As we come into December, yuletide spirit is now well and truly upon us and with it, grandparents across the United Kingdom will be looking forward to all sorts of activities they can do with their family. With the younger contingent of any family usually bursting at the seams with excitement at this time of year, many of us can become somewhat daunted when trying to decide what we can get up to at Christmas, especially with the temperatures plummeting across the nation.
With this in mind the Bathing Solutions team has come up with the following fun ideas for grandparents wanting to do something a little different with their favourite little tykes this festive season.
1. Cookery
Due to the fact that many of us senior citizens would rather keep out of the customary sub-zero temperatures during the Christmas holidays, the kitchen could well be the best place to have some fun this December. Although this one obviously takes some careful supervision, rustling up some Christmas classics is a fantastic DIY activity and as well as being extremely enjoyable, it can be ever so educational for the little ones too. And, let’s face it, nothing says Christmas like the smell of freshly baked cakes and cinnamon!
2. Art & Design
A fantastic activity that the little ones just love and keeps you out of the cold, is art and crafts. The best thing about this one is that the Christmas period provides all the inspiration you and the grandkids need to produce some great mementos. So, if you fancy yourself a bit of a dab hand with the crayons and your little rogues like to get creative, this could be an ideal DIY holiday activity. You could make anything from wreaths and candelabras to pictures of Santa and decorations for the Christmas tree, the opportunities are endless and this could be a great way to spend an afternoon or even a whole day during the Christmas Holidays.
3. Christmas Movies
Although we are all very conscious of getting the kids out of the house as much as possible, it is Christmas after all and there is no time like the Christmas holidays when it comes to classic movies. You could make this one even more fun by making some homemade popcorn with the grandkids the old fashioned way and the whole family can then settle down to a quintessential Christmas film such as Home Alone, The Grinch, Miracle on 34th Street or maybe something more modern such as Elf. We all love a Christmas movie and this will probably be the quietest the grandkids will be all week, giving grandparents and parents a like some welcome respite from the chaos.
4. Christmas Treasure Hunt
This holiday activity is ideal for anyone with a big garden and can be a great idea if you want to keep the little ones occupied for a long period of time and offer rewards. Although treasure hunts are often reserved for Easter, a Christmas hunt can be just as enjoyable and the prizes don’t need to be huge either. Why not keep the family guessing with rewards such as an extra 30 minutes out of bed of an evening or even an ever sought after journey in the front of the car? A treasure hunt is always gratefully received by the grandkids and the rest of the family can even get involved with this one. If you have energetic grandchildren and need an activity that is physically challenging as well as mentally challenging, then a festive treasure hunt could be perfect.
5. Board Games
One can hardly turn the television on at this time of year without seeing an advert for the latest board game and your grandkids will most likely absolutely love them. These games are now super modern and often involve some of the latest technology to make the gaming experience all the more enjoyable. So, why not take a trip to your local WH Smiths and see what the latest board games are? Alternatively, you can always bring out one of the Christmas stalwarts for a morning or afternoon of fun with all the family. Some of the bigger board games are even releasing specialist children’s answers, meaning you don’t have to feel to mean when you give them a good thrashing.
6. Thank You Letters
If you are struggling to find some holiday activities after Christmas Day then why not get the kids started on their all-important thankyou letters? Mum and Dad will definitely thank you and you could incentivise them with their favourite sweets or perhaps one of the aforementioned Christmas movies. Often grandchildren are very keen to show off their newly acquired writing skills to their grandparents so this could be a great way to get what could be deemed as a chore if set by Mum and Dad completed with minimum fuss. If you can get these done in between Christmas and New Year it could end up being a weight off everyone’s shoulders and a great activity for the winter holidays.
7. Museums
Finally, if the grandkids absolutely insist on going out during the Christmas holidays when you are looking after them, then why not take them to some of the local museums? These are free in the majority of cases and will usually have special exhibitions on during the winter break. This is an activity that can be enjoyed by all the family and is often a fantastic way to fuse fun and education.
*image credit FreeImages.com/Ali Taylor /Trisha Shears