Our 12 Days of Mindful Christmas is all about bringing you some much needed calm to the chaos between Christmas and New Year. Let's take a closer look at our 12 calming activities for kids.
For children who thrive on routine, the time between Christmas and New Year can become a little overwhelming and chaotic. The emotional rollercoaster of Christmas day, the furore of family gatherings and the comedown of Christmas cheer as we had into January can all have an effect on your child's mental health.
For children celebrating Christmas - or for those who find the festivities a bit too much - we have designed a mindful activity to complete each day between Christmas Day and 5th January. Each activity ranges from just 10 minutes to half an hour. We'll look at each one below.
Day 1: Rate Your Christmas Plate
This mindful activity is all about using your child's senses to rate their Christmas dinner. We know that drawing and colouring are great calming activities that take your children away from screens and social activities - in this activity, they can draw their Christmas meal and then rate it out of five! (We're extremely sorry in advance for any brutally honest ratings!).
Why this activity helps your child's mental health:
Not only does this activity give your child a 'time out' from the festivities of Christmas day, it uses four of their senses - sight, smell, taste and touch. Using our senses is a great way to feel mindful, calm and grounded, as it allows us to be more focused on the present moment.
Day 2: Christmas Colouring
Colouring is an activity that definitely gets taken for granted when it comes to mindfulness! It is such a simple and easy activity that is great for your child's mental health.
How this helps your child's mental health:
Colouring helps your child's brain focus on one task and takes them away from anything else that may be bothering them. Plus, encouraging creativity is great for brain development and a feeling of accomplishment.
Day 3: Decorate the Cookies
Decorate the festive biscuits! Again, this is another quick and simple activity for children with extra mindfulness points. Decorate our Christmas cookies - they can use crayons, glitter or just about any craft materials.
Why this helps your child's mental health:
Did you know that being creative activates the part of the brain that processes emotions? That's why activities like this are so perfect for children's growing brains! Not only does it bring them some much needed focus and calm, it can actually help them to feel a sense of emotional harmony.
Day 4: Christmas Doodle Wreath
Doodle in our doodle wreath to let go of any tension or frustration. There are no rules when it comes to doodling, simply put pencil to paper!
How this helps your child's mental health:
We LOVE doodling - we think it is one of the most expressive and underrated activities there is! And so much can be taken from someone's doodles - you can really get an insight into someone's emotional health by deciphering their doodles. Doodling helps us to express what's on our minds in art form, it helps us to feel a sense of freedom where anything goes. Research shows that doodling helps to calm the amygdala, the part of the brain that controls the 'flight or fight' response.
Day 5: Twinkling Lights
A colouring and breathing exercise in one. Colour in our twinkling lights - can you find ways to make them sparkle? Then, use the swirling line to trace your finger breathing in and out.
How this helps your child's mental health:
Even if your child hasn't practised deep breathing before, this is a great way to introduce the concept and practise some deep breaths. Having something physical to look at whilst breathing in and out works as a great distraction and coping technique. Focusing on lines and swirls can distract from overwhelming thoughts and help regulate emotions.
Day 6: The Mood Tree
This activity is all about helping your child to become more aware and in tune with their emotions throughout the day. Our emotions can change rapidly from hour to hour, this activity is all about helping children realise the range of emotions we can feel each day. Have your child write in our mood tree how they are feeling at four different times of the day, each time, ask them to also pick a colour to reflect their current mood. At the end of the day, you can talk about their feelings and what their mood tree shows about their day.
How this helps your child's mental health:
Learning to identify and become more aware of our emotions is the first step to managing them. In time, your child may also learn the signs that a particular emotion is escalating - for example, anger or panic, and can take steps to prevent outbursts and panic attacks.
Day 7: Future Fireplace
Help your child leave negative thoughts or situations in 2022 by burning them in our Future Fireplace! This activity is all about looking towards the future - what does your child want to leave in 2022? Have them write it in the fire and imagine it burning away. Then, colour in the fireplace. Can they make a pattern with the bricks?
How this helps your child's mental health:
This imaginative activity helps children to banish things that are bothering them. It also helps bring to the surface something that they may not have even realised was playing on their mind. Becoming more aware of our thoughts and things underneath the 'surface' can help us to manage thoughts and emotions in the long run.
Day 8: Design a Jumper for New Year's Day
Design a jumper for New Year's Day detailing your favourite memory from 2022.
How this helps your child's mental health:
We know that being creative is great for the brain, but this activity also allows your children to focus on a happy memory. Research has found that happy memories have the power to counteract many negative emotions and feelings such as loneliness and anxiety.
Day 9: New Year Colouring
2023 is here! Let's celebrate with some mindful colouring.
How this helps your child's mental health:
It may seem overkill that we have two colouring sheets in our 12 Days of Mindful Christmas however, the true power and simplicity of colouring can not be overlooked. It is an activity most children can do without even thinking much about it, and the benefits are endless.
Day 10: 2023 Crystal Ball
Another activity all about looking to the future and feeling hopeful. What does your child want to see in 2023?
How this helps your child's mental health:
Focusing on the nice things that are set to come in our lives can help us to feel good and positive about the future. Children who have experienced trauma and struggles with their mental health may not feel positively about the future and it can seem scary and unknown. Help them to think about the good things that may happen in 2023. What's something they're looking forward to? What do they want to happen? What steps can they take to make sure this happens?
Day 11: New Year Postcard
Let's wish someone a Happy New Year with this activity - who will your child send their post card too? You could even send it in the post!
How this helps your child's mental health:
Being kind is beneficial to our mental health - and the recipient's! This small gesture of kindness can leave your child feeling all the good vibes. Being kind boosts serotonin and dopamine, which are neurotransmitters in the brain that give us feelings of satisfaction and well-being, and cause the pleasure/reward centres in our brains to light up
Day 12: New Year's Resolutions
Make three resolutions for 2023 and write them in our celebration balloons. It's time to start anew - what does your child want to achieve this year?
How this helps your child's mental health:
Goal setting is a huge part of mental health - it helps us to feel motivated and to feel like the goals we want are more in reach. New year's resolutions are a form of goal setting. We've asked your child just to make three, tangible goals. Goals can help us to feel more positive about the future and more in control.
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