Outside Christmas games

[absolutelyknackeredcow]

Last year we went on a walk with the kids as my Dad was up with his dogs.
We had our main course lunch, tidied up, went for a walk with the dogs while it was still light and then came back for Christmas log and pudding and more wine.
The children were noticeably calmer and better behaved.
This year we are going to the MIL - she serves lunch so late that a walk is impossible and the kids won't want to go out when we have just arrived so I was thinking about some Christmas outdoor games for the kids while we wait ( and wait) for lunch.,, Any ideas they will be 6.4 and 9 years

My DS got a Swingball last year for Christmas so he spent a good hour or so outside playing with it either by himself or with anybody else who joined in.

It depends on how much space you have, but one year we did a Santa sack race. Just a couple of those large presents sacks you can get at places like B&M instead of plain ones, and race as usual! Plus you could probably get some of the adults involved too.

Kim’s game/Treasure Hunt
Skipping ropes in stockings
Why can’t they go for a walk after arriving but before late lunch? A little encouragement and no,choice should do the trick.

Some good ideas here thanks - like the Santa sack one.
Part of the problem with MIL is she says 'it's nearly ready' but sometimes this is right and sometimes it can be two hours off

This sounds like my mum with the “nearly ready”. After saying lunch will be at three it’s usually ready at 5! Definitely going to plan some outside games. I got a giant outdoor snakes and ladders in the sale over the summer, that might come in handy. I like the sack race idea too.

We have one of those big parachutes that you hold in a circle. Like this (there are cheaper ones but linked to that because the photo makes more sense than I do)
It’s very good for all ages and you can do different games like trying to keep a ball on it, running underneath etc.

You could do various games walking round, looking at other houses' decorations, for unusual or traditional things. Who can spot purple Christmas lights, moving deer, a tree with an angel on top? Also going to a local park, and seeing what things look like they might be brand new Christmas presents. (This was my mum's favourite part of Christmas Day - walking and looking at the houses. In about 2003, living rooms were full of people waving their arms, clutching their Wii remotes!)

Here's a fun Christmassy game that can work well outdoors: steal Santa's presents, which I was once involved in, and was hugely popular. Lots of small objects "presents" which can easily be picked up are scattered in a big space. One person (could be a non-playing adult) stands at the side, who will guide the players. One player is Santa, who wears a Santa hat, and bells. The others are all blindfolded: their job is to try and find the presents, guided by the person at the side (all the more exciting when they're trying to guide several people at once!). Santa tries to thwart them by picking up presents and moving them about; Santa can carry up to two presents. The blindfolded players can hear where Santa is: if one of them touches him, they get whatever presents Santa is carrying, and they become Santa.