Throughout the month at Kids ‘R’ Kids we will be having lots of Holiday Fun with crafts and seasonal activities like creating ornaments, Christmas caroling, writing letters to Santa, making “Handprint Menorahs”, New Years hats and more! Click Here to Check out our December Events Calendar.
The Christmas season is typically the busiest time of year. It’s easy to get caught up in the stress of rushing to every holiday event and checking everything off your to-do list before Christmas day. Carving out time, amidst the hustle and bustle, to do holiday activities with your preschooler is a wonderful way to slow down and enjoy the season. Toys quickly come and go but the memories you make with your child will last for years!
Here are some of the most popular Christmas activities for preschool-age children that you can do together.
Christmas Decorations
The beauty and whimsy of Christmas decorations can fill even parents with awe and wonder. Silly homemade ornaments and simple strands of popcorn garland can look divine alongside twinkling lights and greenery. Most children love the opportunity to be creative and help you make your home look magical. The three most popular Christmas decorations to make are paper snowflakes, popcorn garlands, and ornaments.
Paper Snowflakes
Paper snowflakes are simple and unique holiday decorations that you can stick on your windows and walls. Many parents love this holiday craft because you don’t have to worry about messy paints or glue. All you need to make these decorations is a stack of white printer paper and child-safe scissors. Check out Instructables step-by-step instructions to learn how to make easy 6-pointed paper snowflakes! https://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-6-Pointed-Paper-Snowflakes/
Popcorn Garlands
Families have been making popcorn garlands for their Christmas trees since the 1880s. It’s just as fun today as it was then! You only need three supplies for this holiday craft: plain popcorn, a thick needle, and thread. It’s a good idea to pop the popcorn a couple of days before so that it can become stale. If you want to make your popcorn garland pop, you can dye the popcorn different colors with food coloring. To protect your preschooler from poking their finger with the needle, it’s a good idea to hold the needle yourself and have them pass you the popcorn. You can find more tips and step-by-step instructions on how to make a popcorn garland with kids at SparkandPook.com. http://www.sparkandpook.com/2016/11/22/how-to-make-a-popcorn-garland-with-kids/
Christmas Ornaments
If you want to create holiday decorations with your children that you can cherish for years, make Christmas ornaments together! You can make Christmas ornaments out of almost anything! You could make reindeer out of clothespins, pipe cleaners and felt. Or Snowmen made from different sized cotton balls glued together with googly eyes and felt accessories. No matter what materials you use, be sure to have your child include the year and their initial on the ornament.You can find more ideas and instructions for jolly DIY Christmas ornaments at EasyPeasyandFun.com. https://www.easypeasyandfun.com/christmas-ornaments-for-kids-to-make/
Write a letter to Santa
Helping your preschool child practice writing will never be more fun than when you write to Santa together. Sending Santa Claus a handwritten letter is a fun tradition for you and them. Even before you sit down to write the letter together, you can start brainstorming out loud with them about what they want. During that conversation, you can also ask them what they wish Santa would bring for other people they care about. This is a wonderful way to teach them that Christmas is about more than receiving gifts. It’s about showing love and compassion for others. If you want help crafting the perfect letter to Santa with your kiddo, check out WikiHow’s cute and helpful step-by-step instructions! https://www.wikihow.com/Write-a-Letter-to-Santa-Claus
Go Christmas Caroling
If your child loves to sing, there’s no better Christmas activity to do together than caroling! This is an activity that can bring as much joy to others as to yourselves especially if you visit a local nursing home or hospital. The joyous sound of people of all ages singing familiar tunes together is a great gift to give others.
To ensure that your caroling adventure goes smoothly, be sure to plan ahead! Decide on a meetup spot, travel route and end time with your caroling group. Make sure that this information is communicated to everyone who plans to come along! It’s also a great idea to decide what carols you’d like to sing and print out the lyrics. Before you head out the door, let your preschooler know any important ground rules such as not to enter anyone’s home or room alone.
While your kids are home for the holidays, we encourage every Kids R Kids’ parent and beyond to take advantage of this time to do at least one of these fun Christmas activities! Intentionally setting aside time to do holly jolly holiday activities with your child makes the Christmas season more meaningful for you and them. It allows you to teach them about what this season means to your family and create memories that will last a lifetime!