Christmas Break was always such a fun time to be a kid. There is so much to do, so many activities! And the best part, no school for a few weeks. It's just what kids need to be able to rest, reset, and get a fresh start for the second half of the school year. As I got older I realized I could work while I wasn't in school. I chose to babysit. Most of the kids I watched I knew already because we rode the bus together and their parents had to work. It was awesome! It was then that I realized I wanted a big family.
Of course, there are always exceptional ones. But of all nieces and nephews, kids I have babysat, my own kids that I raised, my kid's classmates, and their friends, only 2 didn't fall into this category.
I've met so many kids throughout my years. Some of my holiday break kids turned into regulars once I started driving. There were 3 kids that I watched 5 days a week after school. Proudly, that's what helped me buy my first car and funded many, many car parts and tires. I'm so happy I know what an alignment is now.
I needed to figure out a plan to stick with when I had 7 kids all under the age of 5 in one house and my responsibility. Looking back on it, high 5 me! Adult me probably would have caved or just cried right along with them.
So of the kids, my method didn't work for, the only thing they wanted was their mom. As frustrating as that may seem to be, I thought it was sweet. Although, it was very tiring for all of us!
I'm not kidding when I say, one little girl, I babysat cried when her mom dropped her off and it felt like she didn't stop until she came back. I have never in my life met a kid with so much stamina and focus. There were shining win moments when I would get a tiny break of tears but that went along with so much effort. She never liked the same show, snack, toy, or friend twice in a row. If she fell asleep she wanted her mom as soon as she woke up so I knew ahead of time that she would be crying when she woke up.
There was a lot of carrying, consoling, and snack bribery that went into our days together. I was so happy when she got old enough for kindergarten! Ahh, the people we never forget! She is older than my kids and I hope one day she meets a child that is as equally as entertaining and she was.
So in this post, I want to share with you some awesome tips and tricks I've learned over the years caring for little ones.
Good snacks and drinks
Snacks and drinks are a huge part of success. Depending on the kid's ages will result in the snacks and drinks you will offer. Small finger food style snacks and individual juices were always a go-to for me. That really works out great for toddlers all the way up to school-aged kids. They weren't overloaded with sugars and they tasted great.
We just got the multi-flavor cases from Silly Juice and the kids love them! They are individual juice bottles with twist-on caps so they are portable and convenient.
Silly Juice comes in six flavors. You can buy them individually or in a multi-pack.
- Cool Blue Freeze
- Orange Cream
- Pink Strawberry Swirl
- Watermelon Fruit Punch
- Red Apple Cherry Blossom
- White Grape Burst
The bottles are a great idea. They are easy to hold on to because of their chunky style shape and the mouth is wide enough for them to drink out of but small enough to not spill all over their face while they drink it.
Activities
Indoor activities are all age-appropriate. I always thought of coloring as an awesome activity. Kids can use their imagination and make things as pretty as they please. It's a great way to teach too. They can hold a colorful stick in one hand and rub it on something else to make the colors spread- what isn't magical about coloring?!
Singing and dancing are other great activities that allowed for individualism. What is great about dancing is there no wrong way to do it. Kids don't have to worry about being singled out for missing the steps when there is some great holiday music playing and some crazy legged kiddos that will be napping in about 30 minutes tops! You can find really cool catchy tunes on Youtube that will help get the vibes flowing.
Nap Time
Naptime is super tricky and my best advice is good luck. Finding a specifically designated area for naps always worked best for me. That way the kids knew that it was nap time and it was a little easier to get a routine going.
Storybooks and movies are great ways to get the kids wound down. The movies are great as long as they aren't too exciting. Youtube is a great resource for books being read too.
If you are looking for great ways to entertain kids check out the Holiday Gift Guide for more great ideas.
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