December is arguably the best month of the year. The countdown to Christmas is on. Christmas carols are playing in every store and kids are making their Christmas lists. But the best part of the holidays is the time spent with family friends. There are so many fun events to attend and traditions to uphold that sometimes it can feel equally exciting and overwhelming. So we thought it would be fun to come up with a list of the five best holiday activities to do with your preschooler.
2020 has also been an unusual year with many events being canceled, and families unable to gather together as usual. That’s why it is more important than ever to prioritize the time you have together with your children and maximize the fun. You may be floundering for ideas due to the usual things being canceled this year, but there is still so much fun to be had!
We are here to help with our list of the best five holiday activities to do with your preschooler:
Make Christmas Cookies
This is a given, right? Making Christmas cookies is every kid’s favorite holiday activity. From rolling out the dough to adding the final sprinkles, kids love the process of making Christmas cookies. They get to let their inner creative out and sample all of the toppings. It doesn’t get much better than that. They get to make cookies in the shape of snowmen, angels, presents, and wreaths and make them any design they want. Most preschoolers don’t spend much time in the kitchen, so this is an opportunity to do something special and out of the ordinary with mom and dad.
Decorate a Gingerbread House
Decorating a gingerbread house is also a great holiday activity for preschoolers. It doesn’t matter what it looks like, they are sure to have fun doing it and sure to be proud of their creation afterward. Once again, getting to sample all of the candy is sure to be a big hit as well. This is such a great family activity because everyone can join in and participate. You can put on Christmas music and maybe even make a little family competition out of it. Target has really fun and unique gingerbread houses for the whole family; even a gingerbread village where everyone can make their own little house that together, creates a village!
Give A Gift To Someone In Need
As adults, we know that Christmas is more about what we give than what we receive. What better time to teach that lesson to your kids as well? They will be excited about making their Christmas lists, but encouraging them to be generous toward others will also get them excited. You could have them pick out a toy for a local toy drive, or take Christmas cards and some of those homemade cookies to an elderly neighbor. The ideas are limitless. Allow them to be a part of choosing the act of kindness, talk about why it’s important, and then talk about how it made them feel after they’ve done it. You never know, it might lead to really great conversations!
Make Homemade Ornaments
A great crafting idea is to make homemade ornaments together. There are so many different options to choose from! They could make imprints of their hands, or paper snowflakes, or even string dried orange slices together. You could browse ideas together on Pinterest and let your child pick what looks the most fun to them. Imagine how proud they will be to see it hanging on the tree. It doesn’t necessarily even have to be an ornament, just any Christmas craft is a fun activity to do together. Susie from the Busy Toddler is the queen of crafts for toddlers and has a great list of Easy Toddler Christmas Activities.
Watch A Christmas Movie
Watching a Christmas movie is sure to be a favorite activity for the whole family! Make it a big event by bringing a mattress on the living room floor, or making a tent to watch it from. Pop some popcorn for snacking and have the plate of Christmas cookies nearby too. Choose a favorite movie from your childhood, or choose a new one for everyone to watch for the first time. According to Buddy the Elf, “the best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear.” This is definitely true, but a close second is watching Christmas movies! It is simply the best way to spread the magic of Christmas!
At the Connection Point Early Learning Center, we hope this is a season full of joy and family. We hope that these activities are a small part of connecting with your loved ones during the holiday season!