Hearts of Loving Kindness – Use pretty hearts during the month of February to teach the value of loving kindness to the loved ones in your life. Find a small box or jar and decorate it (invite your children to help) any way you want: with stickers, artwork, photos or a big red ribbon. Place all of the hearts inside and tell your family members what it’s all about.

Every time you see someone doing something kind for someone else, write their name and what they did on a heart. String it up on a ribbon and hang it in the kitchen or family room for all to see. You can put four to six hearts on a ribbon by cutting a slit at the top and bottom of the heart and slipping each heart up the ribbon and then tie a knot at the top of the heart to hold it in place. The more hearts your family sees dangling, the more they will want to add to the festive display.

You will have plenty of opportunities during the month to talk about how and why we do things for others simply out of the "kindness of our hearts." Make it a family tradition to focus on the value of loving kindness every February and be sure to preserve those precious memories in a Valentine’s Day Book with a photo of family members holding their Hearts of Loving Kindness.

The Love Cake – The Love Cake is a great way to celebrate love on Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Grandparent’s Day or someone’s birthday. Using small charm-type Heart Lockets, have every family member write down a message of love and paste their photo onto it. Things like "I love you grandma because you always make my favorite cookies,"or "Mom, I love how you always make my friends feel welcome."

Display the Heart Lockets on the Love Cake and take turns reading them as you enjoy dessert. Everyone, especially the children, will enjoy reading their sweet messages to the person they love. Be sure to take a photo of your Love Cake and glue the picture and messages into a photo album, holiday album or journal.

Love Coupons – This activity can easily be created at home with some help from little hands. Purchase pretty construction paper in red, pink and ivory. Cut out 3” x 2” pieces of paper, enough to make seven for each family member. Using crayons or markers, write down fun things on each coupon that everyone in the family is capable of doing to show loving kindness for another family member. This can include things like “I will help in the kitchen” or “Let’s make the bed together.”

Include the name of the person to be helped on the back. Starting a week before Valentine’s Day, each person picks a coupon a day and helps perform that task. Display the completed coupons on the refrigerator or a family bulletin board for everyone to see. Be sure to write down all the ways your family demonstrated kindness on the card provided in the pocket. This simple keepsake will be treasured for years to come.

The Treasure Hunt of Love – This tradition combines the fun of a treasure hunt with the sweetness of showing love and appreciation. Cut 4 or 5 hearts out of red or pink construction paper, label them 1 to 5 on the backside, and write a clue on the front that describes something you love about the recipient and at the same time leads them to a spot where they will find the next clue.

“I love your cheerfulness in the morning, even before you have had your coffee.” “I admire how hard you worked to get an A in Chemistry” “You have such a big, kind heart when you help your little brother pick up his puzzles.” “Your great attitude and sportsmanship at soccer games make the whole family proud of you.” The first clue can be hidden under a pillow, placed on the breakfast plate or taped to the bathroom mirror. Of course, the last clue of the treasure hunt leads them to a present or a treat you have prepared for them.

My Secret Valentine – On the first day of February each person in the family draws one Heart Locket out of a hat that has the name of another family member written on the inside. For the next two weeks leading up to Valentine’s Day, everyone does something nice each day for their Secret Valentine, without revealing who they are. When that person is in the shower, the bed gets made. When they are off to a friend’s house, one of their chores gets done. While they are busy studying, a sweet note with a treat is slipped under their pillow.

On Valentine’s Day everyone writes down three words that describe what they love about their Secret Valentine, along with their own name on the inside. They also place a photo of that person on the inside of the Heart Locket where the name used to be. Then display these lockets on the Love Cake and unveil your Secret Valentines at a special dinner. This is a wonderful way to teach your family that “things” aren’t the only gifts you can give. Afterwards, you can glue the hearts onto the right panel of the Lesson Card for a keepsake everyone will enjoy looking at next Valentine’s Day.