Valentine’s Day is right around the corner. Whether you are celebrating as a family or helping the kids prep for classroom parties, it can be hard to plan the perfect day. From Valentine’s card and decor ideas with a personalized twist to heart-shaped pizzas for family date night and sweet surprises, we highlight ideas to share the love and make the day special for the whole family.
Get Crafty! Personalized Valentine’s Cards & Decor
Nothing says Valentine’s Day like homemade cards and crafts with a personal touch. From cut-out cards, Valentine’s Day stickers and festive decor, we love using our Cricut Joy Extra to show our friends and family how much we love them and with multiple classroom parties, it helps our families to personalize classroom cards and t-shirts. Cricut Joy Xtra™ cuts, writes, draws, and foils intricate designs with precision. It works with more than 50+ materials, including vinyl, iron-on and cardstock. We love using our Cricut to create shirts for Valentine’s Day parties. The kids found designs and personalized the items by picking out the vinyl colors for their shirts. Then we used the Cricut Joy Extra to cut the Iron-on material. We then used our Cricut Easy Press and to iron on the designs.
The best part is that you don’t have to be a professional designer! We found some great projects on Cricut Design Space. Our kids enjoyed finding designs on Cricut Design for cut out cards and stickers that they will use for their classroom exchange. We ended up creating our own classroom exchange stickers using images and fonts found in the great library of designs. We used our printer to print the designs and our Cricut to cut the sticker sheets out.
Feel the Love! Family Date Night
One of our favorite Valentine’s Day traditions is a Family Date Night. Whether you want to dine in or takeout, California Pizza Kitchen is the perfect dinner option for families because kids get to have fun enjoying heart-shaped pizzas, while mom and dad can still feel like they are enjoying a “real” romantic dinner on a special night.
CPK also offers Sweet Deal for Two, where families can get one starter, two entrees and one dessert for $60. Starter choices include Lettuce Wraps with Chicken or Spinach Artichoke Dip. Entree choices include Full Salads like the Original BBQ Chicken Chopped Salad, Classic Cesar with Chicken or Thai Crunch. Heart-Shape Pizza on Thin Crust Choices include BBQ Chicken Pizza, Hawaiian, Mushroom Pepperoni Sausage and Sicilian. There are also several pasta choices too. And for dessert, you can choose from Butter Cake, Churro Swirl or Upside Down Cheesecake! These promotions are available from Feb. 9 to Feb. 15. Whether you want to order takeout for a cozy night at home or go all out for the occasion, CPK has you covered.
Add Some Sparkle! Jewelry for Moms and their Minis
From small surprises that make kids (and parents) feel extra loved to the beautiful jewelry that marks the moment, Valentine’s Day is truly a day to celebrate love. BaubleBar has got it handled on all fronts. We love that BaubleBar has a wide range of personalized jewelry, Valentine’s Day accessories, and kid-friendly craft kits that make thoughtful gifts for the whole family.
Moms, sisters, aunts, grandmas and besties all can benefit from BaubleBar’s jewelry pieces! They are perfect for anyone that wants something classic yet special for Valentine’s Day.
- — The Niata 18K Gold Pave Earrings add an elevated touch that works for both everyday wear and special occasions.
- — For a timeless look, the Billie 18K Gold Tennis Bracelet and the Billie Sterling Silver Tennis Bracelet are elegant options that can be worn long after the holiday.
- — Stackable styles like the Gina 18K Gold Rings Set offer versatility, while the delicate Mini Gia 14K Necklace makes a meaningful Valentine’s gift.
- — Millie Bubble Heart Earrings, and Emory Earrings These accessories are great for adding a little sparkle without going over the top.
BaubleBar makes it easy to include kids in the celebration with gifts and activities designed just with little girls in mind!
- — Creative options like the Kids DIY Valentine Bracelet Craft Kit and the Ultimate Bead Shoe Kit encourage hands-on fun and make great Valentine’s Day activities.
- — Accessories like the Heart Party Headband, Little Love Necklace, and Kids Heart Bracelet are perfect, age-appropriate ways for kids to feel special on Valentine’s Day.
- — The Hair Clip Surprise Gift Set is a fun option for gifting, while themed pieces like the Disney Valentine’s Day Bag Charm bring a festive pop that still feels wearable.
28 Days of Fun! February Museum Month Passes
February means the return of San Diego Museum Month! Started in 1989, this year, 2026, will be bigger and more fun starting February 1, and running the entire month. This means half-off admission at 70+ museums and attractions across San Diego County and Tijuana.
Whether you pick up a FREE printed pass at approximately 80 of the public libraries or download a digital pass to your phone, Museum Month makes it simple – and affordable – to explore the region’s vibrant landscape of art, culture, history, science, nature and more.
Guests can use their Museum Month pass to visit as many museums as they would like from February 1-28, 2026. Each Museum Month pass can be used for up to four half-off admissions at any of the participating locations. And the program includes a wide range of institutions, including not just museums, but also aquariums, gardens, historic sites, state parks and more. Some sites are free or donation-based, making them great options for budget-minded visitors. For a full list of this year’s participating locations, visit the San Diego Museum Council website.
