Family Entertainment Ideas for Over the Holidays

Parents everywhere both love (and dread) the holiday season. Working parents are often scrambling for childcare while kids are off school and trying to fit in as much family entertainment into the off hours as possible. Stay at home parents can sometimes be at a loss for how to fill the day with meaningful activities.

This holiday season, strike a balance between “doing it all” and biding your time until school is back in session. Below you’ll find some unique holiday ideas that will work for families regardless of your time or budget constraints.

Family Entertainment for the Entire Family

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by a vendor I have chosen to work with. I have received either paid compensation and/or free product in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own based only on my own experience.

Holiday Movie Marathon

My son is finally old enough this year that I was able to take him to “Home Alone,” which was playing at our local theatre on the big screen. It was reminiscent for me to rewatch a classic family favourite, and he of course giggled through the slapstick comedy throughout the film.

There are so many movies that are great for all ages. Start a movie marathon with a mix of current titles and classics from your childhood. A few of my favourites:

National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation

How the Grinch Stole Christmas

A Christmas Carol

The Polar Express

Elf

Miracle on 34^th Street

The Santa Claus

It’s a Wonderful Life

 

 

Hit a Community Skating Rink

We are very lucky to have a number of community skating rinks in our city run by hardworking volunteers. Dust off your skates and head out for some good ol’ fashioned winter fun. If you don’t happen to have a pair that fits, do a search on community Facebook swap groups or your local virtual garage sale site. Often you can find second hand skates for a reasonable price that won’t break the budget and cut into the fun. Warm up with a cup of hot chocolate and marshmallows afterward!

Discover a New Podcast

I love the Dream Big Podcast! It features some wonderful life lessons and encouragement for kids to dream big dreams and explore their passions. I can stream it on my phone and listen during the commute between home and school. Since each episode is only 20-30 minutes long, it’s the perfect length for a car ride and a nice way to relax and listen to something new and inspiring.

Find the City’s Best Hot Chocolate

One of my favourite things to do during the holidays is to hunt for the best Hot Chocolate the city has to offer. We’ll often spend our weekends scouring hot spots around the city we haven’t tried before and order up a hot cup of steaming cocoa. We all have our personal favourites and yet it’s also fun to try something new as well. It’s the type of tradition you’ll never grow tired of.

Design Your Own Christmas Light Scavenger Hunt

Gather the kids together and create a list of criteria for your own Christmas Light Scavenger Hunt! Your list could include purple lights, icicle lights, a Santa Claus, reindeer, 5 candy canes, musical synchronization, etc!

Make a bingo sheet and have the kids draw a few pictures of each! Have a contest for who can spot each first!

Make Your Own Christmas Ornament

Some of my favorite memories as a kid involve making Christmas decorations for our family tree. To me, what makes Christmas special is the stories that lie beneath each individual ornament. I was so happy to find this Ornament Diffuser Recipe inside my Simply Earth box this month. Not only will my son enjoy decorating it, but it’ll smell just like Christmas. Use the code: GOODENUFMOMMYFREE to receive a big bonus box on your first order and a $20 coupon for future orders also.

What’s on your to do list this Christmas?

 

XO The Good Enuf Mommy