Boxing day ideas for kids and teens in need of cheering up

[teaandakitkat]

We've just had a death in the family, the funeral will be just before Christmas. So we've decided to all get together on Boxing Day at our house to cheer us all up.

We'll have 6 kids aged from 16 to 8. The older teens will happily join in with something aimed at the younger kids.

We don't usually buy presents for the kids, we don't usually see each other this close to Christmas. But since we are all together and we're all a bit sad I'd like to do something nice. But I've no idea what.

I need a genius idea that's fun, something they can all do together but can also take home and use on their own. So I don't know if a board game would work because we're 3 different households so only one could take the board game home. I did think about Nerf guns for a mega Nerf battle but that depends on the weather, I can't have the older teens (they're mine) racing around indoors, that would be a disaster waiting to happen.

We've got a rusty old fire bowl in the garden from lockdown times, I could get a load of marshmallows and send them outside to burn things, but again weather dependent. We could put the gazebo up with fairy lights I suppose
but if it's freezing cold they might not enjoy that much.

I guess they could just watch a Christmas movie in a different room from the adults with lots of snacks.

I just want to make them feel extra special, it's been a sad December.

Any great ideas very welcome.

Thank you

We always go to the panto at our local small theatre on boxing day - its a 10 yr tradition now.

Left it too late to book that now unfortunately

a movie room I’ve just bought a project just under £40 links to phone and screen on wall, popcorn drinks do the marshmallow in the garden, maybe a pass the parcel each has a little gift for each of the children, I found my older one enjoying helping the younger one with this and stick the tail on the donkey sort of thing , I know it all sounds silly and party, it must be terrible sad for them aswell so a few smile may help, I’m so sorry for your loss 🌹

How about an escape room? I think you can buy kits to set up your own. I was going to do one for our 2020 Christmas in lockdown, I bought loads of padlocks with codes etc, was going to hide things in crackers and have complicated puzzles based on Santa's travels and things - but in the end a neighbour came round (it was allowed, its just the family couldn't because of tiers!) and we did other things (I also never used the indoor fireworks I bought for the same occasion!)

Although once done I think the escape room can't be used again, and also its the same problem as the board game, so ignore me!

If it isn't too cold a fire outdoors and toasting marshmallows sounds lovely. Maybe make some hot mulled apple juice to keep hands warm while the fire gets going?

Piñata
T shirt decorating
Gingerbread house
Polymer clay models

Sorry for your loss

Not really something they can take home but the biggest winner for all ages in our house is beer pong. Kids either play it with snacks or soft drinks. Easiest way to explain it is to you tube it. Great way to get the party going.

Could you hire a silent disco set? A friend did this recently for a party and it was great fun.

3 different board games so each family can take one home?

I'm sorry for your loss. Very tough at Christmas.
My family including older teenagers and young adults and kids really enjoyed our country walk last boxing day. We had a laser tag gun set which they all played in teams. We took hot chocolate and mulled wine in flasks with warmed mince pies wrapped in foil. Fresh air, walking, and running around playing laser tag was really good fun for everyone.
When you get home light the fire outside, put the fairy lights up, toast some marshmallows. Then play a board game in teams. Cook something in the morning in the slow cooker.
I hope you all have a nice day.

Firstly, I think I get your meaning is not this but be wary of suggesting any teen should 'cheer up' - toxic positivity is a real issue for teens these days and people who pressure themselves to 'cheer up' often end up with longer-lasting sadness.

Distraction and comfort is definitely a great idea for them, permission to think about something else is important for young people.

I think a brilliant distraction is a really top-notch board game. Some of the campaign games are so distracting, some collaborative games are brilliant because you win or lose as a team which means younger ones are not disadvantaged.

Legends of Andor
Pandemic (some people dislike the subject matter of this)
Exit the Game adventures or escape rooms
Battle for Hogwarts
Robin Hood
Sleeping Gods

Oh my god - missed the bit about not being able to take it home - really sorry <facepalm>

But if you do decide a game, you could keep it for next time!

Sorry for your loss. I have had a similar Christmas and it is hard on them, which is hard to watch.

Karaoke or something like just dance if you have a switch or wii?

We went to a family gathering and someone brought a karaoke machine (couldn’t think of anything worse to be honest) but everyone got involved and had fun! I’ve brought my DD one now for Christmas. I’ll probably regret it by 11am Christmas morning…

What about building a couple of different gingerbread houses or just decorating them? They could do it so that each house gets to take one home.

Making pizzas?

Movie afternoon with homemade cinema tickets and treats?

Maybe make their own afternoon tea? Baking treats to go with it?

An escape room thing might be a good idea actually, I guess once you've done it once you can't really do it again anyway, is that right? So it won't matter if only one person can take it home afterwards.

I bet they would have loved the silent disco thing but again I've left it a bit late to organise. There's nowhere near us.

Card game like Newmarket?

www.thedarkimp.com/blog/2020/11/19/how-to-play-newmarket/

all you need is 2 packs of cards and some ‘tokens’

I think fire pit/marshmallows and/or movie and snacks sounds absolutely lovely.
If you want to have some fun - Google 'minute to win it' games. Perfect for silly fun, some will be suitable for all ages and take minimal equipment. Or, another favourite for groups that I have done - Taskmaster type games. Either alone or in teams. You could always have a set of challenges to take home if that's important for this event.

Two or three sacks filled with random clothes- boas, old hats, old long dresses, maybe a few pairs odd specs, sunglasses, moustaches etc. - need loads of choices. Split them up into teams in separate rooms. Set a timer. They each have 5 minutes or so to dress one of their party up - adults decide on the. winner of each round and suitable photo taken. Can theme eg. best tramp, best rock star, best fashionista etc etc.

The golden oldie ‘ Mars bar’ game. need tray with large mars bar on a plate and a knife and fork. Need hat scarf gloves and dice. Sit in circle . Person who throws a six must rush to tray in middle of circle and put all clothes on and then try to cut a piece of mars bar and eat it before next person throws a six. Accompany by silly music playlist eg. Billy Connolly ‘In the Brownies’, ‘Shaduppa your face’, ‘ There’s a moose loose in this hoose’ etc…put .teens in charge of compilation before party day
Fun for all ages…

I was also going to suggest Taskmaster! The take-home element could be some longer-term challenges that they can then either reveal over a family facetime if you don’t get together regularly, or when you all get together the next time. You could even make it ongoing, keeping the score going for the year. Make some tasks for teams where the big ones can help the littles, and others by family.

Honestly get some plastic cups - fill with water - ping pong balls - cuponk

all ages enjoy this and can do blindfolded, left handed or whatever, standing backwards and over head. We’ve had such a laugh with this. It’s better along a table but can be done on the floor lol

giant cards and higher or lower with forfeits. Simple and fun for all ages.

Good old fashioned games, always fun and go down a treat. We do:

Pin the nose on Rudolph
Pass the parcel with a gift in each layer for adults and children
Christmas Quiz
Reindeer antler ring toss
Bingo
so easy and everyone enjoys these types of games, prizes of selection boxes and boxes of mince pies, kids party tea buffet and a few drinks.
Crackers essential!

I'm so sorry for your loss. That's tough just before Christmas.

A game we like to play is the game where you wrap a naff present multiple times in wrapping paper and use a dice to roll a 6 to have a chance of taking the paper off. Only issue is, is that the unwrapping is done with oven gloves. As the person who's trying to unwrap the gift is busy, the person next to them is trying to frantically roll a 6 to then wear the oven gloves to try and get the paper off.

If nothing else it'll warm you up!

Make ginger bread houses from scratch. Lots of sweets, creativity, team work.

We play a game where everyone buys two little presents (used to be a £1 limit but might have it up it this year) and wraps them. You start the game with two present sun front of you and take it in turns rolling two dice. Each die is treated separately, with one applying to one present and the other to the other (you choose which each time).

If you roll a:
1 - swap a present with the person on your left
2 - swap a present with the person on your right
3 or 4 - swap a present with anyone you like
5 - do nothing (comes in very useful later on in the game when you have things you want)
6 - unwrap a present

The game ends when all the presents are unwrapped and you keep whatever you have. Usually what happens when there is one present left to open is everyone keeps choosing to swap for it so it takes even longer for everything to get opened. We normally play it with 6-10 people. Any more than that and you might want to have two sets of dice going round, or splitting into two circles (and having 3 be swap with anyone and 4 be choose someone to swap circles with).

Usually there’s a couple of things everyone wants and they keep moving around the circle and everyone gets very into it and competitive. One year it was the Festive Friends. Last year it was a box of shortbread and everyone was avoiding the toilet roll!

Hope I’ve explained that properly!