Read, Cook, Make, Play: Holiday Activities To Help You Connect With Your Kids

Am I the only one who feels like all the activity of the holidays can distract me away from my family? My to do list of finding gifts, writing Christmas cards (yes we still do that), decorating, and more often leaves me, and therefore the rest of the family, a little frazzled. In the spirit of using this time of year to connect more, here are some simple activities to do together.

Read your way through the holidays together

• Thanksgiving week is the perfect time to read a harvest story together. One of my favorites is The Gigantic Turnip, a traditional Russian tale about an old farmer couple who grow a turnip so large that they can't pull it up, even with the help of their many animals. After reading this humorous tale, you might want to head to the kitchen to make a bowl of hearty turnip stew.

• If your family celebrates Hanukkah, mark each of the eight nights with a story. "Elijah's Wisdom" from The Barefoot Book of Jewish Tales tells of how Elijah rewards the righteous and punishes wrongdoers, but not in the way you'd expect! For more Hanukkah story suggestions, see this post from Barefoot Books.

Babushka is one of eight winter tales included in Fireside Stories.

• Fireside Stories: Tales for a Winter's Eve includes stories for Halloween, first snowfall, Christmas Eve, New Year's, and beyond. These stories beg to be read aloud, perhaps while you all snuggle together under a cozy blanket. 

• Our family celebrates Christmas, and this year we are trying out a new tradition. I'll be wrapping up 24 Christmas tales (some religious, some secular) and each night starting December 1st our family will unwrap one to read together. I'm using a mix of books I already had on hand, a few new ones (including this rich, vintage fabric-inspired Twelve Days of Christmas), and books checked out from the library.

Get Your Kids Into the Kitchen

• If you have little ones who want to help in the kitchen during festive occasions and you're not sure what to have them do, why not let them make butter? It's much easier that you might think and the shaking will keep them interested and occupied while you do the complicated stuff in the kitchen.
• If you have elementary aged children or teenagers, perhaps they'd like to make a Thanksgiving fruit tray like this adorable turkey made from pears and other fruits. 

Make Something Together: Simple Crafts for the Holidays

• We are always looking for new takes on homemade play dough at our house, and my son and I loved this incredibly easy cinnamon play doh (no cooking involved.) I should warn you, you'll probably want to bake an apple pie after smelling all that cinnamon, so don't forget to pick up supplies for that too!
• If you need a project that can stretch over a few days (such as long breaks from school) try making these corn kernel mosaics. You'll need to dye the corn first and let it dry, and then you can make the mosaics the next day. Bonus: if you have old stale popcorn around, this is a great way to use it!
• These festive felt ornaments and decorations include designs that can be used for Hanukkah and Christmas. All you need are these templates, felt, cardstock, ribbon, and a few other supplies you likely already have around the house.

Play and Talk Together as a Family

• Encourage your children to ask their grandparents if they have any family stories they'd be willing to tell. For a lasting memory, have your child record the story so that it can be passed down through the generations.

• Over-stimulation during the holidays is even more difficult for kids to handle than it is for adults. I often encourage my three year old to try out a yoga pose with me when I think doing some deep breathing might help him calm down. He's usually so interested in trying to balance or stretch that he doesn't realize what I'm doing. Or, for a more intentional activity, try a "community circle" (one of the activities include in the children's activity deck Yoga Pretzels.) Sit down on the floor as a family in a circle, with everyone sitting tall. Take a few moments to close your eyes, breathe and relax. Ask a family member to begin by squeezing the hand of the person next to them, who then squeezes the next hand until the squeeze has gone all the way around the circle. Next, pass the squeeze again, with each person saying a word that describes how you feel, such as "happy," "peaceful," or "special." Do a final round of squeezes, using a word that describes what you'd like to share with the other people in your circle, such as "fun," "adventure," or "love."

What do you do in your home to connect as a family during the holiday season? Tell us in the comments!

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