Christmas Activities to Enjoy with Your Grandchildren

Christmas Activities to Enjoy with Your Grandchildren

For most seniors, the Christmas season isn’t about the food, the gifts, or the lights– it’s about spending time with their loved ones. Meaningful memories with family members are more precious than any gift you could receive, and time spent with your grandchildren is especially precious. The bond between grandparents and grandchildren is a thing to be cherished, especially as you watch them grow and change.

Children already relish in the magic of the Christmas season. Make it even more special with these Christmas activities to enjoy with your grandchildren. Whether harkening back to old family traditions or creating new ones, this quality time spent together will mean the world to them for years to come.

Decorate sugar cookies

A time-old tradition that those of all ages love to indulge in is decorating sugar cookies. One part creative and one part delicious, this activity encourages your grandchildren’s inner artist to come out. If it doesn’t turn out the way they expected, that’s okay—they can just eat it! Save some trouble by having your grandchild work in a jelly roll pan to help contain the mess.

Depending on how long you’re willing to spend in the kitchen, you could make and cut out the dough together. Alternatively, you could buy pre-made dough at your local grocery store, or even undecorated cookies themselves.

Make ornaments

While you can buy expensive ornaments to decorate your tree with, the hand-made trinkets are more meaningful. Buy blank ornaments for your grandchildren to decorate as they see fit, or try one of these Christmas crafts. To help circumvent potential mess, line your workspace with foil or parchment paper. When you’ve finished, you can just pick up and throw away their canvas.

If you have several grandchildren, consider purchasing a small Christmas tree (such as one to be placed on a tabletop) to display all their creations in one place. This sweet centerpiece will remind you of your fun Christmas memories even after they’ve gone home.

Go on a walk to look at Christmas lights

If you’re looking for a no-mess activity, bundle up for a walk through your neighborhood Christmas lights. This is an especially great way to expel any pent-up energy that may arise from being trapped inside all day. If you don’t live in an area where lights are aplenty, consider driving to another neighborhood and walking around there.

Pack a thermos of hot chocolate or cider to enjoy on your walk. To be extra safe, consider wearing something reflective so that cars can see your group when crossing the street!

Read Christmas books to them

If you’re looking for a quiet, calm activity to enjoy with your grandchildren, reading aloud Christmas stories at the end of the day is a wonderful way to spend time together. If you gather early enough before their bedtime, you can make a little event of it. Bring a few of your favorite Christmas stories, as well as a few new ones, and enter a holiday wonderland together.

If your grandchild is still working on their reading comprehension, take turns reading. This is not only beneficial to their learning, but your cognitive skills.

Make the Christmas season especially meaningful with the help of home care

Despite all the magic of the Christmas season, there’s no denying it’s also a difficult time of year. Stores are packed and difficult to navigate, and the roads may be too icy for comfort. This can make running errands or completing other essential activities of daily living a challenge for many older adults, which can get in the way of creating meaningful memories.

If you struggle with tasks such as meal preparation, getting to the grocery store, or remembering to take your medication, you may benefit from the diligent support of an at-home caregiver. For 30 years, Home Care Powered by AUAF has offered seniors the assistance they need to remain in the comfort of their homes, and we would be happy to let you do the same. Give us a call at 773-274-9262 to learn more about our services.