Celebrating Christmas With a Toddler

Toddlers are crazy little people. One minute they’re doing fine, happily playing with their toys, and the next they’re attempting to climb the Christmas tree. (Oh, that’s just Caleb??? My bad!) I’ve found that Christmas can be a stressful time with my little man. I want to enjoy the season with him as we are out and about more but I also need to have consistent parenting and ensure that his schedule isn’t too thrown off. It’s quite the balancing act.

Tayler, blogger at The Morrell Tale, has a precious little guy too and we decided to come together to bring you some great tried and true activities to celebrate the holiday season without losing your mind in the process

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Susannah’s Five

Read Children’s Books of The Christmas Story

I love sharing about Jesus with my little man and pray often that he will choose to accept the Grace of Jesus as he grows up and understand how amazing our Savior and His sacrifice is! Christmas is a time of celebrating the birth of Christ so I try to read the Christmas story as many different ways as I can to Caleb. I found a precious Nativity story book on his bookshelves this Christmas season called This Is the Stable. It is such a precious rhyming book and the characters are actually presented as MIDDLE EASTERN just like they actually were! I love that so much!

Sing Christmas Carols

If Caleb and I are home it’s safe to say that Christmas songs are rocking over Pandora! I have a few different Pandora stations that I go back and forth between (did you know there’s a hipster Christmas station!?!?!) so that we don’t get bored with the same songs over and over and over. Caleb and I love to dance around to the music and Caleb gets a huge grin on his face when I sing to him in silly voices. My little guy will be singing Christmas songs before he can talk!

Visit Santa

I know people have different opinions as to whether or not Christians should celebrate Santa and each family needs to decide for themselves what they’re going to do. Nate and I are huge on honesty and, because of that, have decided we are not going to say that Santa is real. We are totally “doing Santa” though. We watch movies with Santa, talk about Santa, and definitely visit Santa. In our house Santa is similar to Mickey. He’s not real, our kids know he’s not real, but when we’re at Disneyland we still visit his house and talk to him as if he were real.

Create a Christmas Sensory Bin

Christmas is a perfect time to introduce your toddler to new sensations. Grab a bin and throw fun new objects for you little one to get to know. Some good ideas are pine cones, non breakable Christmas ornaments, cotton balls, wrapping paper, and so much more! Allow your little one to explore these new toys and learn new, exciting, fun sensations!

Enjoy Christmas Food

Who says Christmas dinner is the only time tasty and yummy Christmas food can be eaten? If your little one is anything like mine then he’s a bottomless pit and wants to eat all day every day. Cook up some tasty morsels like mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, or even a wonderful ham and enjoy a treat right alongside your precious kiddo.

Tayler‘s Five

Play with a Child-proof Nativity

Remember to teach your toddler the true meaning of Christmas: the birth of Jesus Christ. Have a wooden, felt, or stuffed nativity that your toddler can play with. As they play with the different pieces, tell them what/who those pieces are and their part in the Nativity Story.

Create an Ornament

There are plenty of ornaments that you can have your toddler help with. They can use their handprints, they can add stickers, glitter, or even color. It is very fun to have your toddler be part of creating an ornament you both can enjoy for years to come.

Bake Christmas Treats and Deliver Them

Toddlers can help pour in ingredients and stir. They can even use their own toddler-“creativity” to decorate cookies. Have them help carry cookies to your neighbors.

Go See City/Community Lights

Most city centers are brightly decorated for the Christmas holiday. Take a stroller, a warm blanket, and some hot cocoa and go see the lights together as a family. We live outside of Salt Lake City and go see Temple Square Lights every year.

Watch Christmas Movies

Enjoy the Christmas specials of Daniel Tiger, Curious George, and other kid shows. But, also make sure to introduce them to the classic puppet movies, such as Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer, a Year Without Santa Clause, Little Drummer Boy, etc.

Your Turn:
What are you best tips for celebrating Christmas with a toddler?
What’s your favorite post that Tayler has written?

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