Preparing for the Holidays can be a joyous experience. There is nothing like listening to old Christmas songs with some good hot cocoa in your cup while decorating the tree and hanging garland. My favorite is watching old Christmas movies while baking delicious Christmas treats and preparing gift bags, yet these enjoyable Holiday duties can become a nightmare with children underfoot. Here are some ways to keep your little blessings entertained while you’re busy preparing for a fabulous Holiday!
Kids driving you mad while you’re in the kitchen?
Fake Snow
Find a shallow cardboard box that you no longer need and dump two boxes of cornstarch in with one full can of plain white shaving cream (gel cream will not work for this project,) and you’ll have SNOW! This will keep the kiddos occupied for hours.
They can make snowmen, have mini-finger snowball fights. Another great idea is that they can go outside and gather twigs and pinecones to create their own miniature winter wonderland long with trees and their own little cabins.
Blanket Fort
While decorating your living room for your annual Christmas party, have the kids build a blanket/pillow fort. This will keep them busy for a while, and after they are finished, put on their favorite Christmas movie. There is nothing better than sitting in warm comfort while watching the Grinch!
Letters to Santa
A great way to keep kids busy is letters to Santa! Instead of having them just make a list get them to draw what they want. Pull out the art supplies and let them make their letters pop by adding glitter and popsicle sticks. Have them write why they would like to have that certain gift for Christmas and what they plan on doing with the gift when they wake up and find it Christmas morning under the tree!
Finding the Christmas Stocking
A great game to play to keep the kiddos busy is find the Christmas Stocking! This will work best with siblings but can do fine with just one child. Hide the stocking around the house, and the finder of the stocking gets the point. Whoever has the most points at the end of the game will get to choose which cookies are left for Santa!
Christmas Chain
Everyone loves a Christmas Chain! I don’t know what it is about the Christmas Chain that kids love but making one has always kept my kids busy for hours! Cut red and green strips of construction paper for your child, or if they are comfortable with safety scissors, they can cut their own strips-hand them Elmer’s glue and let them start linking the paper strips together. Frugal, Fun, and Simple! You can never go wrong with a Christmas Chain!
Kids are great helpers! If your sweet ones are bored, put them to work! Kids love to help. Communicate with them the activity and get at it! They can hold garland; older children can hold on to tools-smaller children are great ornament hangers with some instruction. Let them keep track of the ornaments and storage boxes. Have them keep watch for color placement on the tree and bare spots!
With these activities to keep your sweeties busy, you will breeze through the Holiday work faster than you can say Ho Ho Ho!
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