Remember how much fun being a kid was at family events? You got to see all your cousins, and hang out with them. But the best part wasn’t just being with all of your family, you had your very own table.
There are two schools of thought on the kids table: it’s an escape from the adults, or a boring place, where you’re stuck away from the real conversation. Whichever way your littles look at it, you’re bound to have some bored people on your hands, once the meal is done. That means it’s time to plan some activities that they can do between meals, and trying to eavesdrop on grown folks conversations. Here are a few ideas, along with some of my Amazon links, to help you out!
- Board Games – It’s an oldie, but goodie. Every kid’s table needs a fantastic board game: one that will provide maximum fun and minimum argument. Make sure that you pick one that will be easy to understand for younger kids, and stimulating enough for older ones. Since children love to daydream about their future grownup selves, I suggest LIFE – after all, you get to pick a career and have children without the headache of dreaming up what they’ll be doing at the kid’s table (see what I did there?).
- Crafts – It’s tactile, fun, and maybe a little messy, but that could be completely worthwhile in pursuit of a good time. Go grab some leaves from outside, and get your glue gun. Let the kids express their creativity while you pick over the last bit of food on your plate.
- Movies – If you’re tired of hearing the chatter, it is time to move forward with something that should quiet everyone down. Send the kids off to the living-room, and give them a movie that they’ll love to watch. Remember, kids that are all hopped up on carbs and sugar need something action packed, so don’t get any funny ideas about putting something “calm” on.
- Family Photo Albums – There’s something awesome about allowing your kids to see what you looked like as a kid. This gives everyone a chance to learn more about each other. Prepare for the sound of giggles and a bunch of questions about what you were wearing. This isn’t going to keep the kids at bay, but it sure will be fun.
- Scavenger Hunt – If you put your mind and a little planning into it, this is a great way to let the kids get some movement in, and some of that excess energy out! Give them a list of ten items, and plant them in and outside the house. If you want to be really creative, you can even scatter some cool items around the neighborhood, and let them go on a quest to find the ultimate prize.
- Family Interviews – Holidays are about bonding as a family, and the best thing about bonding in the age of technology is that we can record it all. Give the kids a space in the house, and a list of questions, and give each one of them a chance to talk about themselves on camera. This is a wonderful way to find out more about the children’s dreams and aspirations, and adults can get in on it too. Once everyone has contributed, you’ll have an amazing movie that you can screen later that evening, or save it for next year.
- Dress up- If you have a bunch of giggly girls, chances are, they love to play dress up. Make a special area for them with a camera, old makeup, shoes, and jewelry that you won’t be using anymore. Give them a camera and let them go to town. It’s going to be quite a show, so get ready.
- History lesson – If you want your holiday to lean more towards the educational, let the children pick from a list of topics and give them clues to use to learn all about the holiday at hand. Give them items that will help them discover the meaning of the holiday, videos, or give them each a book to read. Let them show off what they learned to the adults at the end of the night.
- Special dish – This is not for the faint of heart, but kids love to get busy in the kitchen just like adults do. Give them a fighting chance by letting them all choose one recipe and presenting it to the family. This is another great addition to your holiday memories, as you can photograph and film to your heart’s content.
- Group outing – Hyped up kids running through your house driving you to drink? Let them out! As long as they stay together, and are old enough, send the kids off to the neighborhood park. Make sure at least one has a cell phone so you can check in on them, and let them go outside. They can scream, shout, kick and be ready for a nap by the time they get back. (Yeah, right!)
Entertaining children isn’t always an easy task, but it can be fun. Use these tips at your next family gathering. You’re sure to have an unforgettable (and maybe a little more quiet) holiday.
*If you make a purchase using one of my Amazon links, I will earn a few cents. Thank you!*
