Our Valentine’s Day fun at McDonald’s while celebrating Happy Meal Books

Our Valentine’s Day fun at McDonald's While Celebrating the Return of #HappyMealBooks

Celebrating Valentine’s Day is a great way for children to have fun while learning about love. It may seem like a less significant celebratory day than others, but some of my favorite memories as a kid are those of Valentine’s Day. I loved making Valentine’s cards for my friends in elementary school and receiving theirs in return. There are endless activities for kids to take part in and to top it all off, the day is an excuse to eat more chocolate. What kid wouldn’t love Valentine’s Day?

Now that I have my own daughter, I see the same excitement I had for Valentine’s Day in her. Since learning about the day in pre-school last month, she constantly reminds me that I’m going to be her Valentine on February 14th! We have also made Valentine’s Day heart shaped cookies and she is in the process of making cards for her friends.

Our Valentine’s Day fun at McDonald's While Celebrating the Return of #HappyMealBooks

McDonald’s Canada loves bringing families together and with Valentine’s Day around the corner they decided to host an event with Ronald himself at our local restaurant. With my daughter Ava already being a fan of the day, I thought it would be a fun event to attend as a family. We arrived around 1pm on Sunday and Ronald had already arrived and was making kids laugh. I thought Ava might be a little scared, but Ronald is definitely a natural when it comes to interacting with kids! He posed for pictures with the children and even read them stories. The restaurant also organized a Valentine card craft area, which Ava loved taking part in. Of course, her heart shaped valentine was made for mommy! 

Our Valentine’s Day fun at McDonald's While Celebrating the Return of #HappyMealBooks

To celebrate Valentine’s Day, McDonald’s Canada, in partnership with HarperCollins, is bringing back the second instalment of Happy Meal Books. Until February 15th, 2016, this initiative replaces Happy Meal toys with four classic, Happy Meal-sized books. Each book incorporates a Valentine’s Day theme and has a removable Valentine card inside. 

Happy Meals across Canada include one of the following books (French translation also available in Quebec):

Our Valentine’s Day fun at McDonald's While Celebrating the Return of #HappyMealBooks

Pete the Cat: Valentine’s Day is Cool by Kimberly Dean

Paddington by Michael Bond

Happy Valentine’s Day, Mouse! By Laura Numerous

Clark the Shark Takes Heart by Bruce Hale.

Ava enjoyed the Happy Meal Books last time, so I think it’s brilliant McDonald’s decided to bring back the limited edition books for a celebratory occasion. Although Happy Meal toys are great, I really love the take-home value of these books. Through Happy Meal Books, McDonald’s Canada is giving millions of children nationwide access to books and supporting the value of reading! At home, families can also scan the back of the book to unlock a children’s interactive activity, or they can open an activity sheet through the McPlay App. You can download the app via iTunes or the Google Play store

Our Valentine’s Day fun at McDonald's While Celebrating the Return of #HappyMealBooks

Ava loves reading Paddington – it’s her favourite bedtime story!

What Valentine’s Day themed Happy Meal Book do you think your children will enjoy the most? Do you plan to do something as a family this Valentine’s Day? Let me know in the comments!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me to celebrate #HappyMealBooks on behalf of McDonald’s Canada. The opinions and text are all mine.

32 Comments
  1. OurFamilyWorld says

    This sounds so fun. My twin granddaughters will love those books.

  2. Robin Rue (@massholemommy) says

    I am sure my kids will love those books. They sound really cute 🙂

  3. Stacie @ Divine Lifestyle says

    I love this! I think that any and every opportunity used to promote reading is a good thing. It’s something that seems to be falling more and more by the wayside these days.

  4. Jeanette says

    My son is really into those Pete the cat books. I love any idea that helps promote reading is for kids. I think that kids nowadays do a whole lot less reading it it really is not helping our society.

  5. Pam says

    I love that they are giving out books instead of toys. That’s so great, hopefully it will get kids interested in reading!

  6. Catherine S says

    This looks like fun and all of the books look good. I will have to get a couple for my niece and nephew.

  7. lisa says

    I love books in Happy Meals! It’s such a great idea and I know my kids love reading. We have already gotten Clark the Shark and we love him!

  8. Liz Mays says

    I love that they do this! The pick some great books too. Paddington was always one of my favorites.

  9. Toughcookiemommy says

    I love that this is a way for kids to celebrate Valentine’s Day with their parents. The books also help to instill a love of literacy in kids.

  10. Adriana says

    What a great idea for little kids! Amazing way to make them want to read while they get a happy meal! Love it!

  11. victoria says

    How fun is that. I bet my nephews would love to celebrate valentines at Mcdonalds

  12. Tatanisha Pitts-Worthey says

    Oh look, it’s Ronald McDonald! This sounds like a fun event! Those books are amazing for kids, she’ll surely love those.

  13. Lynndee says

    My son is already a tween so I think he’s already too old for those books. But those look like fun books for my little niece and nephew. I’m sure they would love those books.

  14. Jeanine says

    I am so glad these books are in Canada too. I went in last night because it was a hectic evening so I decided to grab my kids some kids meals for dinner and I asked about the books and they had them! So glad! My kids LOVED them!

  15. Stephen & Jess says

    This is such a great initiative I just wish I had know about it earlier.

  16. Travel Blogger says

    It looks like you had lots of fun! I really love that they are handing out books now in happy meals! What a wonderful idea!

  17. Chubskulit Rose says

    Handing books for a meal is a great idea. Kudos to McDonald!

  18. Ann Bacciaglia says

    These are great books. My kids used to love to read Paddington Bear books.

  19. ricci says

    I love that McDonalds has book in their Happy Meals right now!! And I love Ronald!!

  20. Kelli @ 3 Boys and a Dog says

    I love it that there was an actual Ronald! You don’t see that much anymore and its always great to see the classics come back! And Kudos to McDonalds with their Happy Books! I love it!

  21. Paula Schuck says

    My kids love to read books. I am happy to hear McDonald’s is giving books with a happy meal now.

  22. Sicorra@NotNowMomsBusy says

    I didn’t know they had those books. They look adorable and I am sure kids love them.

  23. CourtneyLynne says

    Omg way to go mc Donald’s!!! So happy to see books as a happy meal prize. I need to take my daughter for lunch soon!

  24. Crystal Lopez says

    This looks like a lot of fun for the kiddos. Those books are perfect for Valentine’s Day and of course always a hit every year too!

  25. Mama to 5 BLessings says

    My son just got a Happy Meal the other day and got Clark the Shark in his meal. Looks like a great selection of books.

  26. Lisa Rios says

    Sounds great with so much of fun. Reading is really such a good habit & giving books instead of toys is really a wonderful idea as well. Will have to check this out for my girls, a perfect way to celebrate Valentine’s day with your kids.

  27. Bonnie @wemake7 says

    That is so great they are putting books in Happy Meals now. These books look like great ones too.

  28. rika says

    wow. those are great books. We just grabbed some sandwiches at McDonald

  29. Janell @Saving You Dinero says

    My daughter loves Pete the Cat books. She is so excited to get a Happy Meal for the book.

  30. April Mims says

    I love that McDonalds includes books in their happy meals now. It’s such an effective way to expose children to books and learn to love reading.

  31. HilLesha says

    That is wonderful that they also include books in their Happy Meals now. My children would love this, especially considering how much they love to read.

  32. Krystal says

    We just got our first happy meal book over the weekend. My son really liked it and it had stickers!

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