How do you keep your children entertained during the festive holidays? Share with NOW TV - chance to win £300 NOW CLOSED

[AnnMumsnet]

The couple of weeks (or so) holiday from school at Christmas time can be a long slog once the ‘big day’ is out of the way, especially if the weather is not very kind.

NOW TV would love to know your top tips on keeping the children entertained during the winter school break - do you brave the sales, snuggle up for a movie afternoon, encourage long wintery walks or dig deep and go to soft play? How about some baking or crafts? What about older children? Do you limit device time or allow them some extra time with their tablets? When do you get any holiday homework done? What do your children like doing in the Christmas holidays?

NOW TV say “'With NOW TV, we have a host of family movies lined up for the festive period - from Frozen to The Polar Express and even the classic Sound of Music! Families can also enjoy newer movies like Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them and The Lego Batman Movie - all from the comfort of their own front room'

Whatever your tip or best advice for other parents, add it below and you will be entered into a prize draw where one person will win a £300 voucher for the store of choice - from a list.

Thanks and good luck
MNHQ

Standard Insight T and Cs Apply

It's so difficult to keep them amused over the holidays. When the days are wet and cold we sometimes have pyjama days where we get cosy on the couch and watch movies with some treats. I also make sure and get crafting items in so that we can do some crafts and baking is always a popular activity. For when we all need to get out of the house I keep an eye in the local paper to see what events are being held and luckily at this time of year there are always loads of nice events and places that we can go to.

making christmas cards and gifts in the run up to xmas, baking and dvd watching afterwards

Baking and crafts! We make loads of Christmas decorations in the run up to Christmas and after Christmas we play with new toys and watch all of the films on tv!

Christmas crafts and fairs and plenty of long walks to tire them out!

plenty fresh air weather permitting, walks in the park. wrapped up of course, then home with hot chocolate and board games in front of the fire.

Lots of Christmas tv if I'm honest!

We have been making Christmas cards by sticking and using glitter glue. We have also been painting stones to hide in our local village.

Making lots of Christmassy crafts and watching movies - maybe playing in the snow if we get any!

Retro Christmas films, crafting, baking coconut and raspberry jam cake and cuddles

lots of walks on the beach and woodland with our dog, playing card games, jigsaw, watching films and the darts

Crafting, no heat cooking eg rice crispy cakes, and festive films

Decorating biscuits to hang on the tree - half with salt in so they don't get eaten and half for munching

What works for me is to get the children outside for a bit every day of the holidays, whatever the weather! After a good run about I'm happy to let them watch tv or go on devices for a while. Then we will usually play a game as a family or do some baking/craft activity. I also find trying to involve them in tasks I'm doing around the house (cooking,shopping,cleaning for example) works quite well, especially for the younger ones.

We like to do crafts (subscribe to Toucan Box over the winter) bake, have the occasional lazy day and wrap up warm and go out for a beach or woodland walk, then come home for some hot chocolate!

Pyjamas, Feel Good Movies, duvet days & hot chocolate after crisp cold walks! Homework is banned & hardly ever gets done over Christmas if they get set any
basically a big chill down for us all after a really long school termxxx

We have been making pasta xmas tree decorations :-D Glue and sparkly paint and voila!

It depends on the day and their mood really. Our eldest is autistic so he often doesn't want to go out, but also needs to get out for fresh air so we will go for a walk in the woods a couple times and let them all run off some energy. Other than that, my two youngest will want to go out on their bikes with Daddy or we will all play with their new toys and games together. For the Christmas holidays we normally let them choose within reason what we do each day as they don't get that much time off school.

I need to entertain them? Not in this house. They're so busy with their presents that I have to drag them away to do anything with us!

Baking, cooking, board games, drawing - I'm lucky she is content to just play too

Baking is a joy doesn't matter what it ends up like its magic time. Then snuggle time with Christmas dads for clampdown time. Just enjoy!

Making mince pies and mulled apple juice, walking on sunny days, a lot of movies.

As long as it's not chucking it down we try and get out for a walk in the morning most days. At home we intersperse the obligatory telly watching with play doh, baking, painting, colouring, jigsaws, reading, singing etc. Hopefully we'll get over to some national trust places for some fresh air over the next few weeks as well :)

We get out the house and into nature regardless of the weather. They need to run around and get fresh air. I find mountains or seaside the best for my guys.

making 'hand print' Christmas cards and chocolate cornflake buns passes lots of time before we put on a Christmas movie and eat the buns !

I book the pantomime. Sometimes a few around the area. I take them swimming because it's important to keep them active and to use up their energy. And I like to take them to a family carol service.