Children immerse themselves in what they are doing at the moment and they take time to have fun. They enjoy life and we can learn a lot from them. Here are 10 holiday related activities you can do by yourself or with your children to help you release your inner child this holiday season. As a result, you will find yourself more relaxed and ready to face the grown-up holiday hustle and bustle.
1. Color. Find some crayons or markers and paper. Think back to when you were little and what you loved most about this time of year. Sit down and color a picture. Don’t worry about the finished product, just be in the moment and create. Hang it on the refrigerator when you are done.
2. Dance. Turn on your favorite, upbeat holiday music and play it loud. Go wild and dance around. Let yourself get lost in the music.
3. Play Dough. Make a batch of salt dough. Squish it, play with it, form it. Now use it to create your own ornaments and decorations.
4. Draw. With a freshly sharpened pencil draw a holiday picture. Start with simple shapes and see where your mind and your hand lead you. Hang up your completed artwork.
5. Get Messy. We all know kids get messy and the messier they are, the more fun they had. Dive into some finger paints, make a picture with glue and glitter, dig in a sandbox, bake cookies…
6. Make a collage. Come up with a theme for your collage: What I love about ___________, Favorite Things, Places I want to Visit, Quiet Moments, If I Had a Million Dollars…Cut out pictures from old magazines that fit with your theme. Glue them onto a piece of paper. Hang it up.
7. Laughter. Get comfortable and watch a funny holiday movie like Elf, Christmas Story or the Muppets Christmas Carol or another one that tickles your funny bone. Allow yourself to immerse yourself in the movie and laugh out loud.
8. Get moving. Kids are constantly on the go, so why not give it a try. Go ice-skating at an outdoor rink, play four square, go sledding or go to the playground and swing.
9. Sidewalk Chalk. Find the big pieces of sidewalk chalk and go outside. On your driveway, sidewalk or porch, start drawing festive holiday images. Make your pictures big for everyone to enjoy.
10. Paint. Go to the store and get some clear or plain colored ornaments and acrylic paint. Put on holiday music and paint your own ornaments. Let the brush and the colors bring out the child within you.
