December has arrived and we couldn’t be more excited for wintery fun for the whole family! We’ve rounded up the best ideas online and in the East Bay and divided them by age: preschoolers and littles (1.5 to 4 years), the K-6 crew (4-12 years old), and all ages. Check it out below!
For Preschoolers and Littles
- STEM: For any cautious parents, this activity wins bonus points for being completely taste-safe! This year, your kids will love the Candy Cane Experiment from “Hands On Teaching Ideas.” The instructions walk you through the whole process from start to finish, so you can help your little scientist make their own discoveries along the way.
- Art: Wow! The gigantic 3-D snowflakes from “Let’s Lasso the Moon” are just the thing to get your home (or car, or stroller) decked out for the season.
- Early Literacy: Every month, the Alameda County Library shares great resources! This amazing PDF has a month full of literacy ideas, rhymes, and reading lists aimed especially at younger children.
For the K-6 Crew
- Writing and Literacy: Can’t get to the library this week? Check out the Alameda County Library’s digital offerings. Here, seasonal books abound for readers of all levels– and that’s some screen time we can get behind.
- STEAM: For your budding scientist, why not try a make-your-own snowglobe experiment? This one from “STEAMsensational” guides you through the process.
- Movement: Warning: The Penguin Relay may cause too many giggles! To start, split your group into two teams or more. Then, each participant will place a ball between their knees or calves to make them waddle like a penguin! For added silliness, add oven mitts to make “penguin wings.” Finally, participants will waddle to a distant point and back, and help the next relay runner set up with the ball and mitts. (Original idea adapted from “Coffee and Carpool.”) For more challenges, consider adding small sports cones to weave around, hula hoops to jump over, and other obstacles.
For the Whole Family: A Season of Special Events
Around here, the community celebrations are just beginning. Read on to learn about winter holiday events around the East Bay!
- Bay Area Kid Fun has events separated by category, including light displays, amusement parks and zoos, parades, and tree lightings.
- Looking for something fun to do on a specific day? Check out the Events Calendar at 510 Families to search winter events by date.
- For bigger events all over the Bay, check out this holiday round-up from tinybeans. From the Dickens Fair to the SF Symphony, these events may be a little further from your own backyard. But what better way to make a special holiday memory with your family?
- Similarly, NBC Bay Area has shared their events highlights for the season. Events are sorted by location– a great way to see what’s going on in another part of the Bay!
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