On The Third Day Of Parenting – Nine Family Friendly Christmas Activities

Hello and thank you for hopping over from Welsh Mum Of One and welcome to the 3rd day of #12DaysOfParenting. Today’s sponsor is It’s A Sling Thing who are offering a Ergobaby Original Carrier and the theme is activities to keep the family occupied!  My keyword to enter today’s giveaway is in this post below, good luck!

Full details of the #12DaysOfParenting terms and conditions can be found on the #12DaysOfParenting page and all entries are to be completed via the Rafflecopter at the bottom of this post.


I’m looking forward to Christmas this year probably more than any other so far because 1) I’m well (so far at least, crossing everything!) and 2) my son is four and a half, which seems to me to be the perfect age for Santa, presents & all things magical.

Spending time together as a family is obviously the most important part of Christmas and today I’m sharing nine ideas for how we plan to spend our days this Christmas.

Visit Father Christmas

This is obviously a big priority for anyone with young kids and it seems these experiences are getting more extravagant and costly every year but it doesn’t have to be.  If you don’t want to break the bank why not look up your local garden centre?  Many of the ones in our area offer a Santa’s Grotto experience, including a gift, for under a tenner.  That’s what we’ll be doing next Wednesday (after we had to cancel our trip to Colchester Zoo last week due to snow!)

Family Games

Orchard Toys Games Compendium2

As I’ve said before my son is obsessed with board games.  Where other children might love superheros or car tracks, Caterpillar will almost always choose to play a game instead.  And thankfully, I love them too.  Nothing makes him happier than all of us, plus our extended family, sitting down to play and it’s completely free fun!  With a sack full of new games under the tree this year, I imagine this will be how we spend many an hour.

Soft Play Centres

I know these three words fill many parents’ hearts with dread but I actually quite like them.  It all depends on the type of venue though I suppose.  We love the Kursaal Soft Play near our house in Southend, Essex, because it’s not too big, it’s safe with no way for your child to sneak out and get lost, there is plenty of seating for adults and their coffee and snacks are pretty good!  Perfect if you’re nursing a Christmas party hangover and need a chance to sit down with a warm drink.

Make Your Own Christmas Cards

Card craft is something I enjoy doing as a hobby myself so it makes sense for me to do some with Caterpillar too.  There are tons of really simple ideas on Pinterest and places like Wilkos and The Works have lots of Christmas craft packs containing all the goodies you need.

A Chilly Woodland Walk

Cold but sunny days are my favourite kind of UK weather and the perfect excuse for wrapping up warm and wearing the kids out on a woodland walk.  A great opportunity for getting some lovely winter photos too.

Baking

Baking Kits 2

Pretty self-explanatory and what child doesn’t enjoy getting messy and creative in the kitchen.  Click here for some super simple ideas for baking with kids.

Visit A Farm

Why do days out at the farm have to be restricted to Spring and Summer.  If the weather is dry check out your local farms and zoos and look out for holiday deals.

Movie Afternoon

Nothing makes me feel more warm and happy than Christmas movies – A Muppet Christmas Carol & Home Alone being particular favourites of this 80s/90s child.  Lights down low, candles lit, cozy blanket, heart-warming film, popcorn & milkshakes – perfect.  And free.

Fake Snow Small World Play

Fake Snow

Bit of a strange one but last year I bought some of this instant fake snow, put it in a old chocolates tin and threw in some small cars, lego trees and figures.  The texture and opportunity for imaginative play kept Caterpillar entertained for ages – particularly since he hasn’t had the chance to properly experience real snow in our part of the country yet!

What are your favourite things to do during the festive season?


Today’s Codeword is: Sleigh, if you would like to read another post and gain another entry, then head over to My Thoughts On Things for their take on activities to keep the family occupied.


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