As you know, at Practically Family, we love to sprinkle magic 365 days a year, but we’ll admit we can’t contain our excitement when it comes to December! We’ve got an extra, special jingle in our step and we’re not afraid to snow it! When you spend as much time with kids as we do, having awe-inspiring, clever creative activities, crafts, and games constantly up our sleeves is what makes us special (and loved by kids) even if we say so ourselves.
We love to raise excitement levels up a notch (and get our craft on) at the best of times but Christmas is a whole new level of FUN, FUN, FUN! Who can resist the oodles of amazing things we can do with the kids this time of year? If you’re wanting to spread a bit of extra Christmas cheer, do something different and sprinkle a bit of magic on top this year, then we’ve got you covered! We’ve dug deep into our Christmas stocking and pulled together some of the best, most awe inducing magical ideas that you can do (easily) at home.
Ready, set, let’s ho, ho, ho!
From pre-school to big kids, adding sugar to any festive fuelled excitement just makes everything soooooo much more fun! We love these super yummy ideas!
The North Pole breakfast is a festive feast your kids will love. It’s basically an over-the-top Christmassy looking breakfast with lots of yummy treats. You can be as healthy or as sugar fuelled as you like, with fruit laid out in the shape of Christmas trees, toast cut into festive shapes using Christmas cutters or it could be a stacked plate of doughnuts, hot chocolate with candy cane stirrers and mountains of marshmallows. Decorate the table with Christmas plates and napkins, tinsel and Christmas decorations. The more the merrier. There’s oodles of free printable place cards and table decorations on Pinterest to add some extra festive flare. It’s kid approved and one meal they won’t be asking “Can we leave the table?”
Good for families with a competitive streak, each member of the family decorates their own Gingerbread house (pre-bought or homemade!) and the house with the most votes, wins! Agree up front who the judges are – is it Granny and Grandad or carefully selected family and friends? The prize is up to you – will the winner get a few extra pigs-in-blankets on their Christmas dinner or an “I’m excused” pass to get out of the Christmas washing up? Either way it’s a sleighful of fun everyone will remember.
There’s just so many amazing fun activities you can do over the festive season. Why not try some of these to get everyone giggling!
This is a jaw-droppingly magical and cute thing to do with little ones. Sprinkle jellybeans into a plant pot or on your lawn. Add some special Christmas magic *wink* and in the morning these will have grown into gorgeous candy canes. It’s exactly how Santa grows them.
We all know not to go near yellow snow, but what about blue, purple or even green? Fill up water guns or spray bottles with food colouring and let them paint a festive masterpiece in the blank canvas of the snow. Not looking like a white Christmas, don’t fret. Make your own ‘fake’ snow and grab food colouring and brushes and let them paint that instead. See how here https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/how-make-fake-snow
Is there anything better than that warm fuzzy feeling we get over Christmas? Add an extra sparkle this year with these oh so memorable experiences we guarantee will blow their Christmas socks off!
Take Christmas movie night one step further and set up camp for the whole night right next to the twinkling lights of the Christmas tree. The kids won’t believe their ears when you say it’s a seasonal slumber party. Throw in festive snack and drinks and you’re all set. Festive PJs are of course optional…NOT!
All aboard! Surprise them before bedtime with a Christmas trip to see the local Christmas lights. Wrapped up in dressing-gowns, hand them their very own ticket to (just like on the Polar Express) and bundle them into the car for this magical trip. You can do a mini scavenger hunt to spot Christmas characters or simply load them up with popcorn and chocolate milk train-tastic snacks!
Begin the Christmas fun as the last day of term ends. Welcome them home with the doorway wrapped by Order of the North Pole. Their job is to break through the wrapping to start Christmas officially in your house! Wrap the doorway using two strips of wrapping paper attached to the doorframe and taped down the middle. Decorate with bows and let them burst through it in festive glee!
Magic and meaning are the perfect partners at Christmas time. The thrill and excitement of the season isn’t just the present-y stuff, it’s the special time, memories and laughter of families being together. Here’s a few ideas you might want to include this year!
Disclaimer this will hit you right in the Christmas feels. Create a memories book that you ask the kids to write in each year at the end of Christmas day. They can write anything they choose - their best gift this Christmas, a funny story, joke, or picture. Decorate the book with tinsel or wrapping paper and then simply add to it each year. It’ll be the most wonderful keepsake of Christmases past.
There are many ways you can do this gorgeous idea, but the core principle remains the same. After the unwrapping frenzy of Christmas morning there is one present that remains unopened. You can either hide this away to ‘surprise’ the kids with an extra gift later in the evening or this can be a family gift that you all open together at the end of the day.
Gathering to read a Christmas tale is one of the most enjoyable ways to countdown to Christmas. Reading a few chapters every night snuggled up together is such a precious way to spend the winter evenings. There are oodles of Christmassy books to enjoy for every age range. Whether you dive in to JK Rowling’s new book The Christmas Pig, The Christmasaurus, or introduce younger kids to classics like The Jolly Christmas Postman, these are books you’ll treasure forever and return to year after year.
It’s always good to do a little something to give back and getting your kids on board with the season of goodwill is a heart-warming activity. Whether it’s filling a shoebox of goodies for children less fortunate or going to the supermarket to buy a bagful of groceries for the local foodbank, taking to time to think of others is a fantastic way to add extra heart to the season.
Add some extra magic to your Christmas list and make this holiday season the best one yet!
Ready, set, let’s ho, ho, ho!
- Sugar + Festive Fuelled Excitement = Fun!
From pre-school to big kids, adding sugar to any festive fuelled excitement just makes everything soooooo much more fun! We love these super yummy ideas!
- North Pole Breakfast
The North Pole breakfast is a festive feast your kids will love. It’s basically an over-the-top Christmassy looking breakfast with lots of yummy treats. You can be as healthy or as sugar fuelled as you like, with fruit laid out in the shape of Christmas trees, toast cut into festive shapes using Christmas cutters or it could be a stacked plate of doughnuts, hot chocolate with candy cane stirrers and mountains of marshmallows. Decorate the table with Christmas plates and napkins, tinsel and Christmas decorations. The more the merrier. There’s oodles of free printable place cards and table decorations on Pinterest to add some extra festive flare. It’s kid approved and one meal they won’t be asking “Can we leave the table?”
- Gingerbread Decorating Competition
Good for families with a competitive streak, each member of the family decorates their own Gingerbread house (pre-bought or homemade!) and the house with the most votes, wins! Agree up front who the judges are – is it Granny and Grandad or carefully selected family and friends? The prize is up to you – will the winner get a few extra pigs-in-blankets on their Christmas dinner or an “I’m excused” pass to get out of the Christmas washing up? Either way it’s a sleighful of fun everyone will remember.
- Oh-so Festive Fun and Games
There’s just so many amazing fun activities you can do over the festive season. Why not try some of these to get everyone giggling!
- Growing Candy Canes
This is a jaw-droppingly magical and cute thing to do with little ones. Sprinkle jellybeans into a plant pot or on your lawn. Add some special Christmas magic *wink* and in the morning these will have grown into gorgeous candy canes. It’s exactly how Santa grows them.
- Snow Painting
We all know not to go near yellow snow, but what about blue, purple or even green? Fill up water guns or spray bottles with food colouring and let them paint a festive masterpiece in the blank canvas of the snow. Not looking like a white Christmas, don’t fret. Make your own ‘fake’ snow and grab food colouring and brushes and let them paint that instead. See how here https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/how-make-fake-snow
- Extra Special Experiences That’ll Blow their Christmas Socks Off
Is there anything better than that warm fuzzy feeling we get over Christmas? Add an extra sparkle this year with these oh so memorable experiences we guarantee will blow their Christmas socks off!
- Camp Next to the Christmas Tree
Take Christmas movie night one step further and set up camp for the whole night right next to the twinkling lights of the Christmas tree. The kids won’t believe their ears when you say it’s a seasonal slumber party. Throw in festive snack and drinks and you’re all set. Festive PJs are of course optional…NOT!
- Santa Express to See the Christmas Lights
All aboard! Surprise them before bedtime with a Christmas trip to see the local Christmas lights. Wrapped up in dressing-gowns, hand them their very own ticket to (just like on the Polar Express) and bundle them into the car for this magical trip. You can do a mini scavenger hunt to spot Christmas characters or simply load them up with popcorn and chocolate milk train-tastic snacks!
- End of School Step into Christmas
Begin the Christmas fun as the last day of term ends. Welcome them home with the doorway wrapped by Order of the North Pole. Their job is to break through the wrapping to start Christmas officially in your house! Wrap the doorway using two strips of wrapping paper attached to the doorframe and taped down the middle. Decorate with bows and let them burst through it in festive glee!
- Add Some New Traditions to Your Merry Season
Magic and meaning are the perfect partners at Christmas time. The thrill and excitement of the season isn’t just the present-y stuff, it’s the special time, memories and laughter of families being together. Here’s a few ideas you might want to include this year!
- Christmas Memories Book
Disclaimer this will hit you right in the Christmas feels. Create a memories book that you ask the kids to write in each year at the end of Christmas day. They can write anything they choose - their best gift this Christmas, a funny story, joke, or picture. Decorate the book with tinsel or wrapping paper and then simply add to it each year. It’ll be the most wonderful keepsake of Christmases past.
- The Last Present
There are many ways you can do this gorgeous idea, but the core principle remains the same. After the unwrapping frenzy of Christmas morning there is one present that remains unopened. You can either hide this away to ‘surprise’ the kids with an extra gift later in the evening or this can be a family gift that you all open together at the end of the day.
- Reading a Christmas Story
Gathering to read a Christmas tale is one of the most enjoyable ways to countdown to Christmas. Reading a few chapters every night snuggled up together is such a precious way to spend the winter evenings. There are oodles of Christmassy books to enjoy for every age range. Whether you dive in to JK Rowling’s new book The Christmas Pig, The Christmasaurus, or introduce younger kids to classics like The Jolly Christmas Postman, these are books you’ll treasure forever and return to year after year.
- Giving Gifts to Others
It’s always good to do a little something to give back and getting your kids on board with the season of goodwill is a heart-warming activity. Whether it’s filling a shoebox of goodies for children less fortunate or going to the supermarket to buy a bagful of groceries for the local foodbank, taking to time to think of others is a fantastic way to add extra heart to the season.
Add some extra magic to your Christmas list and make this holiday season the best one yet!
If you’d like to find out more about the practical magic we can bring to your family please get in touch.
Call 07581 156684 or email sophie@practicallyfamily.co.uk
