Last year I created a series of activities for the children to do every day of Sinterklaas and advent. And this year we did the same, so here is a list of what we did as I’m trying to catch up with all the things I want to blog about:
- Sunday Nov 15th – go and see Sinterklaas arrive, then put shoes out tonight
- Mon Nov 16th – make Sint hats
- Tues 17th – smile at everyone today
- Wed 18th – put your shoes out tonight
- Thurs 19th – pack up a package for Aunty Sarah
- Fri 20th – make biscuits for our neighbours
- Sat 21st – put your shoes out tonight
- Sun 22nd – make a picture for our Christmas cards
- Mon 23rd – think of things you’re thankful for
- Tues 24th – afternoon trip to Hilversum
- Wed 25th – put your shoes out tonight
- Thurs 26th – treasure hunt
- Fri 27th –Helen arrives for a visit
- Sat 28th – put out your shoes out tonight
- Sun 29th – go to Amsterdam (Rembrandthuis)
- Mon 30th – make a wreath for the door
- Tues Dec 1st – write cards to grandparents
- Wed 2nd – put out your shoes out tonight
- Thurs 3rd – make paper snowflakes
- Fri 4th – school Sinterklaas party
- Sat 5th – pakjesavond
- Sun 6th – buy Christmas tree & decorate it
- Mon 7th – read the Christmas story and act it out
- Tues 8th – make paper chains
- Wed 9th – make lemon & vanilla creams/peppermint
- Thurs 10th – hot chocolate, popcorn & Christmas film
- Fri 11th – donate some old clothes and toys
- Sat 12th – decorate a gingerbread train
- Sun 13th – go to Christmas market
- Mon 14th – Sing carols
- Tues 15th – do drawings for teachers
- Wed 16th – make orange pomanders (stud an orange with cloves & hang with ribbon)
- Thurs 17th – shop for food bank
- Fri 18th – make star decorations
- Sat 19th – Nijntje musical at the theatre
- Sun 20th – Mummy playing in orchestra concert
- Mon 21st – make mince pies
- Tues 22nd – Ice skating
- Wed 23rd – make cinnamon applesauce dough decorations
- Thurs 24th – go see a Christmas market in Amsterdam
I did struggle this year with who these activities were for – last year they were obviously for rocket boy as starry girl was still a bit little. But this year she was able to join in with them too. And as rocket boy started school it meant that the three of us had much less time to do these. But we did them and enjoyed doing them. (Apart from one when starry girl was ill and so we didn’t go out and rocket boy and I did some painting while she was asleep instead.) And I think I managed one craft, one cooking and one giving activity in most weeks 🙂
Reading what activities other people do like this and the stories they write for their children every day does make me feel that my instructions are a bit terse, so maybe next year I will try and be a bit more expansive!