Five ideas for filling holiday downtime

The holiday countdown has begun. School’s out on Friday. Then it’s Christmas over the weekend. Then the littles have two (long) weeks off school. We’ll definitely be filling holiday downtime with family fun playing with our gifts, and outside play. But sometimes you need some activities to keep the days on track. 

Schedule some couch time

There is so much going happening during the break. It can be go, go, go. I for one, am looking forward to a little couch time with Netflix. In particular, I’m looking forward to catching the new Dreamworks show Trollhunters. It looks like something my son is going to love and it’s right up my ally. It’s nice when there’s a show we both like and we can make a plan to eat popcorn and hang out together as a family. Trollhunters has adventure, suspense and looks like there are some sweet moments too. It starts on December 23. 

Make thank you cards your kids will thank you for

I want to be that family that sends Thank You cards, but getting the kids to sit down and write them out just isn’t going to happen. This year, the plan is to draw Thank You pictures for those that have sent gifts to the kids. They love craft time, it’s usually a great quiet break in the day. And, with the right tools, it can be mess-free and easy peasy.

Take your favourite shows with you

If you’re travelling this holiday, maybe to hand deliver those Thank You pictures, here’s a tip you don’t want to miss. Now there’s a way to take Netflix with you. Yep. Total game changer. As a member, you can now download many of your favourite series and movies at no extra cost. We’ve tried it out and it’s really easy. Just make sure your app is up-to-date. Then look at the ‘Available for Download’ menu on your tablet or phone. My son watched in the car on a long trip last weekend and it worked like a charm.

Enjoy a picnic – indoors

When the weather outside is frightful but the kids have had enough of sit-down dinners, treat them to an indoor picnic. Put down a blanket, prepare an easy meal (basket optional) and let the kids enjoy a timeless favourite inside. This one is the opposite of fussy – so need for fancy sandwiches. And if you really want to throw caution to the wind, take a page from my childhood and have a Nic Pic – a picnic where you eat dessert first. 

New Years Eve Countdowns for kids

The last big holiday hoorah for us is New Years Eve, but our guys are still too little to make it to the big moment. Filling the holiday downtime before the noise makers come out is the worst! We were thrilled the first time we watched the King Julian countdown on Netflix. Well, this year there are 10! Ten different shows, including King Julian have joined this tradition and made New Years Eve countdown episodes. You can start to search them on the app on December 28.

Sure, the holidays are filled with events, parties, outings and adventures. But I’m really looking forward to some quality downtime with the family, snuggled under blankies, just hanging out. What will you be filling holiday downtime with?