I love to make holidays meaningful by switching up the lesson plan, adding in crafts, and teaching more in-depth about the roots of each holiday. Sometimes holidays sneak up on me, and I find myself rushing to plan and prepare. One simple thing I always have in my back pocket that makes a day special and takes very little planning is a themed tea time! 

Here are my steps and tips for hosting a simple love-themed tea time!

1. Make your guest list

You could invite grandparents and friends to join or keep it simple with just you and your children. Don’t forget about stuffed animals and dolls! My children always love surrounding the table with stuffed friends when we have Tea Time. If you want to get really fancy and fun, you could make homemade invitations to invite your children or other guests.

2. Choose your menu

To keep it really simple, you could offer store-bought cupcakes or cookies and some hot tea. If you have the time and want to, there are a ton of fun Valentine-themed recipes out there. One year we enjoyed these heart-shaped rice cereal treats and chocolate-covered strawberries. We also love this delicious pink herbal tea that’s a favorite in our house.

Here are some other fun Valentine recipes you may want to try:

3. Gather love-themed stories, poems, and scripture

Start with the books you own. You might be surprised to discover how many stories and poems you have within the pages of the books in your home that are love-themed. If you have time to make a library run or go shopping for some books, here are 10 great love-themed picture books we enjoy:

• The Love Letter by Anika Aldamuy Denise, Lucy Ruth Cummins
• Love Is by Diane Adams
• Snowy Valentine by David Petersen
• The Valentine Bears by Eve Bunting
• Cranberry Valentine by Harry Devlin, Wende Devlin
• The Day it Rained Hearts by Felicia Bond
• A Village Full of Valentines by James Stevenson
• I Love You Already by Jory John, illustrated by Benji Davies
• Somebody Loves You Mr. Hatch by Eileen Spinelli, illustrated by Paul Yalowitz
• A Kiss For Little Bear by Maurice Sendak

If you have older children and want to teach them about Saint Valentine and the roots of the holiday, I recommend this book:

Saint Valentine by Robert Sabuda

Another option is to focus on poetry and short stories, rather than picture books. You could also read 1 Corinthians 13 and taking a moment to talk about God’s love for us and how we can show love to others.

4. Gather or create some simple Valentine’s decor

Look around the house for anything pink or red! I have a spring-colored quilt I like to use as a tablecloth for tea parties. We also use a tea set I have hodge-podged together over the years from thrift stores. You could string up some homemade watercolor hearts, add some freshly picked flowers in a jar or vase, and light some beeswax candles. Let your children be a part of gathering items for the decor and don't overthink or overcomplicate it. 

5. Choose a heart-themed art project or handcraft

One idea is to put out paper, stickers, and drawing materials to make some handmade valentine cards for friends. One year we made these simple clay nature hearts to give to friends. 

Related: The Best Handcrafts for Children (+ Tips to Teach Them) and Homemade Christmas Gifts: 25+ Gifts for Children to Make

Here are 5 more sweet handcrafts you may want to try at your tea time:

Heart Bird Feeders from Natural Beach Living

Rainbow Heart Wall Hanging from Lil Blue Boo

Heart Nature Weaving Craft from Little Pine Learners

Woven Heart Craft from Fireflies and Mudpies

No-Sew Valentine’s Pillows from Moms & Crafters

6. Give each child a love letter and/or small gift

Before you end your special tea time, you could give each child a sweet love letter, sharing with them how special they are to you and why you love them! Along with the letter, you could include a small gift of a new book or stuffed animal.

Related: Teaching our Children to be Encourages (+ FREE Valentine's Cards)

Will you be hosting a sweet and simple tea time for your loves for Valentine's this year? If so, snap a photo and tag me on Instagram. I would love to see and share!