So Christmas is over, the big man has been and gone, the pudding has been devoured, too many roast potatoes consumed (not to mention chocolates), maybe a few too many drinks and under the tree is an empty, depressed looking space where just a few days ago sat prettily wrapped gifts. The bins are overflowing, there are gifts that you are cursing relatives for buying, and you don’t even want to dare to look at the credit card bill, well not at least until you consume another glass of wine!

Hopefully the kids are happy, all parents “Christmas Mission Statement” include successful present buying not only so there children are happy, but most importantly so our children don’t bug us for the rest of the holidays! I mean I for one don’t spend a fortune on gifts so that I can hear them repeatedly chanting

  • I’m bored
  • I have nothing to do
  • I have nothing to play with
  • Where can we go today?

So far I seem to have done well, Aspen and April have been particularly in love with their vision boards, adding and changing up what they put on it and enjoying telling me about all the cool inspirational quotes they are finding in their gift packs. Aspen has even been inventing quotes of her own that are actually really good!

Adam has been most taken by his new Wii U games, and I have been feeling increasingly like a bad mother as he is having way too much screen time! But in my defence it means he is not bugging his sisters and I am enjoying reading my new book I got for Christmas, yes bad mummy I am! But it’s not all doom and gloom as he also got his very own chess set and he will play that for hours too which is great for his brain development, so maybe that cancels out the screen time? Now we just need to get him outside for some exercise!

But this post Christmas bliss won’t last forever, and our children will soon be bored with all the new shiny things, so what comes next? Here are some tips for keeping kids entertained without spending loads more money over the holidays.

  • Kids often get way too many presents. It’s a great idea after a few days to put some of the new things into a storage box and then after a few days rotate the boxes around, that way there are new things coming out every few days.
  • If they got board games then make time to play these with them, otherwise they will sit in the box unused and that is a waste. Kids love when their parents play with them, so set aside some time to play games with them.
  • If they received arts and crafts encourage them to use them. (I for one am not a fan of the mess arts and crafts can cause in my house, but it is so worth the clean up when they spend hours creating). Make a space they can use. Ideally the kitchen table or bench, otherwise a spot on the floor. Pop a towel or old blanket down (avoid painting though), and let them draw, cut, pin, and colour. Left over cardboard boxes from gifts make great vision boards to decorate, and let them cut up Christmas cards and wrapping paper to make great patterns and images. It can all be recycled later.
  • If the weather is great encourage them to put together a picnic that you can all enjoy outside. If they are over 8 let them do this on their own or with siblings, it is great for them to learn to make good food choices and learn how to make a simple sandwich and clean some fruit. If they are younger they may need help from an adult or older sibling. Indoor picnics are always cute too if they weather is not ideal.
  • Make cubby houses or forts. I know it can be annoying, especially if you are a perfectionist, but it can amuse kids of all ages for hours when they set up a space with all the cushions, blankets and pillows they can find. It is a great way to encourage imaginative play. They can take their teddy’s in, or make tunnels for their train sets.
  • Organise play dates, older kids in particular need to keep social with friends. Organise to have one of their friends sleep over or for them to sleep at a friends house. Sleepovers with cousins are also great ways to keep the family bond strong.
  • To keep the whole family healthy take a walk together, take your dog out for walks, go to the park, ride your bikes or scooters, get active and enjoy the fresh air.

Happy kids means Happy Parents! The more they are amused the more free time you will get, don’t spend every spare moment cleaning, relax and enjoy your free time it is after all, very precious.

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I hope these tips help you get a bit more peace over the holidays. If you have any tips I would love to hear them!

Thanks for joining me, love Mackenzie xx

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