Saturday, December 15, 2012

20/20 Activities for the Holiday Season

by Terri Whitmire and Joyice Harris

The Christmas Holiday is finally upon us and you may have visions swirling around in your head of sleeping in, catching your favorite TV shows, or hibernating like a black bear. After all, you deserve it. But if you're a parent then guess what?  Your children will have other plans!

You'll begin to discover that right around the fifth day of being home with the family, everyone will become a little antsy. If your family is anything like mine, then pesky arguments will erupt, a trail of destruction will follow and you'll be pulling your hair out wondering how many days until the kids go back to school. (And the spouse goes back to work.)

In order to save you from a last minute internet search for something to keep all your family members sane, I  have offered a few holiday happenings and suggestions. With the help of Joyice Harris, a Homeschool Mom and owner of the Writing Enhancer, we have compiled a list of twenty inside activities and twenty outside activities to enjoy with your holiday with family. After all, this is what the Christmas holiday is all about. (Keeping everyone alive)  Enjoy and Merry Christmas.  
   

Here are 20 INSIDE holiday, family activities:

1.    Create a birthday card for Jesus. (Older kids can write a letter to Jesus sharing their gratitude about 2012.)
2.    Make hot chocolate (or your favorite hot beverage) and have sharing time at the family table.
3.    Make Christmas play-dough (see recipe).
4.    Make Christmas cookies together (Be sure to ask for everyone’s favorite)
5.    Create a Christmas ornament (String Fruit Loops, popcorn, or life savers)
6.    Give an early gift to the members of your family.
7.    Research a “Big Question” (e.g. what’s the history of Christmas? why do we decorate Christmas trees? Ect.)
8.    Hide a holiday note under your sweetie’s and/or children’s pillow.
9.    Watch your own home movies and reminisce on the good ole’ days.
10. Watch a classic Christmas movie together. Have everyone write down and recite their favorite line.
11. Learn how to say “Merry Christmas” in different languages.
12. Decorate a gingerbread house together. (Use a pint size milk carton, graham crackers and your favorite candies.)
13.  Recreate the birth of Jesus by dressing your kids up in costumes (Joseph, Mary, 3 wise men, baby Jesus) Don’t forget your camcorder!
14. Create a countdown to Christmas calendar.
15. Find out how many smaller words you can make from “Christmas”.
      (Have a special treat for the winner)
16. Song Challenge: List all the Christmas songs you can think of in 3 minutes? (Cross off shared answers and the player with the most original response is the “Christmas King/Queen/Prince/Princess” for the day!)
17. Create a Christmas craft and set aside a place to display them gallery style.  (Enchanted Learning is one of our favorite sites for seasonal crafts!)
18. Make a homemade Christmas card to send to the troops.
19. Blindfold a member of your family and give him/her seasonal items to smell and record how many he/she get correct. (Seasonal Smells: peppermint, cinnamon, gingerbread, eggnog, pine/evergreen, nutmeg, sugar cookies, hot chocolate, sweet potatoes, etc.)
20.  Make a silly story.  (Each person starts with one sentence and then each person adds their sentence to the silly story. Record your story.)

Here are 20 OUTSIDE holiday, family activities:

1.    Catch a holiday or family movie at your local theater (“Parental  
    Guidance” is a promising film this year!)
2.    Attend a Christmas Light Display. (Our favorites in the city are Life of Lights and Centennial Park.)
3.    Take a drive around a neighborhood you’ve never been to see their light displays.
4.    See live reindeer (Chattahoochee Nature Center.)
5.   Go Christmas Caroling (senior communities, firehouses, children’s hospitals)
6.    Attend a Christmas show (Several listings in town including the Nutcracker at the Fox Theater and A Christmas Carol at the Alliance Theater.)
7.    Go to a basketball game. (Okay, I admit this isn’t a very holiday season event, but it is definitely family time and the Hawks v. Piston game just happens to be the day after Christmas!)
8.    Visit Stone Mountain Park for “Snow Mountain.”
9.    Visit a Christmas tree farm.
10. See the Snow Show @ Atlantic Station.
11. Grab a blanket and some hot chocolate. Sit outside on a clear night and star gaze.
12. Give back! Volunteer with an organization together for the day. (There are many organizations that allow children to volunteer alongside their parents.)
13. Cook a meal together and take it to a less-fortunate family.
14. Go ice-skating (in/outdoor).
15. Ride the Pink Pig @ Lenox Mall (for small children.)
16. Hear the Winter Wonder Jam @ Atlantic Station.
17. Attend a Live Nativity Scene. (There are several in local cities all over, but we found a free one at Rock Spring Presbyterian Church in Atlanta the weekend before Christmas)
18. Design art @ The High Museum. (“Holidays at the High”, free w/ admissions)
19. See “Rudolph” at the Center for Puppetry Arts.
20. Build a Christmas tree together at Lego® Land.

Edited by: The Writing Enhancer