I’ve talked before about squeezing in family time, play and routines during the Christmas or holiday season. Yes there are so many more things to fit into our day but it’s also a great time to add in activities that everyone can do together. Christmas holiday time is also the time when there are many more people around.

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Here is our list in no particular order of family time activities that we make sure we stop and do during the holiday time.

Making play dough

We are big fans of homemade playdough, especially the cooked type because it keeps so well and you can do so many different things with it. The whole process of making playdough is fun and easy for two people to do together.

Add some Christmas cheer by raiding the kitchen cupboard at home and adding a delicious scent or Christmas favourite. Be inspired with candy cane, allspice, peppermint, creamer flavors to make a festive playdough to remember. The smells of Christmas time are always special. It’s not just the making though, playing with playdough is good for everyone- young or older. Who can resist making that snowman or building a reindeer?

Make your own board game or memory game

Grabbing a board game from your pile is great. At Christmas lulls making up a game and playing it together is a lot of fun. We’ve used playing cards before and added post it notes on top to make our own matching or memory game.

Make a Christmas ornament

We made a handprint Christmas wreath for each member of the family. We took down our family pictures and replaced them with these wreaths. There’s plenty of wrapping paper about at this time of year and you can reuse paper straight of presents. The crumpled effect adds some texture to the handprints.

Dressing up in a Christmas colour

This is a new activity for this year. The boys all love to dress up. As part of their 16th Advent calendar activity was to ” Dress up in a Christmas colour- either Green or Red”. I knew they both had plenty in their rooms to be going on with.  A lot of running around and experimenting lead to 11 pieces and 10 pieces each. They used some imagination to add toys, outdoor coats and a ruler to name a few interesting additions. Also they worked together, it wasn’t just about who could win but everyone suggesting new items and seeing if they can add them somehow onto themselves. I guess you could choose other colours or themes.

How many items can you have in that one colour?

Reading the Christmas story by candlelight

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Candlelight brings such a hush over our family when we have it at the dinner table on special Friday nights. We’ve introduced a special retelling of the Christmas story by the children. After the nativity plays and carol concerts they are pretty good at retelling the story. We also have the story as a running theme through our 2nd advent calendar house.  Sit around the table and retell the story of Christmas.

Singing carols late at night to the stars

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After all those practices at school; the songs and the singing as we Christmas shop the children are in fine voice at this time of year. Traditionally we went around carol singing but with young children this isn’t always easy. This year we wrapped up warm, went upstairs, closed  the door, opened the window and sang outside to the stars. With the cold air, dark night and stars to keep us company we had the best time before coming in for hot chocolate.

Advent calendars

We have 3 advent calendars so that one child gets to open something each day. We have very different things to do with each one.

Delivering something crafty or yummy to your neighbours

This is our practical way of giving at Christmas. We make cookies as one of our early advent activities together. As well as sending them to family we made some for our neighbours. It’s a chance to meet greet and talk. The boys were able to see gratitude and feel good about themselves and giving and not getting anything in return but good feelings. Our neighbours stopped and spoke with us for a while and we were gone for a long time. Small talk and small children is very interesting.

Also with Daddy away for the year we made sure he had lots of cookies and if you know of other troops away from family at Christmas they really appreciate receiving traditional Christmas food. ( Even after Christmas!)

Get to know a new tradition by asking family

Ring up a grandparent or ask a relative overseas a tradition they see or can remember from times past. Telling stories around the fire make for great memories.

What Christmas activity do you do to promote family time?

Christmas activities that promote family time is a post from: Play-Activities.com
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We love our Advent Calendar activities and by now you are probably well into your activities too!

We like to get a Christmas book each year to add to our collection . As they get older the books change.  The story is the same or is it? We all celebrate Christmas the same and differently. My children can’t imagine a Christmas when it’s not snow or cold.

Here are some books I would recommend to share with your family about Christmas traditions around the world.

Christmas Around the World

The Legend of Old Befana

Christmas Around the World

The Legend of the Poinsettia

What books do you have that show Christmas around the world?

Celebrate Christmas with a trip around the world is a post from: Play-Activities.com
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Christmas isn’t all about buying gifts but it can easily turn into a toy fest. Don’t get me wrong we like toys and recommend them. But it’s the time of year we tend to ease off on the brakes and buy more and do more than any other time. It’s easy to overspend and overdo.

If you are looking for an alternative to the toy guides have a look at the Play Activities alternative Toy guide for inspiration.
You can download the ebook or read and comment on the blog posts starting with Activity and Time

photo credit: Mark Paciga

What would you add to this alternative gift guide?

Holiday Gift Guide is a post from: Play-Activities.com
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Toys

We like toys and games like everyone else.  For a good list of toys ( opens in a pdf) to avoid that will stifle creativity look at TRUCE.

TRUCE have a large variety of resources available in PDF.

Try Infant and toddler play, Toys and Media action guide. (PDF)

Now you have your mind set for the type of toys you want to bring in the house. You have space after the sorting and giving away. Now, where can you find them?

Shops to consider online that engage child’s mind

As you peruse Fat Brain Toys, you may find something missing. In fact, if you’re accustomed to the toy selection found at most stores, you may find lots of items missing. Missing are the licensed, violent, cheaply made toys that end up in the trash can shortly after being played with by your child. But what you will find instead are THOUSANDS of quality, open-ended toys, games, and gifts that entertain AND educate.

Our philosophy has remained the same over the years–to make each and every customer a happy and permanent member of the Melissa & Doug family, while offering products with tremendous value, quality and design.

We’re proud to be the nation’s best resource for toys that engage and entertain. Whatever you select, we guarantee that your children will learn—and have fun—while they play!

Qubits

The Construction / Educational Toy
Designed for Kids who like to Build

You’ll love this fun video

Leaps and bounds

Encourage your child’s development with Leaps and Bounds terrific toys, educational tools, and activities.

Indoor toys

Outdoor toys

Barefoot books

Welcome to a place…where there’s always time for make believe. Where  whimsical can be wise and learning can be fun. Where stories have the power to inspire children to explore, create, and connect to the wonders of the world around them. A world where everyone lives Barefoot.

Imaginechildhood

At imaginechildhood.com we believe that children should experience the world through their own eyes, ears, fingers, and toes. That direct interaction with nature is the best way to learn about the world, and that open-ended imaginative play is the best way to learn about what it could be.

Part community forum, part storefront, imaginechildhood.com is a place where parents and kids can find their own definition of childhood.

On our blog and in our store we offer stories, activities, and innovative products that encourage exploration, creativity, and open-ended unstructured play.

Naturalpod

Natural Pod began out of our own desire to have beautiful, open-ended, natural toys for our children and a way to discover what is new and interesting in the world. And, of course, we derive some joy from finding just the right gift for someone, or for ourselves

As parents we found it increasingly difficult to find quality natural play items that supported creative and imaginative play. During our search, we soon realized that many parents shared our passion. We hope to encourage more families to discover the benefits of natural toys and rediscover a true sense of play. These items can become an heirloom, passed down from one generation to the next.

Etsy for wooden toys and unique toys

Photo credit: Childrens Country scene Photo credit: Babypop Photo credit: gigglejunction

Imagination stories……………..Finally, a fun, wholesome and easy way to engage and develop the imaginations of
children between 2 and 5 years of age!

Finger Rhymes……………….Have a few rhymes up your sleeve for those unavoidable “stuck” moments, whether you’re trapped in a line up, sitting in the car in a traffic jam or waiting for service at your local restaurant.  These 6 simple finger rhymes can be played anywhere!

• Think about checking out your small toy stores in your local town. You’ll have them It’s amazing the variety of toys you’ll see compared to the big box shops.

• Each of these toy stores have newsletters you can sign up to receive discount codes, new product notices and play advice.

Where do you shop to get toys of value?

Alternative Play Activities holiday gift guide 2009

1. Activity & time
2. Engage vs Entertain
3. Giving away
4. Scaling back
5. Unstructured play, open ended and downtime.
6. Gift giving
7. Outdoor play

Download the complete Holiday gift guide

The alternative Play Activities Holiday Gift Guide #8 Toys is a post from: Play-Activities.com
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Outdoor play

Make a promise to increase your outdoor play quota for the week. Whatever the weather- play outdoors. ( Whether the weather be hot, whether the weather be cold, whether the weather whatever the weather, whether you like it or not!)

Small Fry’s Outdoor play book is jam packed full of brilliant starters and activities ( more on this soon)  See a sample page.

Find amazing play outdoor things to do at

The Grass Stain Guru

Salisbury Downs

Activekidsclub

TheGreenhour.

Start a nature club with this toolkit like   Naturestrollers

Photo credit: Children and nature.

Discovertheforest.org

Fun Orange County parks- lots of ideas and articles for everyone and locally.

KaBoom- a great place to play within walking distance of every child in America.

Loving Natures Garden- family, nature, garden and food

Outdoor toys from Play Outdoors

Buy an annual pass to your local state park most on sale Jan 1.

Little humbugs – the magic of nature

Nature Rocks- National program bursting with information to inspire and empower families to play an explore in nature.

Nature walks, treasure hunts, natural play, listening walks, playgrounds, playgroups………………there are so many things that can find you outside.

Follow the #playoutdoors movement on Twitter.

If you are looking for some reading to learn more about playing outdoors try Richard Louv’s

Buy it AMAZON

What do you do to get outside? How were you inspired to get outside when you were a little one? Feel free to add more play outdoors enthusiasts in the comments.

Alternative Play Activities holiday gift guide 2009

1. Activity & time
2. Engage vs Entertain
3. Giving away
4. Scaling back
5. Unstructured play, open ended and downtime.
6. Gift giving
7. Outdoor play

The alternative Play Activities Holiday Gift Guide #7 Outdoor play is a post from: Play-Activities.com
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Gift giving

Encourage your children to make age appropriate gifts.  My favourite gifts, when I was teaching were the gifts I knew my students had thought about and made. It was exactly that they had taken the time and I could see the effort that touched me. I loved the imperfections and the spelling mistakes it matched them.

Choosing to give gifts with play in mind; open ended and evergreen gifts of craft boxes; books, imaginary play items.

Along with gift giving there’s being grateful for the gifts we receive.

You can have thank you cards with their photograph and a sweet message.

• Design and make little cards.
• Little kids can trace a letter or write a letters of their name.
• Add a few thumbprint pictures ( with your help). Its easy to miss being grateful and pausing to acknowledge gifts. It is an easy thing to do at this time of year.

Making and giving gifts

Try a votive candle holder or use a baby food jar and make up a hot chocolate/coffee surprise with a candy cane stirrer.

Photo credit: Muffin Tin Mom- Michelle @ Her Cup Overfloweth

Advent Wreath

Photo credit: TheMadHouse

Buying gifts is one option but how do you find gifts to make that are more child than adult when it’s finished?

Alternative Play Activities holiday gift guide 2009

1. Activity & time
2. Engage vs Entertain
3. Giving away
4. Scaling back
5. Unstructured play, open ended and downtime.
6. Gift giving
7. Outdoor play

The alternative Play Activities Holiday Gift Guide #6 Gift giving is a post from: Play-Activities.com
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Scaling back

Since we have so many toys already talk to the toy givers now while there’s time.

1. Share and discuss toy alternatives for your children.
2. Start a conversation about sponsoring a child; gifting a goat or a basketball.
3. Gift cards in small denominations for ice cream or dessert for family nights;
4. Family passes to local museums, parks, or zoos with family year round passes or Physical  activities like swimming, dance,  Mommy and Me, Kindermusic, Playing with clay classes. Even a partial payment goes a long way.
5. Buy the first few books in a book series, or a favourite author, and give a gift card to buy the next one.

What are you doing to scale back this holiday time? What’s on your alternative gift list than a physical toy?

Alternative Play Activities holiday gift guide 2009

The alternative Play Activities Holiday Gift Guide #4 Scaling back is a post from: Play-Activities.com
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Giving away

With all the best plans there will be an influx of new toys and games if you have children every year around the holidays and around their birthdays.

To avoid being overrun by toys start sorting though your toys now and think about donating. It’s a great skill to develop giving.

This is the second year we have participated in Operation Christmas Child. The kids have fun packing their box and are excited to know that a little boy will receive the items they picked. We sponsor a World Vision child too and during the next week they’ll be drawing pictures to add to the Christmas gift and sending to her.

What gifts do you give away? Who do you support?

Alternative Play Activities holiday gift guide 2009

1. Activity & time
2. Engage vs Entertain
3. Giving away
4. Scaling back

The alternative Play Activities Holiday Gift Guide #3 Giving away is a post from: Play-Activities.com
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