Do you need to send non-candy Valentine treats to school with your kids? Here are some options of treats to send!
Celebrating Valentine’s Day at school sure is different than when we were kids. We would decorate a shoebox mailbox and then bring in simple cards with Disney characters on them and call it a day. Not an extra treat or toy in sight. Those days are gone, friends. Now, some parents go above and beyond with extravagant treat bags to pass out on Valentine’s Day, which leaves the other parents feeling guilty for just sending your kid to school with simple cards. That means you likely feel like you need to send in some kind of treat.
The classic, obvious treat for Valentine’s Day is candy, of course. But many schools these days are moving away from anything that involves food because of the scariness that is food allergies. So, this leaves parents needing to come up with something to send in that isn’t the easy, obvious choice. Let us all rejoice (sarcasm)!
Hopefully, this is where I come in. I’ve done the brainstorming for you to find non-candy Valentine treats that aren’t food, not junk that will immediately get tossed in the trash, and won’t break the bank. A tall order, but I think we did it!
Non-Candy Valentine Ideas
Building blocks
My son came home with a mini set of building blocks last year in his Valentine’s Day goodie bag. The building blocks set was by far the winner for him and for me. He got the little lantern fish to build, and it was a really fun project that resulted in a fun toy that he played with for months until his sister destroyed it.
I love the sea animals set that his friend’s parents chose last year, but there are tons of different themed sets that come with cards and the building blocks that will fit your child’s interests. They range in price, but seem to hover around $20 for 24 sets. That’s pretty reasonable.
Puzzles
Another non-candy Valentine idea that is an activity is a puzzle. In my experience, kids love puzzles and games. So, giving kids something we know they love and that should keep them busy for a minute sounds like a good choice to me!
This year, I found puzzle cards that are also stickers and seek and find games. A 3-in-1! I picked these up in my local Walmart, but I couldn’t find them on Walmart’s website. If you’re interested in these, head to Walmart and look for I Find Sticker Puzzle Pet Shop Valentines.
Stickers
Who doesn’t love stickers? Seriously, I’m a middle-aged woman and I still love stickers. Luckily, stickers make a super easy non-candy Valentine idea. There are a ton of really cute Valentine cards that come with stickers to stuff in them. You can find everything from special interests like video games to characters like Pokemon or the Disney Princesses. These are available at The Dollar Tree, Walmart, the grocery store – basically anywhere you can buy Valentines.
If you want to kick the sticker Valentines up a notch, consider Valentine sticker sheets that let the recipient make a face on a cute character. These don’t specifically come with cards, but you can always have your kid write a cute message on the back of the sheet.
Erasers
My 6-year-old son is suddenly super into erasers. Any eraser, really, but especially those brightly colored erasers in cute shapes. These erasers are everywhere and are relatively inexpensive, so they could make a great non-candy Valentine alternative. These conversation heart erasers are super cute and can easily be slipped in a Valentine envelope.
Pencils
If your kid is more into writing than erasing, pencils also make a great non-candy Valentine treat. There is something for everyone in this multipack of 24 pencils. The boys will appreciate the red and black options! And don’t feel like you have to stick to heart-themed pencils, either. You can easily stick with your kid’s preferences. If your kid is really into Minecraft, give Minecraft pencils.
Tattoos
When do kids tire of temporary tattoos? My 3- and 6-year-olds show no signs of stopping their joy when presented with a temporary tattoo, so I think temporary tattoos will make a pretty great non-candy Valentine. Here again you can stick to the Valentine’s Day theme or you can pick a pack that includes things your kid really likes.
Bookmarks
If your kids are reading chapter books, either by themselves or as read-alouds with you, you might want to consider bookmarks as a non-candy Valentine idea. My son especially would be very excited to pass out bookmarks to his friends for Valentine’s Day. I love the bookmarks with cute little sayings on them – they feel more like traditional Valentines.
Scratch art
Just because I don’t understand the appeal of certain things doesn’t mean they are worthwhile. I’m going to file scratch art Valentine cards under this category. I don’t get why the kids love these things so much, but they do, so why not lean in?
Snap bracelets
Another non-candy Valentine treat my kids love that I don’t understand is a snap bracelet. My kids get so excited any time they get a snap bracelet. They don’t really care what is on the snap bracelet or why they got the snap bracelet. Any snap bracelet is a welcome addition to their lives in their minds. There are some really cute Valentine’s Day-themed snap bracelet packs available. I’m sure your kids’ classmates would love them!
Key chains
Something I’ve noticed lately is that elementary school-aged kids are really into key chains. Every kid at the bus stop has at least one key chain hanging from his or her backpack, and many of them have several of them. If you want to give a non-candy Valentine that might last a while, consider a key chain. This sports-themed card/key chain option would be right up my son’s alley!
Other posts
Looking for more Valentine’s Day content? Check out these posts:
I know this post was short and sweet, but I hope it gave you some good ideas for non-candy Valentines. What are you sending to school with your kid this Valentine’s Day? Let us know in the comments or over on Instagram @sarainseason.