Easy Holiday Activities to do over Winter Break- LITTLE to NO cost!!!

Children of all ages could benefit from participating in these easy holiday activities to do over Winter Break while adults can benefit from not having to spend a bunch of money on ways to keep their littles busy!

ALL of these ideas use materials that are most likely found in the home and or cardboard boxes that you may have acquired recently due to the holidays:

1) Make a DIY Fireplace Decoration:

This project was so much fun and good for older children as well as younger children to work together! We don't have a fireplace (new builds tend to not have them anymore for some reason) so we had nowhere to hang everyone's stockings!

Gather up ALL the cardboard and construction paper you have, then use a box cutter to cut apart the box into separate pieces. I did not have to measure anything- I took the flaps off the box (two shorter and one longer side) to make the fireplace. I had my 8 year old nephew help me place the cardboard pieces on the wall as well as draw the bricks on the pieces with a permanent marker.

Then, we sorted through the construction paper and took out black, red, orange, and yellow. Black was stapled in the open space inside the fireplace to create the background. My nephew and 1 and a half year old son helped me crumple and tear the red, orange, and yellow paper in order to create the fire. I stapled pieces over the background and finessed it until it looked like a real fire.

For the logs, I used toilet paper rolls that have been sitting in my craft box for awhile (you can do ANYTHING with these which is why I save them). We added the stockings and voila! the DIY fireplace was finished. It made a festive addition to the front drop off area of the daycare as well as a way for parents to view their children's stocking craft.

2) Santa's Sleigh Ride DIY

MATERIALS:

• Large or extra-large box

• boxcutter

• permanent marker

• craft materials (construction paper, markers, glitter, christmas stickers, etc. anything you want to use for decorating the sleigh)

• gift boxes or bags

• drawstring bag (I used one that came with some shoes I ordered)

• Christmas blanket

  
  
  
  
  
  

  

  
  

  This project was So much fun and my nephew created this independently after I cut off the box flaps (leaving one for the front of the sleigh). He drew a mood meter for the front to gauge the level of Christmas spirit (an idea from the beloved movie Elf) as well as a window and buttons/controls on the inside.

Santa's sack was filled with gift boxes and bags that were filled with different toys every week for the daycare students to explore and discover leading up to Christmas. We even had yje kids ride in the slay as a gross motor activity and/or push each other around. It was surprisingly sturdy and lasted through Christmas with my students ranging from 6 months - 2 years old.

3) Gingerbread Playdoh TASTE SAFE

This activity is one that I have used for holiday parties back when I was a Special Education Teacher but still works for littles because it is TASTE SAFE! The materials, instructions, and recipe are located in my Google Drive Lesson below:

I can make gingerbread play-doh!.pptx

Download PPTX • 1.06MB

The recipe is not mine (my old TA found it and sent it to me originally)- when i find the owner I will add the credit HERE.

This one is pretty easy as you just follow the lesson above- you can have your kids pour, mix, decorate, and clean up afterwards! I like to have the kids mold gingerbread men or snowmen using cookie cutters or just their hands. Then, we decorate with glitter, buttons, etc. to make it their own!

PLEASE comment below and let me know if you do any of these easy, simple, and cost-effective activities in your home, school, or church!

Have the most restful holiday season, merry Christmas, and happy New Year!!!

Danielle