What should I do with my 19 month old for Christmas Eve?

[StripyDeckchair]

19 month old and I will be home alone tomorrow as DH is at work and family not arriving until Christmas Day. In the rush of getting everything ready it's only just occurred to me that we have nothing planned.

I would normally take him out every day but most of the places/groups we go to are closed, obviously. The weather doesn't look great and if it were a normal day I'd settle for a slightly wingy day in with some colouring and CBeebies. But it's Christmas Eve! I want to make it special if I can.

What are your go to toddler activities at home? Any festive messy play or craft ideas? I've been looking online but not had much luck.

Thank you!

Does anywhere local to you have a Crib Service? They are usually lovely

Make some salt dough (loads of recipes online) and do some handprint Christmas ornaments, when you get them back out next Christmas you'll melt a little at seeing how small his hands were.

Make some Christmas crispy cakes, they're like normal crispy cakes but with a spray of edible shimmer on the top

Watch some short Christmas films, my youngest is a similar age and loves The Snowman/Snowman and the Snowdog, some of the Julia Donaldson cartoons are on BBC too.

French toast together for brunch
Brief cold trip to park
Snowman on tv?
Mid pm church service
start on wine during the lunchtime nap

Could he help with some baking? My Dd is a bit older but loves helping to mix etc.

Maybe you could make some glittery or Christmassy scented play dough for him to squish.

We have made handprint Santa Christmas cards for family and close friends which Dd enjoyed. She loves seeing her handiwork in other people’s houses.

Honestly though, at 19 months he won’t really know so don’t get too stressed about it. Take him to do your last minute jobs and for a drive around the area to see everyone’s Christmas lights.

Our local soft play centres are open til 2 tomorrow if you feel stir crazy, it might be worth checking.

So many answers in the time it took me to type.

Yes - these are brilliant!
There's a crib service just down the road. I'd totally forgotten that.

And we have edible glitter spray in the cupboard so the crispy cakes will be happening.

Also just found a craft idea for drawing round their handprint to make a Christmas tree shape and then "decorating" it with finger paints, so might try that as well.

And will search for a festive cartoon too.

Thank you!

I was going to say soft play in the morning. That's what we did with our eldest for his first couple of Christmas eves. It's usually not too busy either.

Cross post on the hand print idea! @Winky

Thanks for the suggestions.