Kids often get lost in the hustle and bustle leading to the holidays, but it is the perfect time to get the whole family ready for the festivities. See our tips below on how to include children in Christmas preparation.
It’s often easy for small children to feel left out or even useless because they aren’t old enough to be involved with “grown-up” activities. Allowing children to participate and be helpful during the holiday season allows them to feel like a contributing member of the family. Adults and children alike can have fun sharing in holiday activities and creating Christmas memories to last a lifetime.
Helping Prepare a Holiday Feast
The most notable part about Thanksgiving and Christmas is the large turkey dinner with savoury cranberry orange sauce. With proper supervision and lots of loving encouragement, small children may help to do some of the cooking. Kids can safely use whisks, measure ingredients, use the mixer, make Christmas cookies, or mash potatoes.
Although they can’t assist with some of the more complex or dangerous activities, young children will still feel sufficiently involved if they are allowed to help in small ways, and that might include allowing a child to come along on holiday dinner shopping trips and help to plan the menu.
Children of all ages take pride in helping out around the house and love to feel like they were part of something special. They will be very proud of themselves for helping with dinner and should be praised for the meal while the family is busy enjoying it, making them feel as though they’ve accomplished something very important – and rightfully so.
Choosing the Perfect Christmas Tree
Buying a Christmas tree is often an annual family tradition, but small children may become discouraged if their choice of tree is overlooked. Unfortunately, children will frequently set their minds on a tree that simply isn’t appropriate for some reason: lopsided, too short, too tall, branches missing, etc.
Parents can deal with this gently by allowing the child to make the final decision between a few trees that they have already singled out. In this way, the child is allowed to participate in an important and significant way. The parents will be satisfied with the final choice.
Some families have two trees – the larger, perfectly decorated one in the living room and a smaller, more “Charlie Brown” Christmas tree in the family room or playroom that the kids decorate all on their own. This makes everyone happy. Parents may also want to create edible ornaments with the kids that can be hung on their own special tree.
Kids Love to Decorate for Christmas
Helping with Christmas decorations is a task appropriate for even the smallest of children. Little ones can help hang up the non-breakable ornaments, paint ceramic stocking holders and small figurines, mix batter and decorate freshly baked cookies, or cut out snowflakes with safety scissors. With all the festivity during the Christmas season, there should be no shortage of exciting things for children to do around the house.
It’s important to involve your kids in family activities, and the holiday season is a great time to include children in Christmas preparation. With some adult guidance, every member of the family can be satisfied with the outcome!
These are great idea for creating memories for your children. Its important to build traditions.