The most wonderful time of the year can be joyful, heart-warming, and full of holiday cheer. There are so many social events, quality time with family, and delicious treats to eat. The holiday season also features traditions that families practice, like choosing a Christmas tree, viewing the holiday lights, or watching a classic seasonal movie.
Since preschoolers love routines, having a certain activity every night during this time can help provide a joyful structure to the season. While traditions like advent calendars and lighting the menorah can help mark each day of the season, it’s also a great idea to create traditions that are special to your family. Here are a few ideas for creating these new family traditions during the holiday season.
Set Aside a Day for Outdoorsy Fun
Ice skating, sledding, snowman-building contests, or simply a hike down a favorite trail are all ways to get the family out in the fresh winter air together. While very young children might not last long in low temperatures, most children will be so delighted to have you outside with them that they won’t mind the cold.
Try a Holiday Baking Together
Take the morning to look through Pinterest and ask your child to choose a baked good that looks super tasty. Holiday baking can create warm memories that your child will always remember. Along with reviewing simple S.T.E.A.M. concepts like mixtures and rising, you also get to eat the results of your experiments in the kitchen! Once you have a pile of holiday treats in your kitchen, you can make cookie deliveries with your family to spread joy and cheer all around the neighborhood.
Make a Seasonal Craft
Family and friends love getting handmade gifts from your preschoolers, and handing out artistic creations can also help children discover the joy of giving. Start with something simple, like using markers to color wooden holiday shapes from a craft store. If your child has artistic aptitude and interest, you could level them up to snowflake making or ornament making. For personalized crafts to use as gifts, you could use a current photo of your children or your family. As the years go by, you’ll see the collection of holiday crafts grow and have a precious array of decorations that mark each year of your child’s life.
Schedule Downtime Together
Holidays can definitely get busy, so setting aside time to relax and spend time together can be one of the most important holiday traditions. There are several ways to do this. If you have the capacity in your calendar, block out a day or two for special time together around holiday activities. If you have less free time at your disposal, simply taking 10 minutes to enjoy the season and give your child undivided attention can make a tremendous difference in their life. Downtime spent together is one of the best parts of the holiday season.
Make Every Season Bright with TGS
The Gardner School loves to celebrate special occasions with our students. It’s so sweet to see children’s smiles and experience the wonder of the winter holidays in our classrooms. To learn why parents choose The Gardner School to help their children to grow and learn, contact us to learn more or to schedule a virtual tour.