What to do in the days between Christmas and New Year with young children

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You may not have heard of the term “Chrimbo limbo” but you've definitely lived it.

It’s that time in between Christmas and New Year where everything’s, well, in limbo!

But don’t worry because we have some fun and simple activities that you can do with your children during this time.

1. Snuggle on the sofa

A sweet and simple activity that’s perfect for both you and your child to keep cosy in the winter weather and rest after the Christmas madness.

Why not jump into your pyjamas and just chill on the sofa with your little one? You could even put a movie on, listen to music or just have a chat together.

This is a great opportunity to reflect on your Christmas and develop your child’s language skills by getting them to describe their best Christmas memories.

Image caption,
Getting cosy on the sofa with your child releases serotonin, the happy hormone.

2. Go for a walk

After being cooped up inside with all the new toys, a nice outdoor walk is great for you and your child’s physical and mental health.

You could even turn your walk into a game and see if your child can name the different things you see whilst walking.

You could play a game of spotting Christmas lights and decorations on the houses you pass and ask your child about the different colours they can see.

You could even create your own Christmas walk bingo.

Child and daughter going for a walk. — Image caption,
Make your walk fun by playing games along the way

3. Listen to Christmas music

Nothing quite lifts the mood like music, especially Christmas songs!

Your child will also benefit from a boogie, which is sure to release some serotonin (happy hormone).

You could even have a go at playing musical statues and get siblings and family members involved too. If you’ve got older kids, they’ll enjoy being in charge of the music and shouting ‘stop’ and ‘start’ as you dance.

4. Have a fancy dress day

Playing dress-up is a good way for your child to get creative and learn the names of different items of clothing that they may not usually wear.

Whether it’s a princess, pirate, animal, or just dressing up in your adult clothes, there are endless ways to role play and enjoy the festive fun.

If your child is older, why not ask them to put on a show with their new outfits? They could incorporate some of their Christmas presents into the play and perform it for the whole family.

Playing dress up is a great activity to teach your child the words of different items of clothing and body parts.

Mother dressing her daughter — Image caption,
Playing dress up with your child introduces them to new words.

5. Get crafty with wrapping paper

Leftover wrapping paper doesn’t need to make its way to the bin, you can turn it into a fun, creative activity. You can make a paper chain decoration with leftover wrapping paper and use it to decorate your house for New Year.

Why not try cutting out the different shapes and images printed on your wrapping paper and getting your child to create a festive collage?

Got lots of cardboard packaging left over? Check out our article for inspiration of fun and easy ways to play with packaging.

Father and daughter playing with wrapping paper — Image caption,
Reusing wrapping paper is great for the environment and is a opportunity for you and your child to get creative.

6. Be inventive with leftovers

One of the perks of Christmas leftovers is that your meals for the next few days can be quick and easy. Maybe you love having a turkey sandwich? Or your child may enjoy a pie made of all the yummy vegetables and meat leftover from Christmas dinner?

There are loads of benefits of cooking together. It boosts your child’s confidence, teaches basic maths skills to older children, and it can help with muscle movements and coordination too.

Child playing with food — Image caption,
Cooking with leftovers is a great way for you and your child to bond.

7. Build a cosy corner

Christmas and cosy time is the perfect combination, so why not make a cosy corner? All you need are blankets, pillows, and cushions to make a comfortable spot to cuddle up together.

Or you could make a fort and use it for story time or role play. Be as creative as you like!

Father and daughter making a cosy corner — Image caption,
Building a cosy corner with you child is a fun way to get creative.

8. Donate stuff to charity

If your child has lots of new presents from Santa but not enough space to keep them all, why not donate any no longer used toys to charity? Just head over to your local charity shop.

And if the shop isn’t open before the New Year, you can always spend some time with your child sorting out their toys and clothes into different piles in preparation. Sorting objects is a really great way to develop your child's communication and reasoning skills.

9. Play “What’s in the bag” with new stuff

Our very own “What’s in the bag” game is perfect for introducing your child to new words and items they’ve been gifted over Christmas. You can focus on the colours, textures, and sizes of the objects.

Let your child guess what the item may be, or for younger children, let them take stuff out of the bag. This game is so simple but also fantastic for early language development. This is a great way to get your child interested in their toys rather than the packaging.

Father and daughter playing What's In The Bag — Image caption,
Playing 'what's in the bag' is great for your child's language development.

10. Drawing their best Christmas memories

“Chrimbo limbo” is a perfect opportunity to spend some time reflecting on your year and setting goals for the new year. Reflecting is a great skill for children to develop at an early age. It can be as simple as asking them “what was your favourite bit about Christmas?”

Getting them to draw their best Christmas memory is a fun activity that fills them up with positivity and magical memories…you’ll even have a drawing to treasure for years to come!