Keeping kids entertained in the holidays can be tough, particularly when Christmas is looming. Those few days before and after the big day can be difficult to fill. During the summer, you could just let them get on with it in the garden and go about your day without a care in the world. Winter, however, is a far less forgiving season. Don’t despair though! Not only does the season throw up a number of at-home opportunities, but the UK is a surprisingly large and varied island and there is plenty within its coastlines to keep you and your kids entertained this festive holiday.
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DIY Decorations
Christmas means crafts! December is perhaps the only month of the year where it’s perfectly respectable (even encouraged) to go a little overboard with the décor and really let your creativity shine. Take advantage of this by getting your kids in on the action. Setting an afternoon aside to help them design and create their own Christmas crafts will not only keep them occupied for at least a few hours, but it will give them something to be proud of that they can hang on the tree, over the fireplace or even on your front door wreath.
Ice Skating
Even if your children are not particularly graceful, a festive ice skating excursion will help them with their balance and could even blossom into a legitimate hobby. As December descends, skating rinks pop open across the UK, with some of the biggest and best including the Eden Project in Cornwall and the iconic Hampton Court Palace.
German Markets
As ubiquitous in the UK now as Lynx Africa gift sets and Doctor Who, German Christmas Markets have started appearing in almost every major city in the country. Far from just being an excuse for adults to drink themselves into a stupor and gorge on curried sausage, these markets offer a lot of potential fun for the kids too. Just be sure to keep them close, as these markets tend to get very busy with festive revellers, particularly at the weekends.
Mince Pie Making
Whilst not everybody loves them, Brits put away an average of 27 mince pies in the run-up to Christmas every year. Rather than buy your batch from the local supermarket, why not instead get the family involved and bake them yourself at home? Mince pies are incredibly easy to bake, with a recipe that can quite comfortably be taught to a child.
Seeing Santa
If your kids are at that age where they “still believe,” you’re probably going to want to nurture that beautiful naivety for as long as possible! In the lead up to Christmas, most local shopping centres and garden centres will host their very own “meet and greet” Santa Claus events. You might even get a free gift out of it if you play your cards right and you can get them to sit still on Santa’s knee.
The Polar Express Train Ride has to be one of the best meeting Santa experiences around in the UK, this film is the perfect Christmas film that both adults and children will love. Being able to bring it alive it just magical. Stepping onto the train dressed in your PJs and all the dancers to bring the experience alive! Then topped off with meeting Santa, it’s a memory you will keep forever.
Pantomime
Finally, there can be few British Christmas traditions held in quite as high a regard as the classic Panto! Whether you want to keep it local and support your town’s local amateur dramatics group or hear into the city and catch a familiar face from the TV, the festive season always brings with it a vast selection of Pantomime options. The audience participation and the familiar stories mean that your kids should be able to hold their attention for the duration and who knows, you might even have a laugh yourself… Oh no, you won’t!
With these helpful hints as a guide, you should be able to plan your Christmas break with military precision and make sure that there’s not one solitary day this December where your kids and their friends will be able to moan about being bored.
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