By Christina Soriano

It's easy to get caught up in the commercial aspects of Valentine's Day - like the millions of chocolate box options and stuffed toys lining store aisles. Here are some ways to have fun with your nieces and nephews on Valentine's Day and model what love is all about: showing that you care with genuine actions and expecting nothing in return.

Valentine's Making Party

As a Savvy Auntie and art teacher, my most treasured gifts are the little notes my nephew and students have made for me. Have your nieces and nephews make a list of ten people (or more!) they want to make cards for and let the creativity flow! It's amazing what children can do with basic materials like construction paper, glue, pencils, markers, or basic watercolors. Have them create original drawings, paintings, or collages on the front and write a personalized heartfelt message inside. Send out the love in the mail or help them hand deliver their loving messages.

Caring Coupons

Everyone is overloaded these days with a laundry list of tasks for work and personal life. Help your nieces and nephews come up with ideas to show love and kindness to family members by a caring action. Have them write the activity on the coupon (you can just cut a rectangle out of cardstock or construction paper), decorate it, and deliver it to a loved one. The coupons will most likely make someone's day! Some ideas could be helping around the house or proposing doing an activity together at home.

Cooking Party

Put on your chef hats and cook up some love with your nieces and nephews by baking and decorating heart-shaped cookies and giving them to others. Better yet, make their parents' day by making a special meal for the whole family! Children love to have ownership with activities that seem reserved for “grown-ups”!

Tech-free Time

I am definitely guilty of being attached to my phone at times (I do love my Instagram!). What I found so invigorating about this last weekend was that as I put my phone aside I was more present in mind and body while playing all sorts of games with my four-year-old nephew Simon. For a second I stopped worrying or stressing about all the other things we get caught up in every day. When you're completely tech-free and are an example that the iPad and video games can wait, you will be a far more fun and Savvy Auntie! Saturday was spent playing “lasers”, having dance parties, and of course, making homemade Valentines with my nephew. I was able to truly soak in the moment and the smile on his face, which to me is the epitome of love.

Have a Happy Valentine's Day!


Christina Soriano is an artist, art teacher and blogger in New York City. Her Valentines are her nephews Simon and Benny, the most adorable boys in Manhattan! For more information visit www.christinasoriano.com or follow her on Twitter and Instagram @sorianodesigns

Photo: CHOReograPH
Originally published: February 11, 2014
Republished: February 10, 2016