Christmas can be overwhelming for toddlers – they aren’t really aware of what is going on, and many struggle to understand all the excitement. So, to help them get excited about the festive season, why not play a few games with them:

 

Christmas Bingo

This is a really fun twist on a classic that will not only get the little ones into the festive spirit, but it will build their excitement ahead of the big day. Rather than using numbers, create bingo cards with various Christmas symbols – Santa hats, Christmas trees, gifts, elves and reindeer – and hold up a corresponding image as the games-master. A little treat such as a chocolate or a piece of Christmas cake will go down well when they score a full line.

 

Pin the tail on the reindeer

Just like pin the tail on the donkey, cut a large reindeer shape out of card paper – you’ll probably need an A3 size sheet. With the scraps of paper, cut out a tail and secure some blue tack to the back. Then cover your little one’s eyes, spin them around so they’re a little dizzy, and see who can get the tail in the right place, or at least near enough to it.

 

Snowman bowling

This is a great way to put the kids’ creative skills to good use over the holidays. Take a stack of three or four old boxes (they can be shoeboxes or old crisp boxes), and paint them white for the snowman’s body. Using black card, cut out a hat, arms, eyes, smile and buttons, and stick them on; create a carrot nose with some orange card. Glue these on, and stack the boxes loosely. To play, give your child a small, soft ball and get them to roll it in a straight line to knock the snowman down and build him back up again. The little ones will love this!

 

Christmas hopscotch

As it’s a little too cold for your little one to go playing outside, this is a great way to get them active inside the house. Print off pictures of traditional Christmas images and icons, then secure them to the floor. To play, describe the picture that you want your little one to jump to, without using the name – this will get their brains working while enjoying a jump around!

 

Musical Christmas figures  

Pop on some music and have your little one dance around. When the music stops they need to stand in a Christmas-related pose like a star or a reindeer and hold it without moving. The first one to move is out, although you can skip this part if you want.

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