Keeping Your Kids Active This Christmas

During the holiday period, the last thing you need to your children running a mock around the house, restless and in need of attention when all you could do with is getting the chores done, the tea on the table and making sure that you get to the end of the day with the house and yourself in tact. This may be a problem you’re tasked with every weekend until the kids turn 16, but the Christmas period is always a time that you find the young ones are a little more excited than they would be usually. Time off and Santa is a combination that pushes children from a normal head space to over excitement in double-quick time.

While the schools are out you may find it a little difficult to think straight and while you may be able to utilize a grandparent or another parent over a couple of days, the job is up to you to find something to take your children’s attention during the time they’re off school. But what do you do?!

The easy thing to do would be to sit them in front of the TV or next to a games console and let them occupy themselves. And yes, this probably would work wonders, but the idea of allowing children too much time watching films or shows doesn’t sit well with a lot of parents, something that is hugely understandable. The best thing to do is keep them active, moving and thinking. Give them something that tires them out, too. The bonus of giving children activities to do during the winter is that they tend to be exhausted throughout the day and end up sleeping earlier, and generally being easier to manage. A parent’s dream!

It’s worth remembering that young people want to be engaged and not just entertained. Just because they are young doesn’t mean they aren’t interested and keen to learn. Children have inquisitive minds and are often intrigued by things way beyond their age and knowledge, which gives you a vast array of options to choose from. This also means that just because you’re entertaining your kids this Christmas, it doesn’t rule out you having fun and being a part of their experience, either. If you can make a choice that includes the whole family, the fun doesn’t have to stop at your door. So, while your sole aim might be to give them a great, fun Christmas, just remember you’re there for the ride too.

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Thinking of things to get your children and their friends moving in a safe environment might sometimes be a little bit of a tough one, it takes a lot of thinking and even more inspiration to give them something to do, so don’t worry - we’ve come up with a sure-fire list of things to occupy your children this Christmas. You’re welcome!

Activities This Christmas

Build a Snowman

One of the most fun, jolliest and downright exciting things you can do with your children during the winter months. Get wrapped up, head outside and build yourself the king of all snowmen. If it’s snowing, this is something you can do completely free in the privacy and safety of your own home. Join in with the fun or let the kids go outside on their own and take a chance to see what they come up with by themselves.

Cook Up a Storm

If it is stormy outside, why not cook up a storm inside? Teaching your children how to cook is a great way of engaging them in a lesson for life but also allowing them to get creative with what they’re having for dinner time. Knowing what goes inside their meals, both time-wise and ingredients -wise will leave them in a great place for their older years, giving them a chance to understand why eating healthily is important. And if that doesn’t inspire you, then knowing you won’t need to prepare at least one meal that day will surely come as a great relief.

Wander in the Winter

Get the legs moving and their minds wandering; taking your children and their friends on a hike to the top of a hill and allowing them to slide down on a sled would be just about one of the most exciting things you could let them do. As long as you make sure they’re safe and sound, near no roads and have plenty of padding on, they will be just fine. If there are two adults, why not have one at the top of the hill and another at the bottom to ensure safety. You could mix that in with going on a hike, exploring forests or woods in their new, frost-covered surroundings or just taking a little jaunt into town is an ideal way to get some fresh air and tire out the little ones.

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Homemade Decorations

Save yourself money of professional Christmas decorations and allow your kids to get creative - just then free roam over the glitter and paper and let them make this year’s family Christmas decorations. Engaging children in this way will be really fun for them. Give them the opportunity to come up with their own ideas, and why not take on the job yourself, too. You’ll find this as a really fun bonding session between yourself and them. Another activity is then putting the decorations on the tree on around the house. Giving the kids the chance to do a little temporary home improvement will really excite them.

Learn an Instrument

Something maybe a little more expensive - and expansive - is giving the children the chance to learn how to play a new instrument. With any luck, you may have the next Paul McCartney or John Lennon on your hands, so letting them loose on a guitar could be a great long-term get-rich-quick strategy!

Hopefully some of these ideas help you bridge the gap between Christmas and the new year and the start of school once more. There are plenty of ideas of how to excite your children, why not come up with some of your own from the inspiration above!