Create Memories this Valentine’s Day
By Franki Hanke
Most years, Valentine’s Day is just a date night with some extra rose petals, right? But it’s an opportunity to create a meaningful, memorable experience with your loved one(s). This year, try something new from these cute things to do on Valentine’s Day. These are all fun, but easy. There are no custom scavenger hunts or elaborate fondues here.
Best of all? These Valentine’s Day date ideas can all be done in your living room or kitchen. No getaway is required. These are staycation-friendly.
With a Date
Even on a weeknight, Valentine’s Day is an opportunity for some one-on-one time with your significant other. These cute things to do on Valentine’s Day focus on novel, shared activities that are more frequent in happy relationships, according to research, compared to the regular dinner and a movie. These new activities release more endorphins than familiar things. Sorry, Netflix.
These activity kits could be done in a larger group too, just remember to buy duplicates enough for everyone.
Cheese Making Kit
Swap a group cooking class for an intimate cheese-making experience with Standing Stone Farm’s at-home kit. You’ll work side by side to make a variety of cheese types. It’s a simple, hands-on activity best paired with a kitchen playlist you’ll both enjoy.
To go with this kit, you will need cow’s milk, a pot (stainless steel, glass, or enamel), and a slotted spoon.
Candle Making
As often as you light a candle to set the mood, have you ever tried making a candle? This generous kit includes materials to make several candles with eight different scents. Connect with your partner as you discuss color and fragrance combinations or make candle combinations for each other and swap at the end of the night.
Pottery Kit
With enough clay for two to four large creations, work together to create something for your space with this hands-on activity. The kit includes shaping tools and paints to create a fully finished piece when you’re through.
Try a New Board Game
Board games are a fantastic way to stay engaged with your partner. Unlike a romantic movie where it’s easy to end up on your phone instead, a game requires active participation.
Azul
Use stunning tiles to play on a board aiming to create patterns or complete sets to score points. It’s strategic, but not deep with an easy-to-learn premise.
Bananagrams
Speed up the feeling of Scrabble with this crossword-like word game. You play tiles onto an open table so the game itself requires little storage space or set-up.
These games can be played with more people for your future game night too.
Wood Carving Kit
Add a delicate, wooden spoon to your coffee-making routine after you make them with this kit! It includes high-quality tools that can be re-used well beyond the starter blanks included.
This kit is optimized for one person but does include three blanks. If you’re okay with some waiting time to share tools, you could get away with one otherwise buy two.
Bonus Points: Add Snacks
Elevate one of these activities to make it extra special. A seasonal snack can make it feel like a Valentine’s Day date, rather than any ole day.
Mini Melanie Cake Truffles – $60
Gorgeous painted surface truffles are filled with cake instead of traditional chocolate fillings.
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Knipschildt Chocolatier – $60
Stay with the classics with a heart-shaped box of chocolates to share in a variety of signature flavors.
For a smaller box of chocolates, turn to North Carolina’s Brown Sugar Chocolate who offer as small as a six-truffle box.
Debbie Does Doberge Petit Fours – $70
Try a sampling of assorted flavors of these bite-sized cakes with potential flavors ranging from Cream Cheese King Cake to Cinnamon Roll.
Cowgirl Creamery Cheese Sampler – $90 +Shipping
Try three bestsellers of Sonoma-based Cowgirl Creamery in this sampler. Cheese is easy to snack on while following one of these activities.
With a Group
While I love a movie marathon, it can be harder to make a meaningful V-Day evening from a slew of rom-coms and no actual talking. If you’re craving unique Valentine’s Day ideas, skip the movie and try something hands-on.
Build Your Own Pizza Night
Get everyone involved in some DIY in the kitchen with a build-your-own pizza bar. I recently did this for a friend’s birthday, and it was simple to set up but a blast to do.
To organize toppings, run a sheet of butcher block paper over your counter or table, and then you can label each bowl, plate, or pile of toppings directly on the paper. To elevate the Valentine’s Day theme, make heart-shaped doughs for each pizza.
What You’ll Need
- Mini Pizza Pans
- Parchment Rounds These make clean-up so much easier!
- Butcher Block Paper Roll
- Pizza Sauce
- Pizza Dough (Fresh)
- Low-Moisture Mozzarella Cheese
- Other Toppings of Your Choice
Grab your other ingredients with a grocery run or schedule a drop-off with Amazon Grocery or Instant Cart. If you’re stumped on ingredients, I recommend the following as basics. For cheese, fresh mozzarella and parmesan. For meat, crumbled sausage and pepperoni. For vegetables, sliced mushrooms and red onions. To finish, pesto, balsamic glaze, and fresh basil.
At-Home Wine Tasting
Choose between six or twelve bottles of wine for this sommelier-curated bundle of wines. They include a tasting note guide and wine glass markers so everyone can partake.
Love Song Bracket
If you love music (or to argue), here’s a themed night for you. Plan the Best Love Song of All Time bracket. Have everyone involved pick their nomination, compile a playlist, and spend the night pairing sets of songs. Listen to each pairing, discuss, and decide a winner as a group until you’ve discovered the ultimate best love song. It’s a fun way to stay on-theme without much effort. Do be ready for this to evolve into karaoke or a disorganized dance class though!
Save time creating one with a convenient dry-erase bracket board of 32 or 64 songs.
Many of these cute things to do for Valentine’s Day could be a day date at any time of the year too.
Still need a Valentine’s Day gift for the man in your life? Pick between 16 different gift ideas including Valentine’s Day cards for writing your love letter in 16 Valentine’s Gifts for Men.
If you can’t imagine the perfect Valentine’s Day without a romantic dinner, you don’t have to skip it to try one of these cute things to do on Valentine’s Day, instead schedule dinner at your favorite place after one of these Valentine’s Day activities so you can use dinner to share your thoughts.
Remember, romantic things do not inherently make the best date, but rather a connection with your partner. You might be surprised by how a giggly, silly night feels compared to a traditional romantic night.
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