How to Keep Kids Engaged During the Holidays (9 Fun Activities)

Holidays are a great time to bond with our kids and maybe even let our own inner child emerge once again. With Christmas fast approaching and the pandemic forcing us to stay indoors, you might be wondering how to keep your Montessori school kid (and yourself) constructively occupied at home.

Here are some ways to keep them active, entertained, and out of trouble while spending some quality time with them.

9 Fun Indoor Holiday Activities for Kids

Worried that your kids will be glued to their iPad during the holidays? Looking for some fun and constructive ways to beat back boredom and keep them occupied? Here are some indoor holiday activities your kids will (hopefully) love.

1) Paint Marbles

This task is particularly meant for kids aged five and younger. For this activity you need:

1) Tempera paint;

2) Poster paint in at least 6-7 shades;

3) A small pack of marbles;

4) A metal box/canister or shoebox;

5) Thick sheets of poster paper cut to fit at the bottom of the box.

Ask the kids to coat the marbles in different colours and drop them in the box. (They can use as many marbles as they want, depending on the colours they want in their painting.)

Now close the lid and give the container a good shake. Open the box and, voila, the painting is ready! Wash the marbles and repeat with other colours.

This activity should be strictly monitored by an adult to make sure no one eats the marbles! Older children can try rolling them carefully around in an open box or tray instead of closing the lid and shaking the box.

2) Create Chalk Murals

For this activity, kids will need paper, poster board, a large canvas and a surface upon which to draw and paint.

In order to avoid a lot of mess, give them coloured chalk instead of paint to make murals on the canvas. Since chalk washes off easily, they can try different designs on different days.

3) Cook and Bake

Plan a weekly cooking or baking session. Try to involve the kids right from the beginning by allowing them to choose recipes for which you have ingredients. However, if you have a little one, chances are that their short attention span will make it difficult to sit through the entire process. Read the recipe out loud and help them get involved as much as you can. Try to avoid doing it all yourself.

4) Create a Car Racing Track

Put coloured tape on the floor to make roads and indicate directions for your kids’ cars. Make the activity more creative by adding signals and stop signs. Create a special zone for cars to park at the race’s end. This will create more interest in the game and prevent you from tripping over toy cars. The tape will come off easily when done.

5) Play Balloon Volleyball

For this game, string up a rope or some bed sheets tied together across a hallway. Then hand the kids a balloon each and have them play balloon volleyball. If they’re bored, add a couple of rackets or paddles to turn it into balloon badminton.

6) Make a Family Tree

This is a great activity for children 8 to 12. They can make this on chart paper or on their computers using a template. Go back as many generations as you can, depending on how big they want the family tree to be. Going back to great grandparents, uncles and aunts and learning their names and relationships is fun and informative. Add old pictures if possible.

7) Build a Box City

Don´t recycle those used milk/juice cartons and cereal boxes! Instead, keep them in good shape and have fun with your kids by building a city out of boxes. If you’ve got loads of Christmas boxes, keep them aside for this project. It’s the perfect fun activity for children under the age of ten.

8) Paint Stones

The sky’s the limit in terms of how you can decorate stones. Give your children some flat round stones, acrylic paints and brushes. Start with a base coat and then let them paint anything they want. It could be something as simple as a balloon or Christmas tree, or something more detailed, like a sunset. This activity is ideal for kids aged 3 and older.

9) Make Wreaths

Making a festive wreath is a great DIY Christmas decor activity for kids. First, gather some evergreen branches and pine cones, or you can buy some artificial ones at your local crafts store. Then, ask the kids to attach the greens to a foam or wire ring (a bent metal coat hanger works well) and let them decorate it. Cute Christmas decor elements like miniature Santa Clauses, stars, silver and gold bells, and bows are just a few options.

All of these activities are easy and relatively inexpensive. All they require is a little creativity, some adult guidance and motivation. After a particularly difficult year, now is the time to make some special memories with your children.