Development-boosting Christmas activities for kids
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On Christmas morning, parents and their children will open gifts.
evgenyatamanenko | iStock | Getty Images
Experts suggest a few simple, yet effective activities to keep your child entertained this Christmas.
Even though Christmas can offer family-friendly moments, some children may find it difficult to stay awake during school breaks.
This year’s holiday season could prove to be more challenging for parents because of concerns about the possible spread of Covid-19, an omicron variant.
Here are some ways that you can keep your kids busy as the holiday season progresses.
Learning every day
Edpsy founder Dan O’Hare said parents don’t have to feel holiday activities must be educational.
CNBC spoke with him by video calling that, since so many children went back to school for the fall, the “dominant narrative” was that parents had to catch up the work they were missing while they were home-schooled due to the pandemic restrictions.
O’Hare explained that the message has “anxiety” built into it, and that children could pick it up.
He pointed out, however, that young children are able to learn a lot from their daily tasks. Parents shouldn’t be afraid to add new learning activities.
O’Hare, for instance, stated that making a cake requires creativity, numeracy and fine motor skills.
He stressed that the value of playIt allows kids to let off steam and encourages them to learn negotiation and conflict resolution skills.
O’Hare suggested that encouraging children to engage in talking activities is beneficial because of how the outbreak has affected their ability to interact with other kids. It could be as simple as narrating during play or encouraging siblings and friends to help build a fort.
O’Hare stated that writing letters or Christmas cards could help with literacy.
Decorations and board games
Amanda Gummer, founder of the skills development organization the Good Play Guide, told CNBC via video call that getting children involved in certain Christmas activities helped make the learning “invisible,” so they don’t view it as a chore.
Making homemade Christmas decorations is a good idea for young children. Gummer said that giving decorations to family members increases their sense of belonging.
She said that playing board games together as a family can improve communication between parents and children. Children who are anxious about uncertainty surrounding the omicron version of the game can benefit from board games that are immersive.
Gummer suggests glitter as a way to teach children about the pandemic and to understand how it spread.
She suggested that holiday family walks to treasure hunts can help with observation skills.
Gummer explained that after another year, Gummer felt guilty about not being able to entertain their children over the holidays.
Her advice was to choose activities that everyone likes, rather than making a list of things that will make you feel guilty for not doing it correctly.
Take a look at: Children in the Netherlands are among the world’s happiest. Here’s what the parents do differently
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