Activities for Kids during the Festive Period
December is one of the most exciting months for kids and is most certainly one of our favourite months here in the camp office. The festive month comes around very quickly after our October School Holiday camp , although that doesn't stop us from getting into the spirit!
December brings us Hanukkah and Christmas which are both widely celebrated throughout the UK. As the end of December comes, kid’s schools breaks up, school holidays commence and the festive spirit is almost contagious throughout London!
All festivals bring a wide variety of activities for kids in the school holidays and there is always something to do!
Let’s start with Hanukkah. Hanukkah is the eight day Jewish festival of lights which began this year on the evening of the 16th of December and finishes today, on the 24th of December. A tradition on Hanukkah and an activity for kids is to play Dreidel; a chance game that is widely played during the holiday. It involves spinning a top that has Hebrew letters on and the aim is to guess which Hebrew letter will show! Additionally, on the 16th December an activity for kids was to take them to the Menorah lighting ceremony in Trafalgar Square; a beautiful event that brings everyone together for the special occasion.
Next is Christmas. Christmas is widely celebrated throughout the UK. As the 25th of December approaches, streets across the UK are lit with beautiful decorations, the hustle and bustle starts as families desperately try to get presents for their relatives and friends and the Christmas trees are raised. There are many activities for kids in London during the school holiday period. One activity for kids is Winter Wonderland ; this is an extremely popular market that is held in Hyde Park. Winter Wonderland is host to fantastic rollercoaster rides, a circus, arcades, stalls with gifts and a variety of food, including the traditional mince pie!
The Embankment also is host to a Christmas market that is lovely to walk around in the school holidays. The market includes a wide variety of stalls with gifts ranging from Christmas decorations to the perfect gift for your kids and family and friends.
Ice skating is another activity during the joyful period! Somerset House in London is famous for its ice skating rink during the holidays. This is certainly a must do as you and your kids can enjoy a skate around in the festive atmosphere.
If not an ice skate or a Christmas market, the kids are sure to love a pantomime during the holidays. It is a tradition to go to a pantomime around this time; whether it be Cinderella, Aladdin or Snow White, the pantomimes always have a festive feel and is a great thing to do to lead up to the New Year.
Carol singing and services are very popular throughout London and is a great activity for kids. A carol singing service around Christmas is always a must do to spread the festive cheer! This festive period is a great time to spend quality time with your family and friends; we hope you enjoy these activities and we wish you an amazing festive period and New Year.