Ideas for Valentine's stuff for the kids? Stuff I can just print off here at school?

[PariSarah]

So, normally we're in the "Completely and Pointedly Ignore Hallmark Holidays" camp. But I got some champagne for Christmas, and we still haven't managed to drink it yet, so dh has ordered up a Special (but not too many dishes, and not expensive, and still reasonably healthy, okay? Oh, and I want to eat before 8, so nothing too fancy. But fancy enough, you know?) Dinner for a holiday we don't normally celebrate, just so that we can have an excuse to drink the Champagne.

Fine. I can do that. I can even plan the menu in the car on the way to school, without actually being able to look in the fridge or the freezer . . .

Okay, wait. I'm getting off track.

So the point is, all of a sudden, we're celebrating Valentine's Day. Dh is getting to drink Champagne. That's his present. But I feel like maybe the kids would like a wee little acknowledgment from their mother that says "I love you." Especially since they can't have the champagne. And I might be really nasty and make dessert chocolate (it's been a long week), to which ds is allergic, in which case no dessert either.

So, a little something that a 7mo and a 9yo would like? Printed off the internet maybe? Or possibly available for under 3 dollars at a university bookstore?

I think they might have little packages of nuts for the 9yo . . . but I think you ladies can make me look a little more maternal and lovey-dovey than that. :o

Help?

[Chris in VA]

This morning I made pancakes and toast w/jam, cut into a heart shape. Can you make a few sugar cookies in heart shapes?
Enchanted Learning.com probably has some little valentine-y things.
Do you have a craft store? Can you get some wooden hearts in white and red, and make a little tic-tac-toe game out of a piece of white cardboard and the hearts? (Draw a grid with red marker, use 5 white hearts, 5 red ones. Package in a ziplock (It'll be flat) and wrap it. Then play it a billion times until you are thoroughly sick of it. (oops, sorry for that last part)
You can also make a "love words" bingo game with those little heart candies as markers. Use two or three pieces of white cardstock or cardboard, draw a grid with words in each box (love, candy, kiss, valentine, etc) and include a little ziplock full of candy hearts. Again, use a large ziplock baggie and wrap it all in pretty red or valentine paper.

Just some ideas!

[PariSarah]

Oh, Chris, those would all be great (you are so creative!!), but I'm at school until 6:15.

So, I seriously can't do anything that doesn't involve the internet or the university bookstore. And under 15 minutes of my time, preferably. (So the question should be titled: "How can a loser-a$$ mom pretend that she's not for the least possible expenditure of time and energy?")

[Mom2legomaniacs]

Can you find a tiny stuffed critter at the bookstore and put a tiny treat in it's hand? I did that last year and the boys loved it! I got these really cheap tigers at WalMart that looked like Hobbes (big Calvin and Hobbes fans around here) and got a thing of M&M's to put in their paws. Big hit, little time, little money.

Good luck!

[Mom2legomaniacs]

Or for the older, how about a coupon for something that involves just the 2 of you that he would absolutely adore doing with you?

[HeatherH]

Or for the older, how about a coupon for something that involves just the 2 of you that he would absolutely adore doing with you?
That is a GREAT idea Melissa - we've done that for our kids, and it means so much more than the candy.

Of course, this year, they're getting candy. . . . ;)

[Jane in NC]

So, a little something that a 7mo and a 9yo would like? P

Here is my idea for your 9 y/o. Nothing says Happy Valentine's Day to a mathematician more than a cardioid curve. Go to this page:

http://www.exo.net/~pauld/activities/Cardiod_polar_plot.html

Scroll down to section called "To Do and Notice", subheading "Mechanical". It gives a demonstration of how you can use two round magnets to draw a cardiod. Now I suspect that your son may already have two disc shaped magnets.

Show him how to make a cardioid and you have given a splendid little mathematical gift, introducing him to the joys of trigonometry at a tender age.

(Must now dodge the tomatoes.)
Jane

[Mom2legomaniacs]

So, what did you decide to do for your boys?

And Jane, I thought it was great -- no tomatoes here! I like cool math stuff. Dh and I went on our first date to a math banquet. Yeah, we're geeks that way!

[Pam "SFSOM" in TN]

Here is my idea for your 9 y/o. Nothing says Happy Valentine's Day to a mathematician more than a cardioid curve. Go to this page:

http://www.exo.net/~pauld/activities/Cardiod_polar_plot.html

Scroll down to section called "To Do and Notice", subheading "Mechanical". It gives a demonstration of how you can use two round magnets to draw a cardiod. Now I suspect that your son may already have two disc shaped magnets.

Show him how to make a cardioid and you have given a splendid little mathematical gift, introducing him to the joys of trigonometry at a tender age.

(Must now dodge the tomatoes.)
Jane

You rock, Jane! While we were dating, my dh "proved" mathematically that T + P = ♥ . I still have it somewhere. Melted my little geeky ♥, it did!

[PariSarah]

Your idea was a good one--I was going to get a little Blue Devil for each of them from the bookstore.

But, alas, right before I walked over there, I realized that I have no wallet today. :(

So, they'll get lots of kisses. Maybe I'll actually warm up the baby's bottle before giving it to him. And maybe I'll tell ds9 that he can start that baking business that he wants to get going. That oughta make me Mommy of the Year. :o

[Tutor]

get a little stuffed something for your littlest then write up some clues for a scavenger hunt, print them out, cut them into little heart shapes, and hide them when you get home? Make the last thing he finds a little box of cookies or a favorite candy?

My kids normally get a scavenger hunt on Valentine's Day (dh too), but this is the first Val. Day I'm working (see how hard I'm working) then we're going out later, so I didn't have a chance to set it all up. :( They were happy with my candy at breakfast bribe, though. :)

[Tutor]

Well, poo! I missed your deadline. Sorry about that. Hope you enjoy your supper.