Give me ideas for covid safe family Xmas entertainment

[breadwidow]

We have just cancelled plans to host my sister and family during the relaxed rules period due to cases rapidly rising where we live and scientists advising against it. So it's just me, DH & kids (6 and nearly 9) at home for Xmas. I'm off work for the two weeks and though I'm looking forward to the break, the amount of time with nothing really different happening is a bit disheartening and daunting. Like facing 7 wet weekends in a row. I'm sure it's the same for most people.

My kids have really noticed now that life is just dull with nothing to mark weekends apart from no school (just going to local park, no other trips) and I want to somehow make Xmas a bit special. We live in inner London and used to do cultural stuff and eat out a lot at weekends, including between Xmas and nee year, but haven't done that really since March and with London likely to be in T3 by next week it may well not be possible anyway.

So anyone got any tips for special things to do to avoid the entire period spent in front of screens (I don't mind a bit of that but not the whole time) and make it a bit special despite the limitations? Should also add we don't have a car but after braving it a few times am now happy to take public transport for short journeys again.

If we’re in Tier 3, will the clipper boats be in use? That might be good.

There’s the AR exhibition though tbh I’m confused how it works and what you see...

acuteart.com/artist/unreal-city/

I know it will be hard with children, sorry.

Thanks that looks pretty good actually - may well appeal to my son

I think it's hard for everyone tbh. Well may be not hard, just dull. So fucking dull.

I keep posting and it doesn’t appear

Would your DC like the dinosaurs at Crystal Palace park, a bit different than jut another park visit.

We're in inner London too and there are lots of things going on - see Time Out and various blogs are listing events, e.g. museummum.com/2020/12/01/christmas-in-london-2020-things-to-do-with-kids/.

We've been comfortable going to museums and galleries as it's very quiet with controlled numbers, and not had any problems socially distancing. This weekend we did the RAF museum which is great for social distancing as it's in big hangars and there's a great outdoor play area. But of course they may have to close if we move to Tier 3. During the recent lockdown we took DD to different big parks on public transport, she's a toddler so never tires of playgrounds - Greenwich Park, Kensington Gardens, Golders Hill (which has a little free zoo), Hampstead Heath. Sometimes it rained a lot but we use a puddle suit and bring soup in a flask. I don't know if outdoor attractions can stay open in Tier 3 - we've been to the zoo, some city farms (Kentish Town, Freightliners and Spitalfields have all opened). WWT in Barnes and Kew might be able to stay open (they were open during lockdown 2). There are nature reserves at Walthamstow Wetlands and Woodberry Wetlands.

We had a nice trip walking around Regent Street and looking at the Christmas display in Fortnum and Mason. There are some nice light installations at King's Cross and South Bank too.

Teams game of Charades.
Xmas movie.

Xmas Quiz. Do it on Teams with extended family. Each group must make up 12 questions but all must have a factual answer. Use categories for questions and each group make up 2 questions in each category. 1. Current affairs 2. Celebrity 3. Sport 4. Music 5. Picture 6.Pot luck.

Get a buzzer it bell sound on your mobile. To buzz in.

One person be quiz master and all email questions and answers to quiz master in advance. Take in turn answering questions and winners gets a prize.

Potted panto at the Garrick? Haven't been there as I loathe panto, but other theatres have all been very distanced and well-organised.

Plenty of kids' films if you check out cinemas, eg Muppets' Christmas Carol and similar. Have a look at Ciné Lumière or Riverside Studios.

Any nice Christmassy activities at home? Making snacks for Christmas movies
Can they decorate wrapping paper for any gifts that are ‘off them’
Baking - Christmas cookies or other Christmassy themed things that may feel a bit different than the last year
Walk around locally spotting the best Christmas lights

Could you visit family to sing some carols - from a safe distance
I’m not sure on all the rules but can you visit family if you stay outside and stay distanced? You could take hot water bottles and hot chocolate and go hang out in their garden or the park.

Are there any national trust light trails near you?

Garden centres are open you could look at Christmas displays if there are any good ones near you

What do they like to do? Maybe one week you could all have a day to pick something you’d like to do

Eg. Monday is DC1s day Tuesday is DHs day. Whatever that person picks on their day is what everyone eats for lunch, what movie you all watch, where you go for a walk that day - you could make it multiple choice to make it more controlled with DC if needed

You could take hot water bottles and hot chocolate and go hang out in their garden or the park.
If OP does move up to tier 3 then they cannot meet up with anyone outside their household/support bubble in a private garden.

It's a sad fact but most things are not covid-safe. The best way to try and avoid Covid (assuming your family is Covid-free) is to minimise contact with other people and stay at home, however tedious that may be.

Going by public transport to public attractions increases your risk (and everyone else's risk from you being an asymptomatic carrier of the virus). As a poster stated recently, if the virus is airborne and you look at how far cigarette smoke travels, why does anyone think the guideline of being 2 metres away from others will be covid-secure in any environment?

Think of things to do at home or in your garden to be as covid-safe as possible. Stay at home. Save lives.

We're in a similar position and also currently in the second lot of DD (9) self isolating due to cases at school. I had booked some museum slots and theatre for the holidays, but assuming they are going to be cancelled if we go into tier 3, which looks likely.

So far I was thinking of us going on a walk to see the lights, once she's out of isolation as people seem to have really pulled out all the stops this year. I've also periodically been doing safari walks where she has to spot certain things on a list I make so will probably do a Christmasy one. Looking for more ideas though!

A few indoor activities

1. Teach DC to bake. Try biscuits, cakes, pastry for apple pies. Make toffee apples or popcorn. (I have fond memories of DM teaching me and it's a life skill that will come in useful later on).
2. Icing - get creative with piping different shapes.
3. Make fatballs for birds in the garden.
4. Jigsaw puzzles.
5. Make a cardboard dolls' house or fort.
6. Board games (Scrabble, draughts, Snakes and Ladders, teach them how to play chess).
7. Table top tennis or ping pong.

8.Spirograph.

1. Hopscotch on the patio.

10. Painting stones. 11. Making perfume from rose petals. 12. Colouring in books. 13. Card games. 14. Paint by numbers. 15. Fuzzy felts. 16. Teach them how to knit. 17. Cross stitch and embroidery. 18. Make pom poms for hats. 19. Games with elastic - between your hands. 20. Blow bubbles. 21. Skipping games in the garden (will also burn off excess energy). 22. Make a soft toy. 23. Use an empty biscuit tin to make a miniature garden in. Use twigs for trees, a small mirror as a pond, a few bits if gravel for a Rickert. 24. Fuzzy felts. 25. Card making.

Everyone needs to visit somewhere like Hobbycraft and The Works for ideas and supplies.

I've been printing my own trails and hunts, I find if I give my kids a piece of paper it makes it more of an event than just going for a walk

We've also done a lot of baking, and then we go for big walks and eat a cake at the end. This is fairly jolly.

But yes, it is quite dull.

Make mock tails
There are a ton of xmas games online if you google.
Declutter and donate to charity.
Make chocolate pizzas by using oil to grease a plastic plate, melting chocolate and pouring into the plate. Wait 10-15 mins to give chocolate a chance to set them use sweets as the toppings. Eat when set.
Xmas carolling at home.
Teach the kids to knit and work on blanket squares together.

Read Xmas stories.
Toast marshmallows. If you have gas cooking you can do it inside.

It is in front of a screen, but have a look at the National Theatre online screening of Dick Whittington and the panto party pack they have created...some fun ways to engage with the panto spirit despite being at home.

Thanks for all the ideas. I'm really hoping we can stay in t2 so theatre possible - I know it's a risk but it's way less risky than having family to stay. Unfortunately seeing family outside briefly is tricky -my side live around 3 hrs away (including the cousins who were coming for Xmas) and DHs is either 90 mins away (but impossible on public transport) or the other side of world!

Should also say we live in a flat with no garden so will be getting out of the house no matter what!

So lots of walks? Can you do scavenger hunts on the way? Eg find 6 Xmas wreaths, 3 houses with fairy lights etc
Also if you don’t give your children bubble gum normally, that can be seen as a huge treat and something that keeps them going when they get tired.
Hope you manage to have a lovely Xmas