Tis the season for making memories with your children whatever age they may be! By this time, most of your Christmas shopping may be done with just a few more items to buy that are still on Santa’s wish list. So, instead of spending more money on your sweet children, let’s talk about my top 5 FREE kid approved things to do with the them this joyful season!
#1 Bake Cookies
There’s nothing more special than getting food into our kiddos tummy. Baking cookies is a wonderful way of spending some one on one time with our children without making it seem like we are making them do something, LOL! It also never hurts to let them get a little dirty while playing with the dough and get them to use their creative minds to design whatever their little hearts desire on their cookies. I wish I could bake more often with my daughter, so when we do, it is a very special time for us that puts the biggest smile on her face and melts my heart. Don’t forget in the end we both get to enjoy our end results by eating our delicious homemade cookies!
#2 Visit the Neighborhood Christmas Lights
Sometimes we as parents don’t set up the “best” Christmas lights but let me reassure you that your friendly neighbors more than likely will! Picking one special night of the week after dinner to drive or walk up and down the street in search of lights is perfect for kids of all ages. You can even pick it up a notch by rating the houses and letting your child or children pick the very best house! You can make this little adventure last for 15 minutes to 1 full hour depending on your child’s attention span. This is truly a favorite thing for us to do that keeps our toddler entertained for hours!
#3 Write Letters to Santa
I hope that children can continue to be children for many, many years and know that Santa is always watching so they better be good. No one ever wants to on the naughty list so come December 1st, as a parent, everything goes back to “if you are good Santa might bring you that special toy” to “Santa is watching and as of now you will be on the naugty list and only get a lump of coal if you don’t listen!” Come on, I know I’m not the only mom who does this! Writing a letter to Santa in their own handwriting is so special to their little hearts. My daughter has already written several letters to Santa but the best part is that as she’s “writing” I’m asking her what she is putting down so we now know exactly what she wants! It’s a win win situation. After she writes her letter, we put it inside an envelope where she decorates it and we address it to Santa in the North Pole. The look on her face when we “mail it” is another precious moment. I will embrace these moments forever!
#4 Watch A Christmas Movie Together as a Family
As generic as this might sound, I think we sometimes forget that kids truly treasure the smallest things we do as a family like just being together in one room. Getting together one night and making it extra special by making popcorn, buying extra candy, sweets and bringing out the extra blankets is sure to get them really excited. Laughing and singing together is something that we love to do while watching The Grinch with Jim Carrey. That twinkle in my daughters eyes are nothing but pure happiness and joy! We love movie night especially around the holidays.
#5 Homemade Christmas Projects
Last but definitely not least what child doesn’t love to play with colorful paper, glue, safe scissors, glitter, and cotton balls! Whatever you have laying around the house is a great time to get it all together and make a few Christmas decorations for the house, tree or even refrigerator. Think of making a Santa Claus, an Elf, popcorn garland, Christmas Trees, Candy Canes, your own Advent calendar and so much more! Spending these hours together over Christmas music, of course, will put everyone into a jolly and happy mood!
I hope my list gives you and your family some insightful ideas of what to do this holiday season! Remember spending quality time together with our children is truly the best gift we can give our sweet babies. And if they don’t appreciate it today I promise they will when they are a little older…I know I do now!
