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Eight ways to keep your kids busy this December
Although having the kids at home for the holidays is a wonderful gift, it also comes with its challenges and frustrations as keeping them busy is not always that easy.
Keep kids busy this December. Picture: iStock
Kids are curious creatures and need to be kept busy whether at school or at home.
Having the kids at home means that parents often need to up their game when it comes to entertaining kids with educational activities, meaningful mingling with people close to them, family friendly outings and more.
Here are eight ways you can keep the kids busy this December.
Magical movies for kids
Whether it’s at home or at the movies, a good family movie brings a smile to any child’s face. Disney’s latest movie, Encanto, is something not to miss out on this December. It is currently in cinemas nationwide and will have the whole family nailed to the screen for the entire 90 minutes.
Educate without them knowing
There are so many educational activities to do with kids. Prepare them for next year’s maths with fun toys like Magformers’ various play sets. These toys are not only exciting to play with, but also teaches kids the basics about 3-D and more.
Pay TV platform DStv also launched a brand new edutainment app called Island Adventures, which is accessible to DStv customers on all packages via the MyDStv App. According to DStv, Island Adventures is a fun zone for children that allows them to discover new shows and play games that are suitable for their age group and stage of learning.
“Like a real-life island, the Island Adventures kids zone of the MyDStv App is set up to keep your child from straying into the internet’s no-go zones, but still offers them plenty of space and independence so they can grow – and singlehandedly defeat that evil Boredom Beast.”
“The games they play will include brain workouts like memory activities, puzzle games, logic puzzles, and quizzes based on their favourite TV shows, which will test memory and comprehension and encourage active viewing.”
The app also boasts a colouring book, which will help with those fine motor skills and expressing creativity, and their artworks are downloadable for parents who may want to save or even print the artwork to keep.
Click here for more about the apps safety and parental control features.
Grab a treat at Starbucks
Often, a quick outing to get out of the house is all they (and you) need. Starbucks is famous for its variety of options and of course, with it being the festive season, they have Christmas-inspired drinks to indulge in too.
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December holiday DIY
There’s nothing like a good old family project to tackle during the December holiday. Whether it is to bake and decorate Christmas biscuits for the neighbours, making your own Christmas-inspired gift wrapping paper, wrapping gifts or painting the living room with 2022’s colour of the year, the key is to do it together and to have fun while doing it.
ALSO READ: Five spots to watch Christmas lights in Gauteng this December
The gift of kindness
With it being the festive season, the December holiday poses as the perfect opportunity to teach your kids about giving. Buy a couple of necessities like soap, flour, tins of non-perishable food, packets of crayons and more and put it in neatly wrapped shoe boxes.
Head out into the streets and hand out these boxes to some of the homeless men, women and children in your area and teach your kids about being kind this Christmas.
Donkey Dairy with the kids
Take the kids for an authentic farm experience at South Africa’s only Donkey Dairy, located on the slopes of the Magaliesburg Mountains.
They recently opened their doors to the public and you and the kids will certainly learn more from this working farm than you could ever imagine. Kids can look forward to feeding farm animals, donkey rides, donkey grooming and more. Book via their website.
Make your own activity advent calendar
Why buy a pricey pre-filled advent calender if you could create your own? Making an activity advent calendar is such a fun alternative and will undoubtedly keep the kids busy while creating some excitement about Christmas.
Pop some clues in mini-Christmas stockings on a string hung somewhere in the home, and have the kids embark on a daily Christmas adventure, whether it’s to make their own Christmas tree decorations, to go to the mall for cinnamon buns, to explore the nearest outdoor jungle gym in Christmas attire or whatever else. Make it fun and memorable.
Christmas holiday movie marathon
Netflix has numerous Christmas-themed movies to watch over December. It might not be ideal for toddlers, but teens might love the idea of making a cosy Christmas bed, indulging in the traditional bowl of popcorn and taking part in a weekend movie marathon.
