Christmas activity ideas

I thought we could do a thread for Christmas Activity Ideas, not necessarily crafts. It's always good to get inspiration from others.

This week we've got out the Christmas play dough. We've got scented play dough, christmas cookie cutters, shape stampers and sparkly bits for decoration. It's always a popular activity.

We've also got a small Christmas tree and various decorations. The older children enjoy decorating the tree, although the toddler tends to just stand and throw the baubles everywhere!

What fab ideas have you got?

Great idea for a thread Mouse! Although you've changed - should we be concerned that you are now the one front running Christmas? I bet you've got 'Last Christmas' blaring out as we type!

Some lovely activity ideas too Mouse. Thanks.

No idea what I'm doing yet. One thing I do usually do is put out a different Christmas themed book each day with a prop or two next to it. Nothing special or particularly instagram worthy, but I do find it easier at Christmas time to do this as a lot of the props are just Christmas 'tat', or stuff from the general Christmas box. Sometimes, if Santa and his sleigh are in the story I will add bells so that children can shake them each time santa is mentioned in the story.

I remember when I moved in here last year I made the decision to bin the Christmas postbox I had made years ago. I was desperate to downsize my resources and thought it was time I recycled it and made a new one. Now I wish I hadn't!

I haven't planned much yet but we will be baking some Christmas shaped biscuits, a sensory tray with Christmas coloured rice. I have a few Lanka Kade wooden Christmas characters as well as Happyland nativity set so I will set up some small world scenes. Planning on getting our Christmas books and resources out at the weekend then full on Christmas mode next week. (we are having some work done to the house the week before Christmas so decorations will be to a minimum as they will have to come back down again on the 21st! not great timing but it had to fit in with DH being home to deal with the workman and the dog:panic:)

Wow Pixie, how long do you expect the work to take? Will it be done by Christmas? At least you will appreciate it all come the new year.

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Originally Posted by Maza

Great idea for a thread Mouse! Although you've changed - should we be concerned that you are now the one front running Christmas? I bet you've got 'Last Christmas' blaring out as we type!

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:ROFL1::ROFL1:

If you EVER see me say I'm listening to 'Last Christmas' you know my account has been hacked and it's not me posting :laughing:

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Originally Posted by Maza

Wow Pixie, how long do you expect the work to take? Will it be done by Christmas? At least you will appreciate it all come the new year.

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Should only be 2 days we are having some windows and the back door replaced so there will be plenty of fresh air circulating the house on those two days :laughing: looking forward to having a bedroom window that doesn't whistle when its windy.

Good idea Mouse (but who are you and where is the real Mouse?!!)

We've been making Advent Calendars this week. They'll take them home, but I think plans were afoot to make one to keep here.

Next week I'll get out my Fisher Price little people nativity scene ... usually by the end of term, they've been joined by Father Christmas, random animals and people, a few vehicles and last year, one little girl was worried they were hungry so gave them crates off play food!

I usually have a sensory tray/ basket with baubles, tinsel, cards, stars, holly, a jar of fake snow, smelly bag of cloves, stockings, etc. They often fill the stockings with everything. This generally stays out all December too.

I've got a little wooden tree this year and a few little decorations for the children to put on ( and take off ) it .... but I have a thrower, so might not always have that accessible as don't want it broken!

I have LOTS of Christmas books, so we read those and I seem to have acquired a fair few Christmas cuddles, so they join in story time. One of my favourite stories is Wombat Devine ... he wants to be in the nativity play ... but everyone else gets a part... then he does. Its very sweet. We also love Dear Santa, and one about sharing a Christmas tree ... but the title escapes me at the moment. I bought 'Pick a pine tree' as recommended by the hygge course, so I'll see how that goes! Oh, and also 'going on an elf hunt' .... I love books! :laughing:

I have an Advent craft calendar that has a different craft in it for each day after school ( May not be different every day ... depends which children are here when;) ) and then a wooden house calendar that has a choc/sweet in for after tea!

The favourite book for years here has to be ‘smelly sprout ‘ and ‘Santa needs a wee’. The children really like these , haven’t go them down yet . They like to join in with shouting “out smelly sprout!”

My all time favourite is ‘ Twas The night before Christmas ‘

Loocyloo I was so tempted to get that book too. Is it lovely? Someone said it was in the 10 books for £10 from The Works, so I probably would have got it - but they have sold out of the 10 for £10 books. I've not seen the going on an elf hunt book!

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Originally Posted by Maza

Loocyloo I was so tempted to get that book too. Is it lovely? Someone said it was in the 10 books for £10 from The Works, so I probably would have got it - but they have sold out of the 10 for £10 books. I've not seen the going on an elf hunt book!

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I quite like it .... it talks about looking after your tree, and decorating it.... but I've not read it to anyone yet! Going on an elf hunt is lovely .. lots of little flaps to lift!

I didn't see it at the works ... I think it was about £5 from Amazon. ... I've just found it on YouTube.... maybe watch it and see what you think. ( can't say I particularly like the way it is being read, nor the fact that they don't turn the book the right way at the end!!! )

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Originally Posted by Dragonfly

My all time favourite is ‘ Twas The night before Christmas ‘

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Mine too!!!


We did a quiz the other night and 2 of the questions in a Christmas round required knowledge of this poem! Then the quizmasters gave the WRONG answer! I accidentally quoted about half the poem to them!:laughing:

‘Twas The Night Before Christmas is my favourite. We started reading it this week but only one of the children showed any interest. I’ll persevere but I may just have to keep reading it to myself!

Have any of you got the ‘Who’s In Your Book’ books by Tom Fletcher? My grandson loves them and I’ve just bought him the There’s An Elf In Your Book book. They’re definitely worth a look.

I have a Christmas bingo game I printed and laminated years ago but they still love it. They each have set days to open the calendar and get a small gift. Usually works out to 2 days each. I do little xmas hunts around the garden once we break up from school. We do lots of crafts but they choose to do them or not. I do like them to have something to take home to parents though