Merry and bright delight!
The weeks leading up to, and during, Christmas can get very hectic. There is lots you can do with your little one to ensure you have quality time together this season with some magical moments!
Top tips:
Leading up to Christmas
- Seasonal vocabulary: words like ‘decorations’, ‘fireworks’, ‘party poppers’ and ‘surprises’ give our mouths and tongues a fun little work out – try to expand your child’s vocabulary by repeating back what they say with an extra word, so for example if they say ‘firework’ you can respond with ‘yes, colourful firework!’
- Moments of calm and play: amongst the excitement, plans, and people, your child may be feeling tired or overwhelmed – remember to include regular breaks and free time for play, as this will enable your child to recharge, process emotions and just be themselves
- Visual timetables: having a simple daily plan and talking it through with your child can really help them process what is happening – a visual timetable is a great way to show them what’s coming next and gives them a sense of control: Visual Timetables – TLC
- Winter walks: wrap up warm and head out around your local area – this is a wonderful way to connect, chat and make memories, as well as giving your child a chance to marvel at all the Christmas lights and decorations (and burn off some of that extra festive energy!)
- Spreading the love: homemade cards are a beautiful way for your child to pause and think about who matters to them – while they often name the grown-ups they love, this is a chance to explore other special connections they might have such as siblings, pets, favourite toys etc – gently encouraging your child to reflect on who they care about helps them to build deeper emotional connections with the world around them
- Baking Christmas treats: a family favourite which is lots of fun and a huge learning opportunity for your child too – it helps to develop maths skills, early reading, sequencing, creativity and fine motor skills: Baking – TLC
- Sharing stories: there is something truly special about reading a story with your child the night before Christmas, so snuggle up and share a favourite Christmas book – you’ll be giving your child more than just a story, you’ll be giving them love, learning and the magic of tradition
During and after Christmas
- Christmas day conversation: spend a few moments talking with your child and ask them a few meaningful questions, such as ‘What is one memory you hope we never forget from today?’ – children will recall the connection from their favourite memories of the day, far more than the presents!
- Sparking imagination: read your child’s favourite story and afterwards, bring the story to life using leftover wrapping paper or empty gift boxes to build castles or create costumes – your child will learn to recreate and role play, as well as develop creativity, confidence and a life-long love of reading: Role Play – TLC
- Getting creative: instead of throwing away all the wrapping paper, packaging, cards and empty food containers, turn it into a fun game with your child – simply cut out the logos/designs and mount them onto cardboard from recycling (cereal boxes are perfect), then make pairs and play a logo matching game – not only is this a fun way to practice focus, memory and introduce early literacy skills, it teaches children the importance of reusing materials and reducing waste!
- Revisiting the memories: looking at the Christmas photos you took together as a family not only helps you share connection and memories, it’s also a great way to model new language such as ‘do you remember’, and sequential language such as ‘first we went to Nannas, then we went to the park after’ – this also gives your child a chance to share their thoughts about the day and how they felt
