December can be a busy month, and finding time to play among visits to friends and family might feel tricky. But our activities are simple and low (or no) cost – so there's always space for fun and learning.
We often give our weekend ideas for babies, toddlers and children separately – but this weekend we have some ideas that we think are perfect for everyone!
Magical walks
What you need
What to do
- Wrap up warm and go for a walk around your neighborhood.
- Look for houses with lights or decorations on them, and talk about how different it looks to usual.
- Point out details you like, and encourage your child to do the same.
- Depending on their age, they might do this in different ways. Your baby might smile or wriggle, your toddler might say one or two words and your child might ask questions about the things they see.
- For toddlers and older children, ask if they’d like to take photos of their favourite lights or decorations. Help them to do so with your camera or phone.
- When you get home and are ready for a cosy chat, look back through your photos from the walk and talk more about what you liked and where you saw things.
Pause for a moment
Your child is likely to pick up on the excitement and busy-ness of December, as the places you visit (and maybe your home) start to be filled with colour and light. Find some ways to bring some quiet into your day, even when life feels super busy!
- Make some time and space for quiet, when you don’t have plans or places to be.
- Snuggle up with a story together.
- Listen to some calming music.
- Watch a favourite programme.
Little chef
What you need
What to do
- Get your little one involved in preparing a meal.
- For your baby this might simply be chatting to them about what you’re doing.
- Your toddler might be able to do some cutting and mixing.
- And your child may follow a simple picture recipe (like our banana pancake recipe which you’ll find here).