It’s finally December! We can officially start counting down the days until Christmas and, what I can safely assume everyone is looking forward to, the end of 2020!
Once the kids have eaten their first advent calendar, the tree has been decorated and the christmas lights are up, what exactly do we do in the meantime? This blog shows you a number of different Christmas activities for kids that you can do at home with your children in the run-up to Christmas.
This year, we're all worried exactly how Christmas is going to pan out, but there's still lots of fun you can have with your child at home. With fewer things to get excited about this year, it’s important to make everything something to look forward to. No matter what the activity, make it a big event.
Wreath-Making
Everybody loves a festive wreath, and it’s also a great DIY Christmas decoration activity. Take the kids outside for a quick winter walk to gather some fallen branches, pine cones and then, if you’ve got a real christmas tree, snip a couple branches from the bottom. Using string or twine, attach your greens to a wire ring (a bent metal coat hanger works well) and the children can decorate it with Christmas ornaments and bows. Alternatively, cut a piece of card or a paper plate into a wide ring, and children can attach bits of green tissue paper, red pompoms, glitter, and whatever else you have - then simply cellotape some string to the back and hang where you usually put christmas decorations.
Christmas Cookies
Perfect with a warm cup of hot chocolate, there’s plenty of tasty cookies this time of year to choose to make. Whether it’s gingerbread or chocolate chip, baking christmas treats is an activity the whole family can get involved in. Younger children can add pre-measured ingredients, stir the bowl and decorate cooled cookies, whilst older children can help assist with the more technical parts!
You can also brighten someone's day with a special delivery batch. The kids could even help decorate an old biscuit tin to put the cookies in to deliver to family, friends, or whoever you think might appreciate it!
Home-made ornaments
Unless you like to be minimalistic with your decorations, adding a handmade Christmas ornament by one of your children is a wonderful addition to the tree. This can even become a family tradition that documents your child’s growth and creativity each year. Great ideas we’ve seen is using old buttons of different sizes to make a mini colourful christmas tree, or the simple method of cutting out some card into the shape of a snowman or reindeer which they can colour in. Find more great DIY decoration ideas here.
Writing Christmas Cards
Decorating and sending Christmas cards, especially in 2020, is such a thoughtful and appreciated gesture for friends and family who may need some extra cheer. For children who need some help with learning to write, you can use our Love Writing Co. traceable christmas cards which have traceable dotted fonts as well as ultra christmassy and cute unique designs on the front. Writing these cards encourages your children to enjoy sending thoughtful notes to their loved ones whilst practicing letter formation, handwriting and pencil control.
Bingo and Board Games
What’s Christmas without snowmen! And when there’s no snow outside, this snowman- themed bingo game is a creative and hilarious substitute. Games such as this are great fun to play around the table with your children, perfect for those cold winter afternoons and to be enjoyed with cups of hot chocolate. As well as this, board games are a great opportunity for young children to ‘follow rules, focus, take turns and defer gratification, which helps with self-regulation, the basis of problem-solving and thinking creatively,’ states Peter J. Pizzolongo from the National Association for the Education of Young Children.
We know christmas isn’t the same as usual, and we hope everyone is able to work something out this year so they can enjoy the festivities. This year, we’re running a 12 Days of Giving Back Campaign where we’ll be giving away products to families who you think deserve a little christmas cheer this year. Visit our Instagram to find out more.