Kat’s Money Corner: Inexpensive activities over the holiday break
It’s often difficult to plan enough activities to keep your child occupied over winter break, especially if you’re headed back to work before the kids head back to school. This week, I want to share my recommendations for inexpensive activities to keep your kids busy. Whether you’re home with them, they’re spending time with a relative or sitter or they’re old enough to be on their own, keeping your kids occupied keeps them off Santa’s naughty list.
Out and About
My husband and I have a preschooler and an infant, so keeping them both entertained before, during and after the holidays takes some effort. Before Santa arrives, we usually make time to spend an evening or two taking a tour of Christmas lights. Some of my fondest childhood memories are driving around town looking at lights with my grandparents, and it’s a tradition I want to pass on to my boys.
As an added benefit, it’s relatively inexpensive (the price of a few gallons of gas) and since it gets dark so early, we can take this adventure well before bedtime. You can even pack up some cookies and Thermoses of hot chocolate!
Another fun, and relatively inexpensive, holiday break activity is to spend an afternoon or early evening at a local outdoor ice skating rink. At Crown Center, admission is only $6 for adults and free for children under four! You can also take advantage of special weeknight deals like two-for-one Tuesdays.
Homebodies
During the holiday break, I also make it a point to send out thank-you notes. Instead of handwriting them and then having our son Jack sign them, we have him color a picture for the person. Thank-you card prep also includes Jack coming with to pick up stickers and holiday paper when they are on clearance the week after Christmas. Our family and friends appreciate the gesture because it is much more meaningful since they’re actually from him.
Another tradition that I hope to start with my boys is the “one-toy-in, one-toy-out” approach to the holidays. Before your kids unwrap all their new gear, have them comb through the toy box for toys, games and dolls that just aren’t getting the attention they deserve. Make a donation pile and clear some clutter. Honestly, this can be done before or after Santa stops by your home. Do what works best for your family.
No matter how you choose to spend time with your kiddos over the holiday break, I encourage you to take a moment to yourself to appreciate this time and how they’ve grown throughout the year. The holidays are a wonderful time of year to count our blessings, and you, dear readers, are included in mine. Thank you and happy holidays, all!
Kat's Money Corner is posted on Dollars & Sense every Tuesday. Kat Hnatyshyn, when not blogging or caring for her little ones, is a manager with CommunityAmerica Credit Union. For more financial chatter, click http://twitter.com/savinmavens or visit http://communityamerica.com.
This story was originally published December 22, 2015 at 9:21 AM with the headline "Kat’s Money Corner: Inexpensive activities over the holiday break."