Last year I made a half hearted attempt at a homemade advent calendar of activities and treats but never got past day 6! I found a beautiful branch, wrapped it with fairy lights and hung a few snowflakes and notes off it so this year I've converted that to just have lots of snowflakes hanging in the window.
This year I bought a cute little house advent to decorate from Hobbycraft. I had great fun painting the little numbers and snowflakes in (you guessed it) rainbow colours! I got all the bits from Hobbycraft and used my acrylic paints for nice bright colours. I also put a little Grimm's rainbow on the chimney.
Inside I placed little curled notes with various advent adventures and activities. For example, going ice skating or donating to the local food bank, painting a snowflake decoration or having a Christmas music dance party in the living room.
The kids are loving it and after a week of slightly stressful arguments over whose turn it was to open the door, they seem to have grasped the concept and are now saying it's so and so's turn. Phew! It's great for teaching them numbers too as I ask them which one it is next and they have to find it themselves, with a colour clue if needed.
I had planned on doing weekly updates of our adventures but I just haven't had the time to edit the photos and write about it so here's our 2 weeks summary so far!
We went to Wilderness Wood to buy our tree and enjoy a wood-fired pizza by the fire outside.
We put on our new Christmas jumpers and blew steam in the cold morning air...
Decorated our tree in rainbow colours.
We ate mince pies in our PJs.
Painted snowmen...
Saw a pantomime at Eastbourne's Devonshire Park Theatre...
Started a Christmas themed Disney jigsaw which at 1000 pieces may have been a bit too ambitious for a family activity but was highly addictive for Nik and I!
And not really part of our Advent but they have been building so many dens lately (or as they called them, barrows???) and today made me build one around them.
This year I bought a cute little house advent to decorate from Hobbycraft. I had great fun painting the little numbers and snowflakes in (you guessed it) rainbow colours! I got all the bits from Hobbycraft and used my acrylic paints for nice bright colours. I also put a little Grimm's rainbow on the chimney.
Inside I placed little curled notes with various advent adventures and activities. For example, going ice skating or donating to the local food bank, painting a snowflake decoration or having a Christmas music dance party in the living room.
The kids are loving it and after a week of slightly stressful arguments over whose turn it was to open the door, they seem to have grasped the concept and are now saying it's so and so's turn. Phew! It's great for teaching them numbers too as I ask them which one it is next and they have to find it themselves, with a colour clue if needed.
I had planned on doing weekly updates of our adventures but I just haven't had the time to edit the photos and write about it so here's our 2 weeks summary so far!
We went to Wilderness Wood to buy our tree and enjoy a wood-fired pizza by the fire outside.
We put on our new Christmas jumpers and blew steam in the cold morning air...
Decorated our tree in rainbow colours.
We ate mince pies in our PJs.
Painted snowmen...
Saw a pantomime at Eastbourne's Devonshire Park Theatre...
Started a Christmas themed Disney jigsaw which at 1000 pieces may have been a bit too ambitious for a family activity but was highly addictive for Nik and I!
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| P was a little overwhelmed! |
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| But she enjoyed getting stuck in and helping, until she got bored. |
And not really part of our Advent but they have been building so many dens lately (or as they called them, barrows???) and today made me build one around them.
I just love December! Even though the house is usually a tip, we have a lot of fun :)
1 comment:
Wat a nice idea and splendid activities! Nice pictures too!!! Lovely children aswell! It was nice to meet you in Lisbon! Have a good Advent-time!
Many greetings from Belgium,
Magda
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