28 November 2023
5 min.
The approaching holidays welcome a season of joy, giving and, most importantly, togetherness. At Hape, we believe that it's the moments spent with loved ones that truly make the season special.
As we countdown the days to Christmas, we've curated a delightful dozen of heartwarming activities to make each day memorable. Read on to discover 12 festive activities to foster togetherness and create moments that matter this December.
Grab some art supplies and spend the day making holiday decorations, like paper snowflakes or Christmas cards! Their creativity is the limit, and children can paint, glue, and cut, enhancing their creativity and motor skills. If you’re looking for some craft activities that are a bit more structured, why not check out our blog’s Activity Corner? It has downloadable, printable activity sheets to keep children entertained with a variety of festive-themed DIY projects.
Dust off your musical instruments or just use your voices to get into the holiday spirit. This family activity is a brilliant way to introduce children to the joys of music and foster emotional family bonds in a fun, familiar setting. Did we mention it boosts memory recall and encourages vocal expression?
It’s time to whip out the cookie cutters and get baking! Whether you’re making gingerbread men or frosting festive cookies, the kitchen becomes a playground, teaching budding bakers patience and the joy of creation (and a bit of tasty chemistry!). Following the recipe’s instructions also helps improve their concentration and active listening skills.
Take an evening to go through old photo albums or videos. It’s a fantastic opportunity for children to hear family stories and for parents to reminisce about milestones and memories. This activity not only encourages essential family time and memory recall, but also helps foster children’s sense of identity and belonging within the family unit.
The season of giving provides the perfect opportunity for children to declutter their toy closets and help those less fortunate in the process. Encourage children to go through their toys and donate the ones they’ve outgrown or no longer play with. It’s a lesson in empathy and the joy of giving and, as a bonus, helps teach them positive organisational habits.
Gather white paper plates, markers, coloured paper and glue. Each family member uses a plate as their snowman’s face, drawing and customising it using their imagination. You can even add a paper top hat or earmuffs for extra flair. This simple craft boosts creativity and helps refine motor skills, and once all family members have made their snowman, hang them up as festive decorations.
What better way to spend chilly days in with the family than a festive movie marathon? Pick family favourites or new holiday classics and snuggle up with some popcorn and hot cocoa. Family movie marathons not only become cherished holiday traditions but also provide children with necessary downtime during the winter chaos to unwind and reduce holiday stress or anxiety.
Keep little fingers busy and minds buzzing with a DIY gift-wrapping activity. Coordination and creativity go hand-in-hand as children wrap presents using newspaper, brown paper or even better, their own drawings! Not only is this a more eco-conscious and personal way to wrap gifts, but it also presents valuable teaching opportunities about sustainability.
Get out your favourite board games, card games or puzzles and play together as a family.
Playing games or engaging in puzzles can teach children strategy, patience and key social skills, like the importance of fair play and following the rules.
In this activity, each family member can choose their favourite dishes, write down the recipe, and recount any special memories associated with it. Younger children can help by drawing pictures or decorating the cookbook pages. Not only does this activity foster creativity and writing skills, but it also serves as a lesson in family history and storytelling.
Creating a family time capsule is a fun and meaningful activity that offers a snapshot of life at a particular moment. Start by discussing as a family what you’d like to remember about this current year or period in your lives and collect items that are meaningful to you, like photographs, toys or a note to your future self. Place the items in a durable box or container and decide on a date to reopen it in the future – perhaps in 5, 10, or even 20 years. Bury it in the garden or store it in a memorable spot in your home. Considering what to put in the capsule helps children reflect on what is important to them now and fosters introspection about the past, present and future.
End your 12 days by creating a gratitude journal. Each family member writes what they’re thankful for from the year and shares with the family, reflecting and telling stories about the year’s ups and downs. It’s a reminder of the year’s blessings and daily moments of gratitude, which fosters emotional awareness and appreciation in children.
Family togetherness is a gift, and the 12 activities highlighted in this post have been thoughtfully chosen to cultivate those precious moments that matter. More than just bonding exercises, each activity serves a dual purpose: strengthening family ties and contributing to the all-round development of children.
