Things to do with kids between Christmas and New Year

Christmas… the most wonderful time of the year. For those of us with children, there is something magical about the Christmas period – the twinkle of fairy lights, the anticipation of Santa coming, the pure delight of unwrapping presents. In amongst the festive joy and fun times, there will come a moment when the kids will utter those three little words…. “Mummy, I’m bored!” Let’s face it, it’s most likely to come in that period between Christmas and New Year, or in the period before they return to school – the days when none of us know (or care!) what day it is. Here, we’ve pulled together our pick of things to do over the New Year period.

Festive lights

While lots of people will see this as a pre-Christmas activity, many of the organised light shows and trails extend beyond Christmas and some even into the new year. There’s nothing much more festive than looking at twinkly lights on a dark, cold, winter’s night. If you’re London-based, the Visit London website has a list of the city’s winter light festivals, or check out Lightopia London, an immersive multi-sensory illumination experience in Crystal Palace. For those outside of the capital, Tin Box Traveller and Gardens Illustrated both feature a UK-wide list.

If light festivals are a bit heavy on the pocket during the expensive winter season, why not head into your local town and have a look at the Christmas lights and Christmas trees? Again, the people over at Visit London have compiled a great rundown of London’s best Christmas lights, but many other UK cities will give them a run for their money, from George Street – Edinburgh to Lower Gardens – Bournemouth, and Chester, Liverpool and Birmingham in between.

Ice skating

If winter sports are your thing, then ice skating is a great way to do something active on a crisp winter’s day. Pull on your boots and hit the ice at one of the many pop-up ice rinks that appear around the UK over Christmas and into the first week of the new year.

Youneedtovisit.com have pulled together a list of the top ten ice rinks in the UK. A lot of them are in London - Somerset House, Hampton Court, Excel, Greenwich, Battersea Power Station, Hyde Park, Kensington Palace and Canary Wharf, to name a few! But, the list also features a spectacular selection from around the UK - from Warwick Castle, The Royal Pavillions in both Brighton and Bath, and the Eden project, as well as various locations in Scotland and Wales.

Winter walks

After a few days at home, enjoying Christmas day, spending time playing with new toys, or visiting family, there’s nothing better than getting out in the fresh air. While your local park could offer enough of a fresh-air break, National Trust and English Heritage sites offer that winning combination of a decent cafe for a hot chocolate, and huge grounds to explore. There is usually a trail of some kind for kids too.

If you aren’t a member of either, then check out Forestry England. The website has a search facility to look for a forest near to you, as well as a what’s on guide, which features Zog-themed trails for the kids, and accessible trails too. A great family day out. And, if the kids like being outdoors, why not consider looking for a forest school class for the new year?

Take in a panto!

Pantomimes in the UK usually begin in November and run up until the New Year. Some productions even run throughout January and right up to the February half-term. Even if audience participation, dames, and people dressed in over-the-top costumes isn’t your bag, the kids will love the silliness of a traditional panto. Head over to the Big Panto Guide where you can search by county to find a panto near to you. Oh no you can't! Oh yes you can!

If panto isn’t your thing you could watch a best-selling West End show or musical, or perhaps even continue the Christmas spirit by looking for a magical Christmas show (not a million miles from panto, but hey, it is Christmas!) If your children come away with a love for the theatre and a desire to be on stage, have a look for a kids drama class here.

Sculpture Search

There’s a definite Raymond Briggs theme to the “Wild in Art” children’s art trails happening around the country this year! London is home to twelve giant Snowman sculptures. inspired by the famous book The Snowman, with designs by local artists based on the song The Twelve Days of Christmas. The Snowman is the ultimate festive story (and it’ll get the kids out of the house!) so wrap up warm, and enjoy the adventure. More information on London’s Snowman trail can be found here.

Following a similar theme, the Snowdog Art Trails showcase a series of individually designed giant Snowdog sculptures. The trails, which are being held in Birmingham, Hemel Hempstead, Swadlincote, Kirklees, North Tyneside, Ashford, Cardiff, Newcastle Tyne & Wear and Brighton & Hove, are painted by both well-known and undiscovered artists. Get your hats and gloves on and find Snowdog Art Trails near you. If your kids are inspired by the giant sculptures, have a browse through Pebble’s directory of arts and crafts classes to help harness their creativity!

Winter Festival at Southbank Centre

We’ve got this half covered in our entry on light shows, and half in the section on museums and art galleries, but this London event has a category of its own. The majority of the events at Southbank’s Winter Festival are focused on the Christmas period, but the Winter Light Festival carries on into the New Year - taking advantage of the dark nights to showcase artwork illuminated by bold lighting. What’s more, Bluey’s Big Play, the stage adaptation of the smash hit TV show Bluey is running until 7th Jan. A great day out for those with little Bluey fans!

Enjoy a local treasure trail

If you’re looking for a way to get the kids out in the fresh air, then these treasure trails offer a fun and exciting way to explore your local area. Visit Treasure Trails for pre-planned hunts, detective mysteries and spy missions in towns, villages, and cities all over the UK. Have fun with the family solving clues and discovering your local areas – available as an app or download and print a PDF.

New Year’s Day Parade in London

With a huge focus on plans for New Year’s Eve, the big day itself often gets sidelined as a day indoors, recovering from a late night. However, New Year's Day is a day packed full of potential. In London alone, there’s plenty to choose from. The New Year’s Day Parade and Festival features performances from more than 10,000 dancers, acrobats, musicians and entertainers in central London, attracting a crowd of 500,000 who line the streets to watch the entertainment. If the thought of crowds of people is too much, consider jumping on one of the bus tours and taking in some museums on the way! The bus tours also run into the evening, which can be a great way to see the Christmas lights.

Visit a museum

For Londoners, the capital has loads of great museums and attractions. Many of which will be open on New Year's Day. The Natural History Museum and The Science Museum are both firm favourites with kids and adults alike.

Until 3rd January, visit the famous giant animatronic Tyrannosaurus Rex at The Natural History Museum and see him sporting a Christmas makeover in the form of a festive hat and jumper!

The Science Museum also has plenty of hands-on activities for kids of all ages, including family trails, the interactive Wonderlab exhibit, and Power Up - a hands-on gaming exhibition featuring the best games from the past 50 years. If the gaming exhibition gets their attention, take a look at our blog on coding for information on how to create games at home. Not in London? There are some wonderful museums up and down the UK. As with all of the activities on this list, just make sure you get in touch to check opening times and avoid disappointment.

Stay at home!

Okay, so this blog is all about getting the kids out and about in that funny old period between Christmas and early January, but there are plenty of things you could do at home too! Check out our blog which covers plenty of Christmas-themed activities that won’t break the bank.

Plan for next year

The new year period is a great time to plan for the year ahead. If you have some downtime between outings and activities, why not sit down and browse through activities for kids in your area? Chat with the kids, find out what they would like to try, or what skills they would like to develop, and get booking!