27/11/2019

Great festive things to do with the kids

Is it just us or does December come around faster each year?

There are lots of festive themed events taking place over the next month. We’ve compiled a list of fun winter days out that the whole family can enjoy.

Christmas Markets

The smell of roasted chestnuts and the warmth of a cream-topped hot chocolate seeping through your gloves defrosting your chilly fingers, what’s not to love about a Christmas market?

Visiting a Christmas market is a great way to kick off the festive season as you immerse yourself in the sights and sounds of all things Christmassy. With festive food from around the globe it’s a great opportunity to get the kids trying new cultural cuisines while you get started on that Christmas shopping with unique gifts.

Some of the best Christmas Markets are popping up all over the UK so there's bound to be one near you or you could make a weekend of it and visit somewhere new. Here’s a few below to get you started:

Winchester Christmas Market - Winchester

Southbank Winter Festival - London

Kingston Upon Thames Christmas Market - London

Leeds Castle Christmas Market - Kent

The National Trust also have a range of brilliant and unique Christmas events taking place throughout the UK in November and December.

Santa Visits

The look on your child’s face when they see Santa is priceless and with Santa’s grottos popping up across the UK it doesn’t take a visit to the North Pole to experience the yule tide magic.

You can make the visit super special with extras such as breakfast with Santa, storytelling with Santa or choose a spectacular venue like the Eden Project.

Don’t forget to check out your local country parks for Santa’s grottos and Christmas events too.

Here's a good blog on the best Santa's  grottos or take a look for a Santa's grotto near you.

Garden Centres

Strolling around the garden centre is a peaceful way to while away a Sunday morning and at this time of year they’re bound to be decorated to Christmas perfection.

Garden centres are no longer just for plants. Many are branching out to house a range of shops within them meaning they can make a perfect Christmas shopping opportunity without having to trawl through the heaving shopping centres. From knitwear and craft supplies to kitchen utensils and candles there’s a good chance you could find a hidden gem of a gift in these mini metropolises.

This is also a great opportunity to pick up some Christmas gifts for the wildlife in your garden. If you’re interested in how to help the wildlife thrive through the winter check out our wildlife friendly winter gardening tips. 

Winter wonderland displays of decorations and lights will give you and the kids’ inspiration for your own tree trimming and if you haven’t yet picked up the perfect pine, you can bag that at the same time. Top it all off with a festive hot drink in the garden centre café for your one stop shop of festive cheer.

Pantomimes

Christmas is so close, it’s behind you! Oh no it isn’t!

There’s still time to fit in a good ol’ Panto! It’s not just about the big London shows, don’t forget about your local amateur theatres too. Tickets will be a lot cheaper and there will still be all the light-hearted humour you’d expect. It makes for a perfect afternoon or evening out that the whole family can enjoy.

Find the best panto near you.

Ice Skating

Grab your woolly scarf and thermal gloves and get ready to glide across the glistening ice with ease…or maybe you’ll be doing your best Bambi impression!

Those penguin skate aids aren’t just for the kids are they? Make some fabulously funny memories with a trip to one of the many pop up ice rinks across the UK.

The added bonus with this festive day out is that you don’t have to squeeze it in before Christmas Day. Many of the ice rinks remain open between Christmas and New Year and into the beginning of January so it’s a great activity to fill in that post-Christmas limbo.

It’s also a fun way to get the kids active over the winter period. Take a look at more tips on how to keep the kids moving over the Christmas holidays.

Some top ice rinks to visit this winter:

Natural History Museum Ice Rink– London

Royal Pavilion Ice Rink – Brighton

Tower of London Ice Rink – London

Winchester Cathedral Ice Rink – Winchester

We hope we’ve given you lots of inspiration for fun family days out. Sometimes it’s nice to have a cosy day at home too. For inspiration on family days in why not take a look at our Christmas party games for the family or our top 6 winter movies for kids.