Christmas Day Activity Boxes

[RightSaidPleb]

Hi all

Hoping the wisdom of mumsnet can help

I am hosting Christmas this year and have 4 nieces and nephews attending as well as my 2 year old. Age range is nearly 5-8years (plus my two year old who I think will be happy with an empty cardboard box)

I wanted to give each of them an activity box with a mixture of things they can do on the day solo, and things that they can do or make together.

We haven't been together for a couple of years so they'll inevitably be a bit of new bonding to do but I want to give them something to do on the day as our house isn't massive nor has lots of toys.

I know they'll get presents to play with but I wanted to put a few bits together for each of them that are specific 'activities' for the day?

Any thoughts would be so welcome!!

Scavenger hunt
Some games that they can play together like Snap or dominoes.
Giant colouring sheet

They will probably either bring a favourite new present from home, or end up opening presents that include things to play with in your house.

But in terms of having things for them to do that you could pull out if needed (and keep for another time if not):

Christmas themed printables - perhaps specifically a nice picture they can colour in as their Christmas Dinner Tablemat?
Or individual pages that can be coloured in but all join together to form a story that an adult could gather them in to read later in the afternoon (you might want a second copy just in case a key page goes missing or gets totally illegible by the colouring in).

A game they could play together - which could be new but is a "house" present so stays at your house for playing with on other visits/as your DC gets older. There are loads for at least 4 players - Hungry Hippos, Elefun, ....some are more active than others but a good toyshop would guide you.

Having a deck of cards is always useful - loads of different games to play, can build houses, older people can join in or teach games, ....

Cookies to decorate? That keeps my 5 and 7 year old busy for ages. Or a gingerbread house?

Fort building (after lunch when you won't need all the dining chairs for a while!) Not very christmas-y but always a winner.

Christmas/winter themed jigsaws?

Winter/Christmas themed activity books.

Thanks all so much

Some great ideas to keep them busy-and lots that they can do together!

I take onboard that they'll probably be busy with their latest toys and presents but history tells me they also all like to be kept busy and do love joint activities and games so I will absolutely be using a lot of these ideas!!

I would do a Christmas themed craft box, with colouring books, decorate your own decorations etc. And maybe get a game that the whole family can do together.

Mine are 5, 9 and 11. The only game they will happily all play together is Dobble. We have the Harry Potter Version. I bought uno for this year but we haven’t tried that out yet.

I bought a colour in Christmas table cloth on toys for a pound. Decorating gingerbread sounds fun too. Something outdoors like a Christmas decoration scavenger hunt walking around the neighbourhood.

Bumper Christmas colouring/activity books, own crayons/pencils. Go to home bargains, you will find loads of stuff there.

A fidget or pop it each, all the rage with kids at the moment. I’d get your 2yo one as guaranteed she will try taking theirs. My dd bought one of these with her money this week she loves it, it’s the new rubix cube but I can do it lol. Great for kids and adults to play with.

www.smythstoys.com/ie/en-ie/toys/sensory-toys/fidget-toys/rubik-s-rainbow-ball-clam-white-fidget-toy/p/202872?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=surfaces_across_google&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI54j_j8PK8wIV-IFQBh2NyAggEAQYBCABEgKKgPD_BwE

Cheap games that have been a hit with my DDs (I can’t remember names) fake snowballs thrown against targets, last year we got really big balls and made our own targets, throwing at Santa’s, in hoopla hoops etc. The hat that has Velcro on and throw balls at it and see if you can get them to stick. Again home bargains is great for stuff like them. This year I’ve bought a floss game, the faster the kids floss the faster the balls fly out of the cups on their wrists, I think I got it from Aldi.

I have bought things like that from Baker Ross in the past - www.bakerross.co.uk/christmas-store
We liked the scratch art