Mumsnet users share with Sky Kids how they entertain their children whilst they prepare for Christmas

[EllieMumsnet]

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Many of us have a million-and-one things to do in the run up to Christmas, many of which aren’t particularly huge tasks but just time consuming such as wrapping the presents, writing cards, ordering the food and getting the decorations out from wherever they are stored for the majority of the year. Therefore in order to get get these things done and done quickly you often need to have a multitude of entertainment options up your sleeve and ready to whip out at any moment in order to keep your children preoccupied. Sky Kids would like to know how you keep your children entertained whilst you prepare for Christmas and if there are any Christmas events and/or times that would really help if your children were kept occupied.

Here’s what Sky Kids have to say: “The Sky Kids App is the perfect solution to keep your kids occupied in the run up to Christmas…..with thousands of shows on demand including Paw Patrol, The Gruffalo’s Child, Lego Ninjago and Rusty Rivets, and fun and educational games for all ages like Art Studio, you can buy yourself some ‘free’ time (to wrap all those presents!) safe in the knowledge that the available shows and games they're watching are age-appropriate and of course, entertaining.”

Do you pop on a Christmas film to not only get them in the Christmassy mood but also keep them entertained whilst you label and wrap all of the presents? Maybe the tasks such as putting up the tree and decorations you get them involved and assign them little jobs to do so you can kill two birds with one stone? What about the time you need to plan out all of the food and drinks that need to be ordered? Do you watch their favourite show with them whilst also planning on your computer? Do you wish you had more entertainment options for when your travelling all over the place doing the Christmas rounds?

However you keep the children entertained whilst you prepare for Christmas, share them on the thread below and you’ll be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £300 voucher of their choice (from a list).

Thanks and good luck with the prize draw
MNHQ

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Christmas films on netflix!

I don't. My mum has her whilst I sort Christmas plans and I do stuff for her in return such as wrap her presents (she hates it!)

Definitely films (try to choose Christmassy ones if possible!) on Amazon video or Netflix. My kids will also happily watch a random children's yoga channel on YouTube for ages - they love copying the actions. DH also takes them outside to help put up Christmas lights in the garden while I get on with secret things like wrapping presents.

Not sure why now should be any different to any other busy time of the year, like end of summer holidays, or just before going on holiday. You just get on with things. Do some things with the dc, others when they've gone to bed. I certainly don't 'entertain ' them!

I just carry on as normal and do Christmas prep during nap times (online shopping/ wrapping presents etc). Thankfully going to family for Christmas so no so heavily involved in the cooking this year.

I do most Christmas prep in the evenings when kids are asleep. Now they're a bit older they are slightly more about to play together so I have written Christmas cards while they're around as it's easy to stop and sort out squabbles if I need to.

Do you pop on a Christmas film to not only get them in the Christmassy mood but also keep them entertained whilst you label and wrap all of the presents?often done whilst they are in bed.but chrismtas films are always good.you can write lists and to do list then too.check the cupboards for what you need and do any cards etc.
Maybe the tasks such as putting up the tree and decorations you get them involved and assign them little jobs to do so you can kill two birds with one stone?always get them involved not to distract them but because its chrismtas they should always be able to do this with us.making paper chains is a good one for keeping them busy.
also get them making cards for friends and family. and writing there own santa letters.
What about the time you need to plan out all of the food and drinks that need to be ordered?online deliveires are key.they like it whenyou do a house/supermarket sweep.so call out what you need and they check the cupboards and "check" "need" if it needs to be put on the list.though be careful they often say we don't have biscuits when we do and they just want more!
Do you watch their favourite show with them whilst also planning on your computer?they love the Christmas movies and tv shows.
Do you wish you had more entertainment options for when your travelling all over the place doing the Christmas rounds? don't make a big thing bout it is key.if they see your stress they just don't understand it but reflect it all the same and will either act out or be confused and stressed themselves.

Christmas arts and crafts day. We also love watching Christmas movies on Netflix too. My family like to help me prepare Christmas dinner and put up the tree too.
We bake lots of cookies at the weekends and participate in our church’s Christmas carol service. To get everyone in the mood I put on some music softly in the background as well.
We always have a Christmas movie night. Lots of chocolates and a glass of wine.

I get them involved with as many things ad possible. They make Christmas cards for family while I'm writing mine, and love to "help" me with sticking the sellotape on the presents. They also help with any baking I'm doing. For the things I really need to do by myself, we watch old Christmas specials of their favourite shows we have recorded on the Sky box. I found Arthur Christmas on DVD in a charity shop recently, so we'll watch that together this year. A Muppet Christmas Carol is also a favourite.

We use sky kids or Christmas films on sky cinema as well as lots of colouring books and crayon s plus snacks.

Let them join in helping wrap presents, prepare food , write cards etc. Christmas movie nights and grandparents are useful too!

Get them to join in where possible but also Christmas films, games etc. But mostly just entertaining themselves as per usual when I’ve stuff to do!

Thankfully school breaks up the Friday before Christmas, which helps immensely! I can get most things done while they're at school. Otherwise Daddy gets to build Lego with him so I can busy myself elsewhere

Serious Christmas prep is done after the kids bedtime, like wrapping presents and redoing the tree after the kids 'decorated' it.

My kids enjoy crafts so I've got drawing and Christmas crafts out all the time at the moment, and they have been drawing and decorating snowmen.

On Christmas itself I will be relying on grandparents to keep the kids happy and playing and out of the kitchen.

Christmas films or shows on the tablet, or Christmas activities like panting baubles or making salt dough handprints whilst I wrap or shop online!

If I need them occupied, like for example when I'm cooking, then like any other month of the year it's a film, but a xmas one as I won't put them on any other time. Tree up they help, sort of. Wrapping stuff, do it when they're in bed.

There's not really anything so hectic that they need removing from the house so apart from a film there's nothing much else to add.

Most of the stuff listed is done while the DC are at school. DD wraps all Christmas presents apart from hers when DS2's asleep on Christmas Eve. She's Father Christmas now! They tend to watch the same old same old over Christmas, they don't really do Christmas movies.

Sorry, Sky Kids, probably not what you wanted to hear!

Yesterday I wrapped his presents while he watched Arthur Christmas, I had filled his ball pit with cuddly toys so he was so excited he didn't even hear me, even when I was wrapping a bag of musical instruments!

I shut the stairgate (really awkward for big kid to open and makes a massive clang) and sneak upstairs in short bursts

DS has thankfully just discovered the joy of films! Also do a lot when they're in bed.

I generally don't try to 'entertain' my DC, if I've got things to do, they can either help or find something else to do. If it's something they can't get involved with then I'll do it when they're out or in bed.

The big colouring roll from IKEA has come in handy here but crafts /painting doesn't work for us as I get called to o help to often to get anything else done. Definitely use Xmas specials on TV. I'm thinking wrapping presents may be a problem time if I don't get it done next week..other stuff is fine for kids to be there.

They entertain themselves mostly but we also do christmas things like cinema to see a Christmas film, panto etc.

My kids are 5 and 2 and we absolutely involve them in choosing and decorating the tree- it’s magical for them seeing the house transformed into a grotto!

But obviously present wrapping (and squirrelling them out of the hidey holes) is top secret. This year we have entertained one with a ‘new’ aka never seen before Christmas film, and the other playing games on the tablet. It is becoming increasingly hard to entertain them as they are absorbed if they discover something new that they can get into, but to find a genre or theme of movie/game that targets both of them is quite difficult.

We have family spread far and wide and visiting them over Christmas involves spending a lot of time in the car. My 5 year old is that age now where the travelling is boring, we have run out of car games to play (eye spy, my favourite vehicle is..., how many red cars etc) to be able to find something to watch or play that would absorb them both would be marvellous.

The shopping and cooking, we give them a list of items to find in the shop like a treasure hunt and we’ve bought a tablecloth that they can decorate for the big day. Seems to be working ok so far!

Stuff I can involve them with, I involve them. Other secret Santa stuff gets done when they’re not around. I don’t entertain them they are able to amuse themselves thankfully