Valentine’s Day is special when you have a little one to love! This holiday isn’t just for romantic love. It’s for making your little one and the community who supports you feel special. And let’s face it, celebrating Valentine’s Day with a baby is just plain adorable.

Write a Love Letter to Your Little One

Let’s get sentimental! Try writing a love letter to your baby. Start by expressing your overwhelming love and joy at their arrival. Describe the unique qualities you already see in them – their tiny fingers, their sweet smell, the way they smile. Share your hopes and dreams for their future, emphasizing the importance of kindness, curiosity, and pursuing their passions. 

Don't forget to include personal anecdotes about your pregnancy journey and the anticipation leading up to their birth. Share what you’re feeling as a new parent. Tell them about your unwavering love and support throughout their life, no matter what challenges they may face. Date it, seal the letter in an envelope, and place it in a keepsake box.

Each Valentine’s Day, you can write a new letter to your little love. Then, when they welcome their first child or experience a big life change, you’ll present them with 18 letters for them to open. It’s such a beautiful way to demonstrate how your love changes and grows over their childhood. 

Deliver Your Baby’s First Valentines

Do you have family and friends who live nearby? Let’s get out of the house and deliver your baby’s first Valentines. And most importantly, let’s make it easy! Put your baby in a red and pink or heart-themed outfit. Grab a basket and pen and head to the grocery store. 

Pick up a bag of quintessential Valentine’s candies, like conversation hearts. These often come in boxes that allow you to sign your name. Sign your baby’s name and put them in the basket. You can even write a little message from your baby. Then visit your loved ones. They’ll love knowing that your baby sent them one of their first Valentines! It's a simple way to spread love and provide you and your baby with a bit of social time. 

Connect Meaningfully with Your Little One

Happy Little People Co. started because we knew the power of combining curiosity and connection. That’s why our card decks are full of development-promoting activities that help you play creatively with your little one.

Designed to make the most of your baby's awake time, our decks promote development through bonding activities, one for each week of your baby’s years. These activities support a range of developmental skills, including bonding, creativity, fine and gross motor skills, language development, and social-emotional growth. 

Using everyday household items, you can easily set up and enjoy these activities, even in a sleep-deprived state, while cutting out the clutter. With a little bit of help, you’ll gain confidence that you're providing your baby with the best possible start, fostering their development beyond the essentials of everyday care. You'll be inspired to put your own unique spin on these activities, creating special moments of play and connection with your little one. 

Read Books About Love

Soak up all those baby snuggles! Grab a stack of books, get comfy, and spend time reading to your babe. You’re not just being cozy together, you’re strengthening their development –  cognitive, language, social-emotional, and more. And even though this is your first Valentine’s Day with a baby, remember that it’s never too early to start reading to your kiddo! Children who love to read become adults who love to read. These are some of our favorite books about love:

• Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney

• Love Monster by Rachel Bright

• I Love You to the Moon and Back by 

• Love You Baby by Amy Pixton

• Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown

• The Hug by Eoin Mclaughlin

• Snuggle Puppy by Sandra Boynton

• Lots of Love Little One by Sandra Magsamen

• I’ll Love You Till the Cows Come Home by Kathryn Cristaldi

• Dog’s First Baby by Natalie Nelson

• We Love Each Other by Yusuke Yonezu

Have a Valentine’s Day Photoshoot

To capture the magic of your first Valentine’s Day with a baby, dress your baby in a pink, red, or heart-themed outfit. Lay a white sheet on the floor in front of a window, so you have lovely natural light. Then take plenty of photos. From 6 to 12 weeks, babies start smiling and they love to look at the faces of their parents. Call their name, make funny sounds, and talk to them to elicit the sweetest smiles. After the shoot, use these photos to make Valentines and send them to your family members. Don’t forget to sign your baby’s name!

To make the photoshoot even more special, you can:

• Apply hypoallergenic, vegan red or pink lipstick to your lips. Kiss your baby’s cheek or head to leave a bright smooch.

• Give them a favorite bear or stuffed animal to hug while you’re taking pictures.

• Change their outfit to produce more photos to choose from.

Dance With Your Baby

Dancing with your baby is a joyful and enriching experience for both of you. Holding them close and swaying to music allows for precious skin-to-skin contact, strengthening your bond and giving you those feel-good endorphins. As you move together, you're introducing them to rhythm and movement, which helps develop their coordination and motor skills. They'll feel the vibrations of the music and your warmth, communicating love and connection. Dancing also helps you release stress and move your body. So put on your favorite playlist and have a Valentine’s dance party, just the two of you!

Sing Songs of Love to Your Baby

Babies don’t care if you’re a good singer! By singing love songs to your baby this Valentine’s Day, you’re activating multiple benefits for them and you. Singing to your baby helps them learn, feel safe, and comforted. The gentle melodies and soothing sounds of your voice create a calming and loving environment. 

Singing a song for waking up, or eating, or another activity help them anticipate transitions and create routine and predictability in their young lives. Singing lullabies can help them relax and fall asleep, while playful songs encourage them to engage and interact. As you sing, you're introducing them to language, rhythm, and music, all of which contribute to their cognitive, emotional, and social development. Singing also helps you release stress, be mindful, and feel connected, among other numerous benefits.