LETTERS FROM LOCKERLY: Holiday activity inspiration

Published 4:33 pm Tuesday, December 17, 2024

It is that time of year again — twinkly lights, cooler weather, hot chocolate, cheer all around, and precious time with family. Two wonderful weeks with your kids. Out of school. With you. That precious time might start to feel a little long! So, here are some ideas to keep you and your little ones slightly saner during the holiday break.

Natural “gingerbread” houses. I test ran this idea with my Nature Navigator group from the Life Enrichment Center. It went very well and can be fun for all ages. And the price tag is just about $0.  

Use cardboard to make your house structure (aka the gingerbread part). You don’t need to be an architect — simply cut two sides equally square/rectangle and then two sides in a pentagon shape (square on the bottom with a triangle top). Hot glue these together with each matching piece mirroring each other. Then cut a roof to fit on top.  

Now go outside and collect what ever natural material you want! This could be leaves and sticks as well as a few smaller acorns (the natural gumdrop), but markers and construction paper also work great. One of our LEC participants used small ripped pieces of paper to make what looked like a cedar shake sided house.

Clay Christmas ornaments. Materials: air dry clay (there are a variety of options at Walmart for pretty affordable prices), some cookie cutters, and paint. Roll out the clay as thick or thin as you want it. Cut out ornament shapes with the cookie cutters. Put a small hole in the “ornament cookie” to be able to string a thread through. Let them dry. Then use any kid-friendly, washable paint to paint the ornaments. String a loop through the hanger hole and add them to your tree.

Obstacle courses. This is one of my son’s favorite things. You can get as ambitious as you want as long as it is age appropriate for your child. This is best as an outdoor activity, as it lends a little more space for creativity. You can use larger boxes to make tunnels; boards or flattened cardboard to create “balance” beams or planks that don’t even have to be high off the ground (floor is lava style); adding a climbing element incorporating your porch, hay bale, tree, etc.; throw a ball or shoot a water gun at something you must hit or knock down before you can advance. Basically, channel your inner ninja warrior on a simplified, more budget-friendly level.  Try it backwards, blindfolded, any way you can think to make it more challenging and entertaining. Let your kids create the course. It is a great way to give them ownership over it and will encourage them to continue tweaking it to make it more challenging.    

Take a walk. The days are short, and probably cold or rainy, but make sure to get away from the screens and being cooped up inside for at least a little while. Normally I’d say walk Lockerly, but we are closed Dec. 22 through Jan. 5 for our staff to enjoy precious time with their families too. Bartram Forest or the River Walk at the Greenway are both great places to go out for a stroll. You will not only get some energy out of the family, but it will also boost your mood for sure!

I would love to hear from you if you try any of these fun things or other great ideas! Share on Facebook or Instagram and tag Lockerly Arboretum.

— Kensey Amerson is education director at Lockerly Arboretum.