As we are running behind last week of school, most of the parents are coming up with questions, how to engage kids in Home, are you making any plan to engage kids during this Christmas break or are you going for any vacation!!
For me Christmas holidays are one of the best times to spend with kids and as a family. Here, sharing some of the ways to engage kids below the age of 13.
Make Holiday Schedule Together
Take 30 min of time, sit with your kids and ask them to write or you can help them. Make list of how many days holidays are there, what they wish to do during this holidays , write all their wishes and write down as parents what thing you wish to add to the list, include your family plans with inviting friends , potluck options and go out together ( it might be reduced sugar , outdoor walking , your favorite movie or anything you wish to add, talk to them and add).
Keep this as a rough copy. Now bring all the wishes into your holiday schedule, kids will be more than happy to write and follow their wish for the holiday.
Keep the wish list flexible, the thing is you and kids should have an idea how to face the holidays and how to enjoy the best.
As parents, it will give an outline for you to prepare and plan ahead instead of being blank and thinking of what to do till the evening and wasting the time. Now you can peacefully spend the happy time with kids and family.
Reading Books
Winter evenings or after dinner time are the best time to read and engage with kids. Stack up with a library book of your kid’s favorite book. Keep reading a book as an every day routine or after dinner activity with cuddles and most importantly without any other gadgets.
Don’t just go through the reading lines but start imagining the character by making conversation through the story of the book. Make real conversation, go with the modulation of the character , the little kids who are reading level 1, 2 and 3 will enjoy the imaginary story time with parents.
If kids are grown up, then you can enjoy reading your own book or you can engage with kids by making conversation about how the story is interesting to them and what all their favorite characters are and so on!!
Reading books during evening time in Winter will bring you great memories for lifelong!!
Play with kids
Play means play no other thought, yes you’re reading it correctly, the only best gift you can ever give to your child will be your undisturbed time. As parents you know your kids ever-day schedule during holidays at home.
So you have to plan ahead and you should know when the kids will ask you to play.
And by the time you have to be ready to play or just keep or leave the work to do after focused playing with kids. For girls it will be Barbie, Elsa or cooking / drawing/ painting / coloring / winter craft/ board game whatever they can play for an hour then they will shift to other things , so just focus and give your time for that 1 hour.
Watching movie
Make a list of all the movies your kids and family want to watch. As you already made the list of what to do for the holiday, you should know where to give their Movie time, how many days and how many hours and even you can plan to have movie time with their same aged group in the morning time or afternoon time!!
Most kids will be interested in watching movies, so this is a good time for you to spend some time with them and also relax yourself while they are watching movies.
Invite Friends
As for the schedule, plan according to your kids and family preference – Invite Kids friends only for breakfast or lunch or dinner and should windup by 8 to 8.30 pm.
Keep the invite simple and neat with one homemade food( pasta, noodles, idly or idiyappam, kichadi or chapati ) and fruits, don’t allow any outside or store bought food for the friends invite.
Play games and the best will be freeze dance or pin the tail !!
Cook together
This is one of the finest times to teach the importance of home cooking and how to help in the kitchen!!. Ask them to peel garlic , mint leaves, mix or chop or clean the countertop, in whatever possible ways that will be good. Keep that, it all should happen in a very kind, gently happy way!!.
Go for Christmas lights watch ( Outdoor)
Gear-up the winter clothes to visit your local community Christmas lights or Christmas event in your city.
Every city will make their own Christmas celebration place like around shopping complex or downtown to walk along the way will be the good way to enjoy the Christmas with kids.
Go with your friends and families for local Christmas events in day time or in the evening time.
Boost their Health with rest and food
After 30 plus adults are talking about the importance of good night sleep and eating healthy, reducing sugar or not including sugar !!. Take this holiday as an advantage for your kids’ health, back to back cold and flu. For the past 2 months most of the kids have fallen sick.
Give the little human best needed sleep of (10 to 12) by practicing going to sleep on time mainly during the holiday. Yes, enjoy the full morning time and keep the evening time for mild food and good night sleep.
Nourish them with homemade food, fruits and good amount of water by avoiding outside food and snacks!
Not all holidays are meant to go outside, eat at restaurants. At least, once take any one of your favorite holidays to stay at home and to calm and happily spend time with the loved ones around You. You have to take the break that no one can give. Have a happy Christmas holidays.
