Wednesday, November 25, 2015

Family-Focused Advent Activities

Every December we go through our Family Advent Calendar. Inside each box is a family-related activity that the kids look forward to leading up to Christmas. It's a time for intentional togetherness which is a family value and usually quite fun. We try to make the activities a mix between giving, sharing, learning, and experiencing.

Kids sitting in front of the Christmas tree

Kids excited to start advent activities

What are some advent activities that we include?

1. Play a board game as a family.






2.  Make a card for someone.



3. Decorate cookies.  




4.  Make crepes for dinner.


5. Go on a family outing!  Locally we have Timberline Country Christmas, Capilano Canyon Lights,  FlyOver Canada, Heritage Christmas,  and Vancouver Christmas Market to name a few.




6. Decorate the house.  

The kids love the nativity sets–we have a few.


7.  Visit grandma and grandpa. 

It's always fun to visit loved ones during the holidays!


8.  Go see Santa.  

Last year we went to the one at Port Kells Nurseries and will go back there–just bring something for the food bank!



9.  Choose an item in the Compassion Gift Guide to donate to someone in need. 




{Last year Kai raised about $45 going door-to-door selling  Chocolate Bark to raise money to provide a bike to someone in India! You can check out the online guide here.}

10. Play hide-and-go-seek in the dark.  

This is their absolute favourite activity every year; I usually just hide in the closet and enjoy some alone time.


11.  Go look at Christmas lights.   

Our neighbourhood is fantastic for decorations so the kids love running around and choosing their favourites. There is usually hot chocolate afterwards, too.


12.  Walk to Tim Hortons and get a donut.  

They have their Christmas ones out; who doesn't love sprinkles?


13.  Go bowling with the whole extended family.  
We go bowling once a year and it's a wildly chaotic and fun event with 20+ of us! I believe this tradition has been going for 8 years now.


14.  Build a gingerbread house. 

Well, let's be honest, buy a pre-built house and decorate it.


15. Go snowshoeing! 


While doing these activities, we often have Christmas music playing (oh, how I love it!) and we will talk about the true meaning of Christmas: celebrating Jesus' birth. There's Christmas church services and the kids have their performances at school and preschool–I enjoy this time of year.  

I hope you are looking forward to December because I sure am.

If you'd like to pin it for later, you can find it here.

Are you looking for some great family focused advent activities? These are simple and fun!


Love, 
Louise

Child looking at reflection in ornament


8 comments:

  1. I burst out laughing when you said you enjoy quiet time during dark tag. I'm totally going to do that! :)

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  2. I laughed too about you hiding in the closet and enjoying some quiet time! Great ideas here and not ones that are too difficult to pull off (many that you would be doing anyway, but it makes it fun for the children to pull the note out of the little drawer and think the activity is extra special) Good family Christmastime memories!

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    1. That's exactly what it is, Carol; things we would be doing anyway but they get excited about it because it's a note :)

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  3. Some great activities! Where did you get your advent calendar? It's great!

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    1. Mandeep, I got this one at Sears on a boxing day sale two years ago :) Our previous wooden one was just from Superstore so there are definitely some varieties out there!

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  4. We did #10 for randys birthday 😅

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