Celebrating Your Baby’s First Valentine’s Day: Simple Ways To Make It Special
Valentine’s Day is often thought of as a time for couples to celebrate love, but it’s also the perfect opportunity to create lasting memories with your little one, especially if it’s their first Valentine’s Day. From capturing sweet moments with a photo shoot to the keepsakes you make together, Valentines Day is the perfect excuse to start new family traditions. Here are some ideas to celebrate your baby’s first Valentine’s Day & create lasting memories to cherish for years to come.
1. Baby Love Photo Shoot
One of the easiest, yet fun ways to celebrate your baby’s first Valentine’s Day is by capturing the holiday with a Valentine’s Day photo shoot. You don’t have to spend money on professional equipment or props; just use a little creativity and items you have on hand. Holiday-specific photos are a great way to celebrate and can also go in your baby book or be used for making Valentine’s Day keepsakes for family.
Here are some ideas & tips for your Valentine’s Day photo shoot:
- Adorable outfits: Dress up your baby in something special, such as a cute onesie that says “My First Valentine” or in red/pink clothing. You can also just go casual in something cozy.
- Heart Props: Hearts are synonymous with Valentine’s Day and it’s super easy to make paper hearts or use conversation heart candy to scatter around your baby for the perfect shot.
- Lipstick Kisses: Another idea is to leave your baby in his/her diaper and then give them kisses with red or bright pink lipstick. Of course, you will have to commit to bath time right after the photo shoot, but this is an adorable and simple way to capture a cute shot for Valentine’s Day.
- Simple backgrounds: Your baby’s outfit, smile, and lipstick kisses will pop against a soft, neutral background. You can use either a white or pastel-colored blanket as the backdrop or hang up a simple red or pink banner. You can even use Valentine’s Day-themed paper or fabric to set the scene.
- Happy Smiles: Be sure to time your photo shoot when you baby is well rested, or if you have a newborn, maybe make it a sleepy time photoshoot for ease!
- Family Photos: Make sure to take a few with the whole family! It is a great way to include an older sibling, partner, and even the grandparents in this occasion. It is a perfect way to keep these memories for life and as a record for years to come.
2. Create a Valentine’s Day Keepsakes
One of the best ways to preserve memories is by creating a baby keepsake that will help tell the story of their first special Valentine’s Day. Keepsakes that accumulate through the years can be so special to share with your little one when they are older, so they know that there was so much love from the beginning. Here are a few ideas:
- Baby Mailbox: Make a mailbox or keepsake box where now & in the future, you will add a heartfelt Valentine’s Day card for your child. Jot down what you love about them and how much fun you have as their parent. Throughout the years, you’ll continue adding into this and it will become a beautiful touchstone for your child to look back and connect with.
- Valentine’s Day Footprint Art: This is a fun one that can get messy, so be sure to use non-toxic, washable paint. 😊 Simply paint their feet in non-toxic paint & smoothly press it on paper, making it into the shape of a heart (heels together, toes out). You can add sweet messages like “I love you” or “My first Valentine’s Day.” You can even frame it and make this a keepsake you hang every year.
3. Making Homemade Valentine’s Day Cards
If you’re looking for a thoughtful way to make the day even more special, why not make homemade Valentine’s Day cards to spread the love? These cards can be a keepsake not only for your baby but also for family members and friends. Here’s how to create some simple, heartwarming cards:
- Baby Handprint Cards: Again, like in the footprint art, create the center of the card using your baby’s handprint. You can put hearts, stickers, or anything personal on them. These will be great to give to grandparents or any special person in your life.
- Family-made Cards: You can also involve the older ones by letting them make cards for the baby or other family members. Older children can decorate with drawings, stickers, and personal messages that portray the love of a sibling.
4. Plan a Family Valentine’s Day Celebration
Although your baby might be too young for a traditional Valentine’s Day, that doesn’t mean you can’t make it a family affair. After all, Valentine’s Day is about showing love, and your baby is the center of that! Here are a few simple ideas to make the day extra special:
- Special Meal or Treat: Make a special meal together. Heart-shaped foods such as heart-shaped pancakes, homemade heart-shaped pizzas, or maybe red velvet cupcakes – spending time cooking and baking together can feel so special! You can even prepare some baby-friendly treats, like soft fruit purees or frozen yogurt bites in heart-shaped molds.
- Valentine’s Day Songs & Dance Party: Singing and dancing to some fun, love-themed songs not only gets some energy out, but can also help your baby practice rhythm and movement. Be it a classic like “You Are My Sunshine” or some peppy rendition of “Baby Shark” done with Valentine’s lyrics, music evokes memories that are joyful.
- Valentines Delivery: Take the celebration outside and deliver some Valentines or sweet treats to neighbors & friends. As parents, it is always good to model kindness, so exposing kids to doing nice things for others is always a win.
Final Thoughts:
Celebrating your baby’s first Valentine’s Day is a great way to build lifelong memories. Whether you celebrate the day of love with a cute photo shoot, making homemade cards, or crafting keepsakes, start a unique tradition that you and your child will remember for many years to come. The love you display today and everyday is something to be cherished and remembered. Happy Valentine’s Day!
