Christmas is one of the only times that we can really unwind and spend time with family, catch up with friends you've missed over the year and just have fun. At Discovery Playtime we believe that everyone should play, not just the children. We have created a list of 6 simple games and activities you can do together as a family so that you can spend some quality time together while also making the most out of the incredible toys (and packaging) that Santa was so kind to bring.
What do we always end up with lots of on Christmas Day? Cardboard boxes!! We all know that children enjoy playing with the cardboard boxes as much as they love the items that came inside. Now the adults can also love them too- no you can't squish them into the recycling just yet!! Grab your Makedo tools and get building!
Split your family into 2 teams. Give each team one large cardboard box each and some smaller boxes for spare part, gather all the scrus and makedo tools that you will need. Give yourselves a time limit to build a car (30 minutes- 2 hours depending on how detailed and designed you want your cars to be.) and also pick one family member to be the race car driver, so make sure they can fit inside. You can use the leftover wrapping paper to decorate the outside of your cars.
When the timer goes off pick a race path for your cars, you can make it as easy- straight line- or complicated- around the whole house- as you want (as this is cardboard you may need someones help to push the driver around the track.) and then all you have to do is race!!
We always say that Connetix are fun for not just the children but for the whole family! You can do this in teams or individually.
Place all your Connetix in the centre of the room- give each person a designated home base where they must stand and this is also where they will build their structure. Set a time for 3 (or how many you want) minutes- everyone has to collect their tiles and try and build the tallest structure before the timer runs out! Ready, steady, go- everyone who is playing must run and collect as many Connetix tiles as they can, bring it back to home base and start building. You can change this challenge every time to the longest road, biggest box, use the most tiles but make it small, build a barn for the animals, etc.If you have a Ball run extension pack you can work as a team to use up every Connetix tile you have to make the best Ball Run you can make!! Keep changing and moving things until you have the longest, fastest ball run.
Set up your sitting room as an extreme The Floor is Lava course (have blankets and pillows on the floor for soft landing if you need it). Use the EDX Hand or Feet marks as stepping stones from one safe space to another, for example, from the Arm chair to the sofa. Set a start and end to the course so each family member must complete the course. This can be as long or short as you're willing to have it- the course can be multi-room using the feet marks as safe zones to get from the kitchen chairs to the stairs. Make it a challenge by dividing your family into team members, the losing team must do a forfeit or has to wash the dishes after dinner- the winning team gets extra desert.
Everyone takes a window to decorate with the Stabilo 3-in-1 crayon pencils- make it Christmas themed. Again, this can be done in teams or individually. Every time guests come around you can get them to guess who they think decorated which window. Don't forget the fun of washing it off- have a contest to see who can clean their window the fastest and the winner can choose what movie you will all be watching.
Get outside into the fresh air with your Didicar, they're fun for all the family. Set up a racecourse with obstacles in your garden or somewhere safe around you. If you have more than one Didicar do team races. If you only have one Didicar time each person on how fast they can complete the course.
Using one of our new tuff tray inserts 'Can you win the treasure hunt?' and 'Can you win the Crazy Car Race?'. You can transform your tuff tray into a new board game mat. Just add a dice and whatever you have on hand as game counters (small world characters, small animals, circle pieces of card, etc.) and you have an exciting game for all the family to play while spending quality time together.
Here at Discovery Playtime we believe that children shouldn't have ALL of the fun!! Try some of these fun family challenges and games this festive season, we would love to see what you all get up to!!
Merry Christmas and Happy Playing!!
We are all so busy these days that it is very difficult to find some time to look after ourselves and create moments of quality time, but let’s not forget that we can’t pour from an empty cup. Minding yourself...
