Now a mainstay on the Christmas carol list, the earliest known version of The Twelve Days of Christmas was first published in a children’s book in 1780. So with little ones in mind, here are our top tips to sharing a wonderful holiday season.
On the first day of Christmas… why not involve your children in making the Christmas dinner? Weighing out ingredients and calculating cooking times is a great way to sneak in a bit of maths practice!
On the second day of Christmas… board games will keep your children entertained, and help develop problem-solving skills too.
On the third day of Christmas… you don’t need any special equipment to challenge your children. Even a simple game of charades will put their imagination to work.
On the fourth day of Christmas… there’s lots you can do with all that leftover wrapping paper. Spark your children’s creative side with some arts and crafts.
On the fifth day of Christmas… get out and about for a winter walk. Ask your children to spot things on the way, or describe what they see, hear and smell.
On the sixth day of Christmas… encouraging your children to write thank you letters will not only go down a storm with friends and family – it will help their literacy skills too.
On the seventh day of Christmas… 2019 is almost over, and New Year’s Eve is the perfect time to create a scrapbook together with all your favourite memories from the last year.
On the eighth day of Christmas… it’s a brand-new year, so why not something a bit different? It’s less about setting resolutions, and more about sparking new interests.
On the ninth day of Christmas… visiting family members have probably headed home by now – but creating a family tree is a great way to make history come alive.
On the tenth day of Christmas… give yourself some downtime. Christmas can be stressful, and keeping children entertained is a full-time job. So don’t forget to take a break too.
On the eleventh day of Christmas…the return to school is looming, so it’s time to start easing your family back into a term-time routine.
On the twelfth day of Christmas… celebrate twelfth night by reading some passages of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night together – or why not help your children put on their own adaption?
If you’re still looking for ideas to keep everyone entertained this Christmas, take a look at our festive brainteasers here.
