By Tracey Dowdy

Valentine’s Day seems to have crept up out of nowhere this year, perhaps because most parents are too busy trying to keep their family safe during a pandemic to think about much else. 

The good news is, online shopping once again is here to save the day, and these ideas can help you put together a fun Valentine’s Day gift for your kiddos faster than you can say, “Is it wine o’clock yet?”  

For the reader in your life, choose from sweet books like that puts a spin on the traditional Cinderella story. 

If your child discovered a love for baking and cooking while we were quarantining safely at home, baking-themed gifts are a great idea. Choose from kits like the Real Kids Baking and Pastry Cooking Kit or RISEBRITE Real Kids Cooking Set. If you already have the essential tools, choose a unicorn cookie cutter set, a 200 piece Cake Decorating Supplies Kit for Beginners, or a Cake Pop kit. Online cooking classes are another fun option, and The Spruce Eats has a list of great alternatives. 

Subscription boxes give your kids something to look forward to, and depending on the one you choose, can buy you hours of entertainment or peace and quiet. No matter the interest, there’s a box for everyone offering anything from developmentally appropriate toys, becoming a home chef, books, or opening their eyes to new experiences. Check out this list from Good Housekeeping for ideas. 

While we’re still trying to maintain social distancing, home entertainment options have never been more needed. Screen time doesn’t have to mean brain drain or laying around like a human throw pillow. Sign your kids up for online yoga, dance, or even martial arts instruction. Popular adult fitness programs like Beachbody and CrossFit have online options, and YouTube offers countless free and paid workouts, dance classes, and other challenges to get your kids up and moving. 

Kids who love music will appreciate their microphones, karaoke machines, and headphones. PopSugar has a collection of gift ideas that will inspire you and set your family up for hours of entertainment. 

Tracey Dowdy is a freelance writer based just outside Washington DC. After years working for non-profits and charities, she now freelances, edits, and researches on subjects ranging from family and education to history and trends in technology. Follow Tracey on Twitter.