Christmas is a special time of joy and bonding for families. There is so much excitement in the air, especially for kids who are on holiday and anticipating Santa’s arrival, bearing lovely gifts.
Indeed, the joy that kids experience over the holidays is unmatched.
In fact, children can get so excited about the upcoming holiday (and Santa’s arrival) that they get a little restless and need a lot of attention and playtime. Meanwhile, you have presents to wrap, cookies to bake and cards to write. But don’t fret because we have rounded up a list of perfect activities to keep them occupied and make the season even more magical for them.
- ADVENT CALENDAR
An Advent Calendar is a fun and visual countdown for kids who are anxious to engage in the Christmas spirit. It is used to count the days of Advent in anticipation of Christmas. Kids can have a mini-Christmas party each day when they open a window and get a little closer to Christmas morning. You can choose a small toy or a fan’s favourite piece of candy each day.
- GINGERBREAD HOUSES
You will have fun with a gingerbread house-making party. Gather family or friends, some gingerbread kit featuring walls and roofs, and all the candy and frosting you can get your hands on. Set everyone up with their own house kit, or work in teams to see who can make the most colourful gingerbread house. The challenge is also in keeping your house intact without it falling apart!
- BAKING CAKES
Cooking is great fun for children of all ages, even toddlers! Getting your little ones started in the kitchen at a young age is a great way to get them interested in food and to pick up important skills that would be useful later in life. Certainly, their cooking skills would not be great as they are kids, so it’s up to you to ensure they are keeping safe and supervised while in the kitchen. Some cake recipes for young kids are chocolate brownies, strawberry cakes, and sugar-free banana cakes.
- BAKE CHRISTMAS COOKIES
Children of all ages can get into the kitchen to bake delicious cookies. Younger kids can add pre-measured ingredients, stir the bowl, and decorate cooled cookies. Older kids can pitch in at any stage. Get the kids excited with fun shapes, including classics like Santa, Snowmen, Stockings, Christmas Trees and more.
- BAKE PASTRIES
Have fun this Christmas by making some easy pastries with your kids. It’s a sure way to get in the seasonal spirit. Some of our favourite Christmas recipes are Christmas tree cupcakes, classic fruitcakes, gingerbread man, Christmas cake pops and Christmas truffles.
- DRIVING AROUND TO SEE CHRISTMAS LIGHTS
Your kids might be happy driving around your city to see how your neighbours set up Christmas trees and lights for the season. You could even find Christmas light shows and fireworks, which are safe for your family to enjoy. And don’t forget to take some nice family pictures with the beautiful scenery in the background.
- CHRISTMAS CAROL KARAOKE
Christmas Carols Karaoke is a great way to experience the magic of Christmas. Remind yourself of the most beautiful Christmas carols, and teach your child to sing with you. Karaoke Carols are a great opportunity to sing along with family and bond.
- CHRISTMAS MOVIE
Spend an afternoon or evening watching Christmas movies this season. You could also spread out your movie marathon over the course of a week. Let each family member choose a favourite holiday flick to watch with the family. Cuddle under blankets with a warm cup of hot chocolate and some popcorn to make it feel extra special.
Choose one or all our favourite holiday movies, such as Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Santa Claus is comin’ to town, The Little Drummer Boy, Frosty the Snowman, and Cricket on the Hearth.
- DONATING TO CHARITY
Christmas is a season of giving and love. Spread the love to homeless kids and other charities this season to put smiles on their faces. Your kids can also pick toys to give away since they are experts. It will brighten your Christmas and someone else’s, too, and can easily become a new family tradition for this time of year. Since the kids are also surely expecting new toys this year, go through their toy boxes together and find the toys they’re willing to part with for charity. This is a great way to teach them abundance and selflessness.
- LETTERS TO SANTA
Using Dear Santa printable letter templates and some crayons or pencils, kids can have fun writing letters to Santa to convince him that they have been good this year and deserve to get some presents. It’s also a good way for kids to practice writing letters and essays.
- VISIT SANTA
It’s not only kids who enjoy a visit to Santa. Make it a holiday tradition to take the whole family to a shopping mall or an event that features Santa this season. It is a great way of getting into the Christmas spirit and encouraging even the cheekiest of children to earn a spot on the nice list this year.
- CHRISTMAS SLIME
Slime is alluring for kids; it’s the perfect screen-free and amazing sensory play activity. When children are pulling, squishing, and mixing the slime, it engages multiple senses. Kids will be thrilled to get their hands on some slime over the holidays. You could even get them to make their own slime and be creative with colours. They could then maximize the fun by having slime challenges and pranks. Just make sure they always play it safe.
- CHRISTMAS WORD SCRAMBLE
Pack a Christmas word scramble game for the journey if you visit relatives over the holiday. It’s a festive activity for kids and a boredom buster everyone will be grateful for.
- CRAFT HOMEMADE ORNAMENTS
Get into the holiday spirit by starting an ornament-making project with your children. The creative hands-on activity will appeal to kids of all ages, and the finished product will be everyone’s favourite thing on the tree (apart from the presents).
- CHRISTMAS SCAVENGER HUNT
Scavenger Hunts are great fun for groups of all ages. In Christmas Scavenger Hunts, you will look for items unique to the holiday season. There are ideas for playing indoors and a Christmas Scavenger Hunt around the neighbourhood. Christmas-themed printables are also available to add a touch of celebratory cheer to the occasion.
All these activities are free or inexpensive. It takes creativity to get your family in the holiday spirit! Remember, now is the time to be especially jolly and spread cheer wherever possible.