Preparing your home for the holidays can often seem like a mission. First, you have to decide on the right time—Is it too early?—If I wait, will I have time later on?—Then you have to get everything out of storage and cross your fingers nothing is broken… or lost… As far as the kids are concerned, there’s no time like the present! The sooner the holidays arrive, the sooner they can rip open their gifts!
This period can end up causing extra stress for parents when really it’s the perfect opportunity to spend more quality time with the kids having fun. That’s why we say stop procrastinating and get creative! Check your schedule and choose an evening this week after school or over the weekend to have a festive family night! You’ll soon be feeling the holiday spirit.
So now the (snow)ball is rolling, how do we start capturing that festive magic? We’re one step ahead and have been busy scouring the web for fun activities you can do with your kids. As always, feel free to mix things up and invent your own customized ideas!
Make your own decorations!
Whether it’s drawing your own designs with paper and crayons, printing out some black and white templates to color or being brave and fashioning your own decorations, the internet is bursting with ideas that even the smallest kids can enjoy! Why not try making cute reindeer using corks or play-do and twigs for antlers that you can you find outside? If you have an empty jar you could make a glittery snow globe. Try thinking outside the box and using scraps you have at home to make cool baubles for the tree.
Get into the groove!
All I want for Christmas is… the perfect playlist! After all, you’ll surely feel more creative if you set the scene. So get browsing those tunes on YouTube. Remember that our YouTube Monitoring feature lets you customize your kid’s search to keep them safe. Take turns to be DJ while the others practice their dance moves or grab a hairbrush and have a karaoke contest!
Recharge your batteries!
No, we’re not talking about your phone so leave that to one side. All that rocking around the tree can wear you out. What better way to restore your energy than some tasty treats? Have a rummage for snacks in the cupboard or make your own. For something quick, try these Santa hat oreos or if you have more time to spare try these Christmas lights cookies or melted snowman cookies. Yum!
Design special holiday cards
What better way to let your friends and family know how much they meant to you than taking the time to make and send them a card? Instead of the traditional square, you could cut them into special holiday shapes like stars, reindeer, Santa, snowmen…the list is endless! If you have younger kids, try typing “easy xmas cards” in the Google search box and letting them choose some ideas you can copy together.
Snuggle up to a Xmas classic
Go team! If you managed to do everything on the list so far you deserve a rest. Grab a blanket or put on some warm Xmas sweaters and watch a classic film together. Our faves include Home Alone ?, Frozen ❄️and The Grinch?and are sure to leave you feeling warm and fuzzy.
And just like that, you’ve created your very own Winter Wonderland! Happy Holidays from Qustodio!
