Valentine’s Day Gift Guide 2025: Fun, Food And Festivities For Kids And Teens

One of the most cherished moments from my childhood was when my birthday or a special day like Valentine’s Day coincided with a Saturday. In the week leading up to the big day, starting from the Sunday before, my mom would always leave a surprise gift for me when I returned from school. This tradition never failed to fill my heart with joy and anticipation.

Now, as a godmother and aunt, it’s become one of my favorite things to do for my crew of little besties--and for myself. Americans spend about $200 per household on Valentine’s Day. Between decorations, gifts, cards and other essentials, I would have expected the average to be higher. Whatever your budget, if you’re looking for ideas for making Valentine’s Day unique for your kiddos with sweet treats, trinkets or fun surprises, keep reading!

Where To Find Valentine’s Day Themed Meals

My crew and I always get excited about area restaurants' unique Valentine's Day offerings. We love discovering new and interesting ways to celebrate. Here are some of the favorites we’re looking forward to this week:

Chick-fil-A is making your Valentine's Day meal planning a breeze with their convenient heart-shaped tins. These tins, perfect for small parties or at-home surprises, are filled with a delightful mix of nuggets, fudge brownies, chick-n-minis, or chocolate chunk cookies. Don't stress about cooking, just check the app to find a location near you.

Smoothie King is adding a burst of excitement to your Valentine's Day with their diverse offer. Members of their rewards program can enjoy two 20-ounce smoothies for just $10, with a range of flavors to choose from. Whether you're into Berry Interesting or Strawberry Bluegurt Blitz, there's something for everyone in our house!

Bojangles and Hardees are showing their love this Valentine’s Day with their heart-shaped breakfast sandwiches. And for our New York friends, select Panera Bread cafes are spreading the love with free heart-shaped Cinnamon Crunch BAEgels. It's a sweet and generous way to start your day, and we appreciate these special treats!

Pizza Hut offers a convenient heart-shaped, medium-topping pie for a stress-free dinner option. This is perfect for a quick meal with your little ones before you head out for some adult celebrating.

It's an excellent way to bond with your little ones and create lasting memories. My 5-year-old had a blast making her pizza; I'm sure your kids will, too. You can quickly grab ingredients from the local grocer, or for added convenience, Hormel has launched HormelHeart-To-Heart.com, where you can order a homemade pizza kit. The kit comes with everything you need, including adorable pepperoni hearts.

If you're up for a culinary adventure, Barilla has heart-shaped pasta noodles! They will instantly put a smile on anyone’s face and may help entice picky eaters to try something new. We used them instead of elbow noodles for mac-and-cheese, a fun twist to an ordinary dish.

Festivities & Fun Things To Do For Valentine’s Day

There are never-ending activities that will keep children entertained and, for the teens, off their phones. Here are a few of our favorites for family fun and some we are looking forward to trying.

Have A Spa Night

At-home spa nights are always a delight. I like to create an authentic experience for them as much as possible, which means bringing in those elements of professional service, like being greeted with a refreshing beverage like a sparkling lemonade and an infused cooling towel. We usually use an inviting fragrance like the Amalfi Coast room diffuser from Tocca to set the ambiance. We use a chocolate pudding face mask and cucumbers for my five-year-old. I like the Poppy & Pout cinnamint lip scrub and lip tints because they're fun and don’t irritate their sensitive skin, adding an element of excitement to the spa night.

Watch A New Or Old Movie Together

Movie night is a significant occasion for our family, and we love to explore new popcorn flavors and toppings. Our recent venture into Dusted’s Truffles & Citrus Seasonings Kit was a pleasant surprise. Given my kiddos reluctance towards truffle flavors, the addition of citrus was a game-changer, even for our most selective eaters. They kept grabbing it by the handfuls! The ramen flavored dust was another big hit for us!

Speaking of movies, we also highly anticipate Friday’s release of Paddington in Peru and Captain America: Brave New World. I may be equally excited about the collectible Paddington drink and popcorn vessels. If you weren’t aware, AMC offers private theater rentals with the option to add on party packs from the concession stand, making it a fun and enjoyable experience. It’s available for any release, so it could be a unique and memorable way to entertain your kids.

Create A D-I-Y Bar

Holiday parties are always a big hit in our family. The kids are fond of the festive decorations and the ability to spend quality time with not only their siblings and cousins but also a few friends. We typically have some sort of crafting station for entertainment. I discovered “flower party boxes” and knew it was something we had to do. It was a fun and affordable way for people to make bouquets for themselves or to give away. Some companies mail fresh stems, but we opted to grab some from the local grocer. We also grabbed vases, ribbons, and tissue paper from the dollar store. They were thrilled to be their own florist!

Imagine a dessert and candy bar, a vibrant area where kids and teens can freely graze on a variety of treats, or where guests can craft their own take-home party favors. It's a space filled with excitement and freedom. We had an entertaining assortment, like the irresistible mini-cupcakes from Baked by Melissa. My kids were over the moon with the fluff, red velvet, and marshmallow hot cocoa flavors. This enjoyable chocolate pen allowed us to use stencils and freehand custom messages on the desserts, which was cool. The melted chocolate was contained in a vessel, making it mess-free and easy to clean.

Dunkin’ Donuts has the cutest festive treats, beautifully accentuating our party favor table. While the donuts are heart-shaped, the munchkins have pink, red, and white heart-shaped sprinkles. This was a nice addition to our dessert spread.

Another hit for my crew was the delightful lollipops from Amborella Organics. These lollipops are not just tasty, but they come in some of the most unique and creative flavor combinations like lavender lemongrass, strawberry and basil or vanilla hibiscus. I was intrigued by them because it was an engaging way to introduce environmentally conscious practices and gardening to my youngest. The biodegradable sticks are embedded with different herbs or flowers like sage, marigold, basil, and thyme, which can be planted. We now have a tiny garden, which gives us something we can continue to do together as bonding activities. It doesn’t get any better than that!

We ended our party with Piñatagrams! They’re great for any celebration, including Valentine’s Day. We like that they’re miniature and come pre-filled with tasty treats like Sour Patch Kids, Jolly Ranchers, and dum-dums. Your kids will ask for this fun treat for all their big celebrations! Note: candy-free options are also available.

Valentine’s Day Gifts For Your Kids and Teens

I am a fan of giving cards–but it seems like something kids don’t really keep up with. So, I was over the moon to find Fresh Cut Paper–they’re basically 3D flower bouquets so that florals can be kept forever. But, what I absolutely adored was The Valentine’s Day Pop-Up Pets. You can get a cat or dog that unfolds into a standing card. It even has accessories like signs, hats or sunnies that can attach to them. Its cute, and your kids will love having a new pet!

We also adore themed pajamas as much as we love themed snacks and eats. Little Sleepies is a one-stop-shop for those cute jammies–and they even have some family matching sets. The prints are fun and festive, while the jammies are soft, cozy, and functional.

Alongside jammies, every kiddo needs a stuffie! Hugimals are weighted stuffed animals that provide a warm embrace, perfect for little ones with anxiety or those who like to have something extra while drifting off to La La Land. The “Hug Baby Set” comes in a set of three, and their small size means you can provide comfort on the go, whether it's a car ride or a trip. We like the koala and pig!

My girls are probably Crumbl’s biggest fans, so it was a no-brainer to include these little treats in their gift baskets. Dove has partnered with the cookie brand to create a limited-edition line of body washes, hand wash, and body scrubs inspired by some popular cookie flavors, such as lemon glaze, confetti cake, nilla bean cupcake and strawberry crumb cake. It's a fun twist on the usual gift ideas!

Meanwhile, my boys are fans of Old Spice seasonal scents, like the Fiji body wash infused with lavender and coconut. According to my nephew, it reminds him of all his tropical vacations!

My boys are a bit of a tougher nut to crack when it comes to things that grab their interest, but they are foodies and will try just about anything. Because they have active lifestyles and are always on the go, with lots of outdoor adventures like hiking and fishing, I wanted to get them something that would incorporate all those elements. Spirit Almonds comes in flavors like wasabi, curry, and black garlic. And let me tell you, my boys absolutely loved them.

The other thing they loved were the bacon bouquet from Manly Co. Each slice of bacon comes individually packaged, so it’s easy to take along for one of their outings. There are four flavors red curry, habanero heat, sweet as well as sweet & spicy–all insanely delicious. We also had some of their beef jerky. The unique flavors like maple cinnamon and dill pickle are a must-try, they're so good!

When I was thinking of something my kiddos could do together, the Knack We Adore S'mores Gift Set immediately came to mind. It's not just about the delicious s'mores, but also the fun it brings. The set can be easily set up tableside or on the porch, providing a unique and enjoyable experience for the kids. The included recipe book adds a creative twist to the classic treat, making it even more fun.

For jewelry-loving girls, BaubleBar’s minibar collection is a perfect place to find cute, trendy, fun pieces for little fashionistas. Bracelet stacks are extremely popular—the Hearts & Hugs Kid's Bracelet Set has five beaded bracelets, each adorned with a colorful heart. The store also offers a selection of charm bracelets. And for a fun and creative activity, there's a make-your-own bracelet kit, which allows your child to design their own unique piece of jewelry.