Five affordable, festive, kid-friendly activities

 

The festive season is a magical time for families, filled with joy, warmth, and the spirit of togetherness. However, the costs associated with festive activities can quickly add up, leading many parents to seek affordable yet delightful ways to create lasting memories with their children.

Here are five affordable, festive, kid-friendly activities that you can enjoy with your kids, creating memories without straining your finances.

Create Handmade Decorations and Ornaments

One for when it’s raining outside (nearly every day in December!)

Create DIY decorations and ornaments that add a personal touch to your home during the festive season. Use simple materials such as paper, glue, and glitter to create handmade snowflakes, paper chains, and unique ornaments for the tree. Encourage your kids to unleash their creativity and their creations can become nostalgic childhood items in years to come. 

Bake Festive Treats Together

Ok, this can get messy and cause a lot of anxiety if you are a neat freak but embrace the chaos for an hour and bake with the kids.

Choose simple recipes such as gingerbread biscuits, festive cupcakes, or homemade fudge. Involve your kids in the preparation process, allowing them to mix ingredients and decorate. You can enjoy the yummy treats afterwards or even bag them up with a ribbon and gift them to family and friends.

Host a Family Movie Night

Make a list of your ultimate festive films, grab the popcorn, some blankets, hot chocolate (with extra marshmallows) and settle down to make your way through the list.

Top picks would have to be Elf and Home Alone 2…oh and Love Actually. And The Holiday. 

Explore Local Festive Displays and Events

Take advantage of local community events and festive displays that offer free or inexpensive festive attractions. Visit nearby neighbourhoods adorned with twinkling lights and festive decorations, providing a magical experience for your children without any significant expenses. Attend community-sponsored events such as tree lighting ceremonies, festive markets, or seasonal parades that often offer a range of affordable activities and entertainment suitable for the entire family.

Engage in Festive Arts and Crafts Projects

Get the kids to make the Christmas cards. Your Granny will love a festive card from a little one – unique and made with love!

Provide the kids with drawing materials, colouring books, crayons, paint, etc and let them get creative. They might even want to create crafty gifts for family and friends such as friendship bracelets or picture frames. The possibilities are endless! 

What do you want your December to look like?

The festive season can get overwhelming with all the adverts for stuff and the expectations to do lots of fun things. But let’s be honest. What does all of that really mean to you?

What have you and your family enjoyed in the past? What traditions do you want to uphold? Try to keep this in mind when thinking about festive activities. Try not to panic and book lots of things in, especially at the last minute, because often the expensive things are underwhelming and your bank account will not thank you for it.