Keep the kids entertained on Christmas Eve

The special day is nearly here, but first you need to get through Christmas Eve and keep the kids entertained without it costing a fortune. We have some useful ideas to make it a bit less stressful and help get your little ones to sleep after a day of fun activities.

Why not play a game for all the family to enjoy. You could use a board game, playing cards or try a Christmas twist on a classic party game. We have a few ideas:

Head over to Tiny Happy People for even more festive games to play with the whole family.

You can have a lot of fun making your Christmas treats together. You could bake your own gingerbread, like this fun reindeer-shaped recipe, and learn how to decorate your gingerbread with Andy and Cat. Or maybe get some cookies or cakes ready for Santa and his reindeers, (or just to enjoy on Christmas day). Take a look on BBC Food for a Christmas baking recipe to suit you and remember to get all the ingredients ready so you don't have to go to the shop on Christmas Eve!

We all know that Christmas is a time for indulgence, but too much sugar can have a negative affect on sleep. Set a cut off time a few hours before bed and make sure they don't eat any sweet treats after this point.

Getting some fresh air during the day can help you sleep at night, so whatever the weather, make sure your kids get outside on Christmas Eve. You might only get to the local park and home but the fresh air will be worth it.

You could always walk around your neighbourhood, (or go for a drive if it is raining) and check out all the incredible Christmas decorations that people have put up. Free entertainment, free light shows AND you get out of the house for a little bit.

You can use our Geocaching top tips and turn your Christmas Eve walk into an outdoor quest! It’s a great way to get your child exploring or keep them interested on a walk or hike.

We all love treasure hunts and the kids will be really excited to find a special Christmas Eve present. You could do a treasure hunt by leaving clues around the house leading to the final hiding place.

Or try something a bit different, get a large ball of twine, string or wool, one for each child. Tie a present to one end, unwind the balls of twine, spreading them out all over the room and into different places, then add a name tag to the end of the twine for the child who's present it is. Their treasure could be some new pyjamas, a book or film to watch together later. 

Alternatively, you could download Love Monster's maze puzzles, and see who in the family can solve them first! 

After a day full of fun and laughter, it's time to relax. Snuggle up together and watch a film, read a Christmas story or watch a CBeebies Christmas panto on BBC iPlayer.

Try to maintain some elements of your normal evening routine, even if it's happening later than usual. Talk to your little one about what's going to be different, and what will stay the same so they know what to expect, and try to get back to normality as soon as possible after the festive season has ended. Read more tips to get kids to sleep on Christmas Eve.

Are you wondering how to keep the kids entertained over the winter holidays, without it costing a fortune? Check out our tips and ideas to keep the kids entertained throughout festive season.