**Pentatonix on Pandora while reading this is suggested**
Anyyyyyyway, this time of year there are so many great opportunities to spend both intentional
and just fun time with our kids and lets be honest, they are out of school A.LOT. SO, it is also a
great time for a checklist of fun things to do with your kids during Winter/Christmas/In the snow
/No school days! A friend requested I write down some of our favorites so...here ya go!
1. Go Ice Skating at an outdoor rink...you pick where Denver, Evergreen, there are TONS
(sure the one in evergreen has one of the BEST winerys EVER just a few blocks away *Creekside Cellars*but seriously...ANY. How Colorado right?)
2. Let the kids help make some homemade marshmallows for hot cocoa that night! Recipe HERE
3. City square lighting ceremonies are becoming more and more popular and more fun! There are often carriage rides, carolers and often Themed events (Loveland is doing a Whooville theme this year?! How fun!)
4. One of my kids favorite things are indoor snowball fights! No, I am not crazy...(ok, well nevermind) BUT, we don't do snow IN the house (except for in the water table...more on that later). Rolled up white socks or matchless white socks are EVEN better and go nuts!
5. Build a fort.
6. Do 5, then add a string of Christmas lights and a few good books!
7. Make salt dough ornaments. Recipe HERE
8. Indoor snow play...when the kids were little we would bring in a few small sand buckets full of snow and let them play inside in their water table...now they are too big for a water table but a big ol' bucket on a beach towel works great! Mittens and snow while warm and in PJ's? Yes please! Add colored water or buttons and a small carrot and tell them to build a snowman!
9. Go Sledding. Repeat.
10. See lights! If you don't want to spend money, drive around! Pinterest has some super cute scavenger hunt lists for Christmas light displays and I will admit at 32 I still squeal when we sync the radio to a house display! HERE are some fun scavenger hunt lists for your drive!
11. Zoo lights 3d fun and oh, so pretty!
12. Parade of lights
13. Christmas shows/polar express train (even closer now in Golden at the train museum!)
14. Make snowmen crafts! SO many options! Build them with marshmallows and toothpicks, mix glue and shaving cream and paint 3d snowmen, draw blank snowmen shapes on white paper and have your kids decorate their own version!
15. Make snow...there are TONS of recipes we like but if you aren't into making it you can find a tube (that expands to about 3 cups worth) at hobby lobby for $4 or so with a 40% off coupon. Want to make your own..try this one, looks easy enough! Try this one!
16. Christmas-y coloring sheets. My 7 year old has NEVER enjoyed coloring but he likes the adult ones a tad more. Google and Pinterest are your friends here.
17. Go to a local pottery store and create an ornament or gifts for cousins/grandparents, etc.!
18. ANY night we are home during this next month, we will be watching a holiday movie. My guess for the number of times we watch Home Alone is right about 10..anyone care to place an over/under bet? No seriously, ABC has a GREAT line up that you can set your DVR to record so you are always ready with a classic! Take it one step further and look for craft ideas that incorporate the movies! Here is the lineup!
19. Decide on an advent (or two or seven) that fit your families beliefs or focus for the season! We have always loved to wrap christmas books up and have the kids unwrap one a day to read that night...we also will be doing a bible verse advent this year and reading a scripture a day that focuses on the reason for the season. There are SO many options of different things you can do, the sky is the limit!
20. Cut paper snowflakes to decorate the house with! Or, cut the snowflakes and decorate a north pole fort!
21. Candy cane Playdough anyone?
22. Have the kids get involved with dinner...Snowman pizza?
23. Gingerbread houses and cookie decorating, of course!
24. Set up a play wrapping station...use newspaper, stamps, markers, stickers, old boxes from food and let them play!
25. Make Christmas cards for family/friends to go with the gifts they give..there is something ridiculously adorable about kids artwork.
26. Who doesn't love magic reindeer food for the front lawn? Glitter and oats!
I will update more as I think of them but more than anything, I hope you are able ignore the hustle and bustle and just enjoy the magic this time of year brings!
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