out to people who might be lonely or overlooked. I love the transformation that takes place in lonely Mr. Hatch and the lesson that being a part of a community can make a difference!
20. Lola Dutch, I Love You So Much by Kenneth Wright // We love Lola Dutch books and this one does not disappoint! The ever lovable Lola Dutch knows that when it comes to showing friendship and appreciation, there’s no such thing as too much. She’s over the top in the best possible way!

Read Along With Us Using the Hashtag #readwithSG

We want to challenge you to follow along with us and complete this reading list challenge! Download the PDF below, (20 Books to Celebrate Valentine’s Day) share your progress and tag us in the hashtag, #readwithSG. You don’t have to purchase all of the books if you don’t want. Rent them from a library, share with a friend, or see if there is an audio version on Spotify! If you want to support a local bookstore and shop small, you can shop via Powell’s or a local family owned San Diego bookstore, Warwick’s.

You can download the PDF version here!!

We hope these books help celebrate Valentine’s Day with your family and bring you lots of warm fuzzies and magical memories!

Thank you for following along!

xoxoxox,

Kari

P.S. Just a disclaimer, if you click on the links above and purchase within 24 hours, we do make a small amount of commission! Just wanted to be totally transparent! xoxox

The post 20 Books to Celebrate Valentine’s Day: Celebrating Friendship, Love and Kindness appeared first on sunkissed & grateful.