If you are looking for the best Valentine’s Day gift ideas that are not treats for your children, check out the ideas below. We tend to keep things pretty simple around here for Valentine’s Day, usually just some chocolate and a small treat or two, but it’s fun to have some options for great gifts when you are shopping around! I have divided the categories between baby/toddler ideas, elementary-aged girls, and elementary-aged boys. Enjoy!
This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase using this link. Please see my disclosure for more details.
Non-Treat Valentine’s Day Gift Ideas for Babies and Toddlers
There are tons of great gifts for the entire family this time of year. If you are looking for some non-treat gift ideas for babies and toddlers, think about categories. Generally, I shop in terms of books, toys, and bath/bed related. I generally consider Valentine’s Day ideas for little ones with different colors, a variety of colors, perfect for little hands, and items that prevent messy, sticky hands! You will want to avoid small toys and items that require too much hand-eye coordination.
Here are a few options for babies and toddlers.
Baby and Toddler Books
If you are looking for baby and toddler book options for Valentine’s Day, be sure to hop over to my latest post for great book ideas!
Baby and Toddler Toys for Valentine’s Non-Treat Valentine’s Day Gift Ideas
- Baby Shark! Does your little one love this song as much as ours does? I think I will order one of these to put in her Valentine’s bag. Such a fun idea!
- We love this Squiz Stacking set. It has survived four kids and they all love building with it. Our little one even plays with them in the bath, as they stick to the side of the tub. Perfect for little hands and kids of all ages love playing with them!
- Melissa and Doug Animal Magnets are so cute and perfect for helping your toddler with animal sounds. Our 18-month-old loves to point to all kinds of animals in books and ask what sound they make. These would be perfect for her to play with in the fridge or even on a sheet pan in the kitchen while I am prepping dinner. Toddlers love the variety of colors of the animals and perfect for your little Valentines.
- These toddler-size crayons are perfect for easy grip and use. I get out the sketch pad and let her go to town! These help develop those fine motor skills, and even my older kids enjoy coloring with her. It is the perfect present for a crafty morning at home.
Bath and Bed Baby and Toddler Options for Non-Treat Valentine’s Day Gift Ideas
- Bath toys are always a perfect and simple gift. Make bath time fun and you could even fill the tub with big plastic hearts that the kids can pick up with their cups. I consider bath time as a great quiet time fun activity. I can’t lie sometimes I give the toddler a bath in the middle of the afternoon when momma needs some “keep the baby contained” time!
- Bath tablets and crayons are another fun way to spice up bath time! It is also the perfect time to talk about color mixing when your child gets a bit older. The best part is the clean-up with these. They go right down the drain with the bath water, leaving no residue. Such an easy Valentine’s gift!
Non-Treat Valentine’s Day Gift Ideas for Elementary Aged Girls
Enjoy this list of unique gift ideas for older kids, elementary-aged girls, including books, “toys”, and bath/bed-related items.
Book Valentine’s Gifts for Elementary Aged Girls
Diary
- If your daughter doesn’t have a sequin journal or diary yet, she would love this one. My nine and eleven-year-olds both love having a private space to write down their thoughts and feelings.
Mom and Daughter Journals
- I mentioned these in my Christmas post for girls, but it’s worth mentioning it again. My girls and I love writing back and forth in these journals to each other. They love it when I leave them on their pillows with notes just for them. They both have great prompt questions to promote conversation.
Glory Girl Book
- My friend mentioned this book suggestion to me, and I am so excited to order it for my girls. The target age is 8-12 and the premise is helping girls understand the unique gifts they have been given and building a vision for what their future might bring. I love the idea of teaching girls to remember that they are uniquely created, and God has a purpose and plan for their lives!
Braver, Stronger, Smarter Book
- Sissy Goff is a brilliant counselor, speaker, and writer who really understands girls and all that they will encounter in the world. I have been lucky enough to hear her speak at a parenting conference and have read several of her parenting books, and her advice is rock solid. This book is targeted at girls ages 6-11 and helps walk them through what to do when anxieties start to surface. I love training our girls to be strong and confident, and I think this book will be another tool to help us do just that.
- If you would like some more specific fiction book recommendations, feel free to jump to my Christmas post with more ideas.
“Toy” Valentine’s Gifts for Elementary Aged Girls
Baking Set
- If your daughter loves to bake like mine do, here is an adorable baking set. I love baking Valentine’s cupcakes, cake pops, and cookies with my girls, and I know they would love having their own tools to make their creative ideas. You could add in some cute cupcake toppers, candy hearts, or other fun items you could find on Amazon or a local store.
Cake Pop Maker
- We have this cake pop maker, and it is a top pick around here! It’s so easy to use and takes little time to bake. I also appreciate that it’s easy to store. It makes the perfect gift for your creative older kids! Plus, every family member benefits from the cooking! Include cake pop sticks and sprinkles to make a fun treat!
Watercolor Set
- If your girls enjoy painting like mine do, they will love this watercolor set. I usually wrap it up with a pad of thick watercolor paper and it’s always a fun activity. You could also make a personalized free printable label to attach to the front to keep track of each child’s watercolor set. We love all of the bright colors for hours of fun!
Lego Sets
- My girls love Lego, and it’s always a classic choice. This set which combines Legos and horses – a great choice in our house!
LEGO Dots
- I mentioned Lego DOTS in an earlier post, but I wanted to bring it up again because it has been so popular with our girls and their friends. This pencil box is an adorable option. We also have the photo frames and the bracelets — all big hits and perfect gifts for birthdays, as well!
Card Making Kit
- Do you remember the days of writing notes to your friends and including the Yes, No, Maybe checkboxes? Ha! I sure do. Even in the age of technology, kids still love to write notes to each other and this set is perfect with all of the fun papers, stickers, and envelopes.
Bath/Bed Valentine’s Day Gifts for Elementary Aged Girls
Bath Bombs
- What girl doesn’t enjoy a little bathtime pampering? Bath bombs are the perfect little gift item that makes any girl feel special!
Fuzzy Socks
- Our girls always love fuzzy socks, and I love the cute pattern on these! It’s always fun to tuck into a gift bag or box.
Fuzzy Robe
- What girl wouldn’t want a fuzzy robe to go with her fuzzy socks? This one is on our oldest daughter’s list this year! Maybe Valentine’s Day would be the perfect time to gift it to her.
Lavender Hand Lotion
- Our girls have discovered my hand lotion on my nightstand recently, and they come to raid it every night! This Valentine’s Day, they are getting their own!
Non-Treat Valentine’s Day Gift Ideas for Elementary Age Boys
Books for Boys
Minecraft Books
- If your little guy loves Minecraft, he will enjoy this series of graphic novels. My girls enjoy them too!
- Our kids also enjoy this book to learn some strategies about how to develop their worlds in Minecraft.
Journal
- Our first-grade son loves writing stories, lists, etc. This little journal is perfect for containing all those thoughts and I like that he can keep it all in one place instead of multiple notebooks all around. Plus, he can easily grab it for travel to journal about our adventures together as a family.
Mom and Me Journal
I am so excited to give this mom and me journal to our son this year. He has been watching me write his sisters back and forth for a few years and has been asking for his own version. This one is full of great questions for mom and son, along with kid-friendly illustrations. Can’t wait to get started with our little guy!
The School is Alive! Series
This is a newer series from Scholastic for early readers, just getting into chapter books. Sam is the hall monitor for his elementary school, and he quickly realizes he must defend himself and his fellow students when his school comes alive! It is so fun for boys who love early adventure stories.
Hardy Boys Series
If you have a mid to late elementary reader, he might enjoy the classic Hardy Boys series. In this collection of books 1-5, readers follow the Hardy boys in a variety of mystery settings.
Boxcar Children Series
The Boxcar Children series is another great series for boys and girls. We love to use these as read-alouds as a family, in addition to individual reading. Just like the Hardy Boys, these books have withstood the test of time. Classics!
Magic Tree House Series
This is another great series for boys and girls. Our kids love following Jack and Annie on their adventures throughout the world and multiple time periods. I especially love matching these with their nonfiction counterparts to really dig into the content. Also, they are perfect for tutoring and classroom texts!
Percy Jackson’s Graphic Novels
If you have a Percy Jackson lover, he might enjoy these graphic novel versions of the books. In this one, Zeus’ lightning bolt has been stolen and Percy is the suspect. He and his friends must return the bolt before chaos ensues.
Toys/Games for Boys at Valentine’s Day
Lego Sets
Lego sets are always popular gifts in our house. If you are looking for something smaller, the little Lego people you can find at Target or Walmart checkout lines are always fun to pop into a Valentine’s bag.
Nerf Guns
Nerf guns are always popular in our house. Does anything say “love” like Nerf guns? Just make sure you buy extra “bullets” – somehow we are always short!
Art Set
If your son is into art, consider an art set. I love this one because it keeps all the materials contained and they tend to get less scattered around the house. And for him, there’s just something about seeing all those colors and materials at once – so exciting! Of course, this is perfect for girls and boys.
Bed/Bath Non-Treat Valentine’s for Boys
Slippers
Our little guy loves slippers in the winter, and I like these because of the gripped soles to keep him from slipping all around the house.
Pajamas
Our first grader received Minecraft pajamas and socks for Christmas, and I have to really convince him to switch sets so I can wash them every once in a while! A definite hit in our house!
I hope this post has given you some great ideas on the best non-treat Valentine’s gift ideas for your babies, toddlers, girls, and boys! What’s your favorite thing to give for Valentine’s Day?
Leave a Reply