Why should sweethearts have all the fun? Valentine’s Day is also the perfect time for your family to show a little love to grandparents and other older adults who are special in children’s lives.

Put on a festive Valentine’s Day Tea at your home to say “Thanks” to these important people, but teach kids a fun lesson in hospitality and manners by letting them take the lead on planning and hosting the event. Here’s how to plan this sweet Kids Activity!

Pick the guests of honor. Together with your kids, select two to six adults to invite to your home for the Valentine’s Day Tea. Consider extending invitations not only to grandparents, but also to great aunts and uncles or older neighbors and friends who might not have loved ones to celebrate with this Feb. 14. Homemade valentines prepared and mailed by kids make for sweet keepsake invitations, but if you’re running short on time, an e-card sent by email or a personal phone call from your child will also do the trick.

Plan the menu. Again, resist the urge to take over! Many of the best known and best loved tea-time foods and drinks are plenty easy for kids to prep in advance with just a little help from grown-ups: For the main course, try crustless sandwiches filled with cream cheese and cucumber, egg salad, or turkey and swiss. For a festive touch, de-crust the sandwiches with a heart-shaped cookie cutter, then arrange them into a heart on a large serving tray. For dessert, serve up strawberries and banana slices dipped in melted dark chocolate or heart-shaped sugar cookies, both of which can be made the day before. And don’t forget the drinks! A spread of coffees, herbal teas, and hot chocolates is perfect for warming chilly bellies.

Perfect the mood. Kids will get a kick out of decorating your kitchen or dining area with colorful Valentine’s Day kit: red and gold construction paper, markers, glitter, glue, and tape are all you need. Cut and glue together long, thin strips of paper to make a Valentine’s Day love chain, or sprinkle the tabletop with homemade cutout hearts or flower petals. Finish the décor off with dried or fresh flower centerpieces and handmade place cards. Just before guests arrive, have kids set out the food and place settings, plus pots of sugar, honey, cream and lemon; then cue up some sweet mood music.

Teatime! When guests begin to arrive, step back and let your children play the hosts: have them answer the door themselves and escort the guests of honor to their assigned seats. Older kids can offer seated guests a warm drink while younger kids might want to present them with a small gift, a single rose, or a handwritten note of appreciation. Teach children to be good hosts by encouraging them to offer refreshments as needed and to make conversation throughout the meal. For a fun surprise, kids may also want to prepare a love-themed poem, song, or dance to perform for the adults while they eat. Bon appétit! 

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