Holiday Activities To Do With Your Preschooler At Home

Snow has begun to fall, temperatures are dropping, and finally, the holiday season is here. Being around family and spending time with your kids is the best way to spend the holidays at home. This also means having to find things to do to keep children from getting bored and restless though. It’s always more difficult to keep your children entertained during the winter months due to poor weather conditions. However, with COVID-19 causing Reno preschools to take more breaks and precautions, it’s been even more challenging to keep children busy.

This year, take some tips from your Reno preschool for some fun indoor and outdoor activities you can do with your children at home!

Arts and Crafts

Some of the best winter activities for children include arts and crafts. Not only does this give your kids something to do, but it also helps them express their creativity in a fun way. And what’s so great about these kinds of activities is that the projects can be modified to be age-appropriate for your children. Some winter arts and crafts for your children to try include:

Coffee Filter Snowflakes – For this activity, you will need white coffee filters, watercolor paints, and a pair of safety scissors. Start by having your toddler paint the coffee filter using the watercolor paint and then help them cut unique shapes into the filters to create a snowflake design.
Decorate Gingerbread Cookies – If you don’t want to make gingerbread cookies, you can always purchase pre-made gingerbread. During this time, gingerbread house kits are commonly found in supermarkets, and all materials needed are typically included.
Decorative Wreaths and Garlands – There are easy, kid-friendly ways to make wreaths and garlands which will be perfect for your little ones to do. For this, you will need string or yarn, fabric, scissors, and beads in a variety of sizes. The fabric should be cut into thin strips using your scissors. Once the supplies have been prepared, let your children create their own patterns using the fabric and beads.
Felt Animals – This is a great project to do with your older children, and the animal ornaments can be gifted to family and friends! For detailed instructions on this activity, take a look at this tutorial.
Winter Pine Cones – Winter pine cones are super simple to make. All you need are pine cones (cleaned), paint-brushes, and acrylic paint. If you want to make your pine cones stand out even more, add some glitter using a spray adhesive.

Winter Reading List

Reading is so important for your little ones. If your child is at an age where they cannot read to themselves, then turn this into a fun bonding activity. Books with pictures are always enjoyable for children and it helps them interact with the story. This is a great activity to keep your child entertained and their mind occupied. Some popular children’s holiday books we recommend are:

The Mitten by Jan Brett
The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats
Animals in Winter by Henrietta Bancroft
The Biggest Snowman Ever by Steven Kroll and Jeni Bassett
Over and Under the Snow by Kate Messner and Christopher Silas Neal
Owl Moon by Jane Yolen
Walking in a Winter Wonderland by Richard B. Smith, Felix Bernard, and Tim Hopgood
The Magic of Friendship Snow by Andi Cann

Outdoor Activities

While it may not be as easy to get your children out in the cold, often wet, weather. However, it’s still important to give your kids some time outdoors to get some fresh air and let out their bottled up energy. If you live in an area where it snows, you can build a snowman or make snow angels which kids always tend to enjoy. But, in the Reno area, snow has been a rare commodity this year. Here are some outdoor winter activities suggested by your local Reno preschool:

Winter Scavenger Hunt – You can either hide items around the yard for your children to find or make a list of common things found outside that your child must track down. This could include things such as a heart-shaped rock, pine cones, and specific animals and birds commonly found in your neighborhood.
Homemade Bird Feeders – There are several ways to make your own bird feeder using household supplies. The method we recommend requires an empty toilet paper roll, birdseed, vegetable shortening, and twine.
Make S’mores – S’mores are a kids’ dream and you can’t go wrong with this fun activity. If you do not have a safe place for a firepit outdoors, you can make your S’mores indoors using your stove.
Plant Flower Bulbs – Now that temperatures are dropping, it’s the perfect time to plant your perennial flower bulbs. This is a great activity to do with children on a somewhat warm, sunny, winter day.

Fun Science Experiments

Science experiments not only grab the attention of your little ones, but it also provides a fun, hands-on learning experience. There are several types of science experiments to choose from, here are a few of our Reno preschool favorites:

Experiment with ice, salt, and watercolors – This is a fun activity for children of all ages. To begin, gather all required materials, and follow the instructions made by this Artful Parent blog.
Color-changing Magic Milk experiment – This experiment uses elements of chemistry to show toddlers how dish soap interacts with milk. For more detailed information on this experiment, take a look at this post by Little Bins for Little Hands.
Make fake snow – Fake snow is extremely easy to make with your little ones and a ton of fun for those who aren’t fortunate enough to get to experience real snow. For this science activity, you will need shaving cream (foam) and cornstarch. Mix equal parts of shaving cream and cornstarch together to create a dense “snow” that is easy to mold.

Get Creative

When all else fails, try getting creative with the activities you come up with. Children are pretty easily entertained as long as you can grab their attention. Try to think of unique projects to do like building a blanket fort or playing a game of make-believe. Sharing stories can also be a good way to entertain your children and spend valuable time with them. Whatever you choose to do, be sure the activities are fun and enjoyable for both you and your children.

Little Bear and University Preschools in Reno, NV

The early childhood education programs offered at our Sparks and Reno preschools are designed to cultivate the overall growth and development of children through sound educational experiences. One of the benefits of attending our preschool is that your child will get the best of both worlds: work and play. Our fundamental belief that children learn best through meaningful play is reflected in our high-quality, child-centered programs.

Contact us today to learn more about our preschools in Reno, NV as well as our curriculum, or schedule a tour to visit us in person!

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