15 THINGS TO DO WITH YOUR KIDS DURING THE CHRISTMAS BREAK
1. Tidy Up for Christmas
Go through all of your kids’ toys and put them into three piles: Rubbish, Keep and Donate. This is a GREAT activity for the kids. It teaches them that we don’t need everything all the time, and donating is a fantastic way of paying it forward.
2. Tidy Up after New Years
After you’ve received all of your gifts (if you were lucky enough to get any) then it’s a good idea to go through everything again – make sure you separate items out into Rubbish, Keep and Donate – if the old toys aren’t hideously wrecked by your kids, then they can be passed on to someone else 🙂
3. Pay it Forward
Giving your kids the opportunity to serve others is one of the best gifts you could ever give – there are loads of charities in need of toys / food. Starship, Women’s Refuge, and the Salvation Army are just a few of the MANY organisations that could do with donations.
4. Visit your local playground
Step outside of your house and just visit a playground. Keeping kids amused doesn’t have to be expensive!
5. Baking / Cook Together
Whether it’s breakfast, lunch, dinner or a snack, get your kids involved! Often I just give them a set of their own ingredients and let them go for it. That way I can still make the main dish without getting stressed out haha (but seriously). This Cut Out Biscuits recipe is perfect for kids!
6. Make a Terrarium
Given that it’s summer, there is a lot of lush greenery out there. Making a mini-terrarium can give kids an opportunity to learn a little horticulture and play in the dirt. You can use a bowl, a planter pot, or even just a glass jar!
7. Make a Town
With your Terrarium, decorate it with characters from your toy collection – lego, cars, planes, barbies – the list is endless! Also use sticks, rocks and other small items to make homes for their miniature friends. Alternatively, you could create a city out of blocks, legos, or even cardboard boxes. Whichever medium you choose, it is a great opportunity to kids to use their imaginations, and the possibilities are endless! Make the time even more special by getting on the floor and playing alongside them. Check out Masking Tape Town for some more ideas.
8. Fort City
Grab all the pillows and cushions you can find and build a fort. It can be indoors, our outdoors. It’s great if you’ve got pieces of wood lying around too – just prop everything up, cover with an old sheet, and HEY PRESTO!
9. Scavenger Hunt
This one may take a bit more work from us parents, but it can be REALLY fun. Set up clues around the house and, depending on skill level, have one lead to another or go all-out and have an off-season “Easter egg” hunt. Be sure to have a few special items, gold stars or a prize for the “winner.”
10. Picnic Outside
Super simple and easy. Grab some yummy food, a blanket and your feet and get walking outside! You can do it at your house, or the local park / playground. Either way, picnics are fun and kids LOVE them!
11. Go for a Drive
Jump in the car and take a day trip somewhere. I live in Auckland, so an hours drive in any direction can take us some place exciting that the kids haven’t seen before.
12. Beach it
Go to the beach – most places in New Zealand have access to a beach, and given it’s summer, there is no reason not to do this! Just remember sunscreen, a hat and an umbrella! AND A PICNIC! 😛
13. Paint the Fence
Give your kids a paint brush, a bucket and some water. It’s AMAZING how entertaining this simple activity is.
14. Gardening
Kids LOVE the outdoors, so get them involved. Give them a hose and let them water the plants. Give them a watering can to do the same. A little set of spades can do wonders for them! Plus it teaches them about the garden and other aspects of life other than us!
15. Take down the Christmas Tree
After Christmas is over, tradition states that the 6th January is the day you take it down (12 days after Christmas). Get your kids involved in this – no reason for you to have to do it by yourself! Reward them with a picnic afterwards too. At the beach LOLOLOL
THERE YOU HAVE IT! 15 things to do with your kids during the Christmas break. Do you have any suggestions for me???
Check out my Activities for Kids page, as well as my Christmas Activities page for more ideas 🙂
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