Making Christmas Magical for 5 year old in Isolation

[Ebbie81]

DS had covid and last day of isolation was yesterday, which was the day I tested positive! Overall I’ll fine, just really fed up. We live in a flat, I’m a single parent and we will no longer be able to see family over Christmas. Just feeling really sorry for DS. He will have been stuck indoors for weeks and as he’s only 5, I want to make his Christmas as magical as possible. We have already been playing loads of board games and reading books etc, but it’s starting to feel like Groundhog Day and I just don’t know what to do any more to keep him stimulated. My mum is local and could babysit a bit but I’m worried about her catching it as she’s 72, but I’m also worried we are both going to go crazy!
My question is, do you have any tips to make the big day extra magical (except for presents) I don’t want Christmas and Boxing Day to feel like every other day in this 20 day hell! Thank you in advance.

Can you make decorations? Salt dough and cookie cutters for shapes? Audio books in a blanket den? Listen to Christmas music from different countries? Arrange some Skype video calls with family and friends? Sounds tough but that you are already doing an amazing job. Nice things for yourself too to keep you sane!

Could your mum come and take him out for a walk/to the park?
She's highly unlikely to get it from him if he's just recovered and it gets him out of the house.
No idea how to make it magical, my son has just tested positive so in all likelihood me and my other son will too at some point this week. I'm a single mum too so it's really put a dampener on Christmas.
I'm sure it will be lovely whatever we do, I think us adults play it up more in our heads and the children are delighted with whatever happens as santa having been is just so magical for them anyway.

Hope you're ok and don't get too ill.

Does isolation start on the day you tested positive or when you first had symptoms?

Sorry that sounds rubbish.

Build a fort.
Movie day
Series day
Board games
Jigsaw
Bake

Baking, paper chains, movies, popcorn and hot chocolate. Why not ask your mum to take him to the park if he's out of isolation.

Are you friendly with any school mums? In this situation I'd happily pick your kid up from outside your house, take them to the park for an hour and leave them back outside your front door.

@Duvetflower

Are you friendly with any school mums? In this situation I'd happily pick your kid up from outside your house, take them to the park for an hour and leave them back outside your front door.

Yes - a school mum is coming today to take my negative son out for a walk and to the park.

Could someone dress up as Santa and come and visit you from outside your front door?

We were isolating last year and the rotary club went past on a sleigh. DH and I both wept when we saw how happy our dc were (… and couldn’t speak for ages - we were so embarrassed!).

It sounds like you are doing a great job, though - this may be the one that you both remember.

If you've got internet (who hasn't??) go on the NORAD site Christmas eve and track Santa's journey as he goes round the world. Go onto the NSPCC site to order a letter from Santa (if it's not too late)

Just a few ideas

Treasure hunt for chocolate coins
Christmas Movie night/ afternoon and making your own tickets
Christmas baking
Making Christmas cards
Salt dough ornaments
Christmas books - reading a chapter a day
Making some Christmas decorations for his room - paper chains maybe
Christmas pictures that you can frame with a cardboard frame
Could he put on a show for you? With teddies if needed?

Thanks so much for your lovely suggestions everyone. I honestly feel better after just reading them. Some fab ideas, thank you.
@Couldntmissthisonethisyear sorry to hear about your son, hope it stays mild and the rest of you manage to avoid it.
@CantStartaFireWithoutaSpark yes- from first day of symptoms.
Thanks again everyone, your solidarity and lovely ideas are a big help xx

When mine were little I got them involved in preparation as much as I possibly could. We made salt dough decorations, made a big Christmas banner, watched a film every day. It's a really hard balance between building anticipation and not getting overexcited and keeping the fun going for the next few days so that there is no slump on Boxing Day.

Christmas colouring in/arts & crafts is good at that age. I get DH to print loads of colouring in sheets from Google. Then use paints and other supplies to make drawings, cards etc

If you have pastry he's old enough to make mince pies.

Ask someone to post a letter "from Santa" to your house. You're probably too late to get an official letter delivered but with a first class stamp a friend or relative could do it and get it to you for Christmas eve.

Toucanbox have great Christmas crafts that they post to you, they've got a Christmas Eve box as well. Its got things like magazines, stickers, crafts and stories - perfect for his age
shop.toucanbox.com/search?q=christmas

Good idea to see if someone can take him out and about while you are isolating. Maybe a friend or relative could take him for a walk around the local area to look at the lights, or to the park.

Buy some artificial snow from Amazon and make a snowy scene with his toys or have some messy play fun with it.

Havent read the whole thread, but what about doing a nice Christmas themed breakfast. Make pancakes or waffles, get some squirty cream with strawberries