Top 10 Twixmas Outdoor Activities
Twixmas, otherwise known as the period between Christmas and New Year, is a great opportunity to spend time in the great outdoors, let children run off some steam, and create some amazing family memories.
We’ve put together a guide to our top 10 ways to spend time outside between Christmas and New Year, so read on and make the most of the festive period with your little ones.
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Go on a festive scavenger hunt
A great way to keep children entertained on a long walk is by encouraging them to take part in a scavenger hunt. Perfect for woodland walks or a trip to your local park – don’t forget to take a long a basket or bag so they can take their treasures home to use for crafts.
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Go for a family bike ride
Cycling is a brilliant way for children to improve motor skills, balance, strength and coordination, and it’s a wonderful way to spend time together as a family. Take your children out to your local park, forest, or towpath, and let them pedal away to their hearts content. The added bonus is that cycling will use up lots of energy and they’ll have a great night’s sleep.
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Visit a farm park
Most farm parks have some incredible events happening over Christmas – from hosting Santa’s reindeer, to Christmas crafts, tractor rides, light trails and pop up ice rinks. A visit to your local farm park could be a brilliant way to keep your children happy and entertained, and allow them to run off some energy in between Christmas and New Year.
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Make festive bird feeders
For a lovely craft activity to keep children entertained between Christmas and New Year, why not try making a festive bird feeder? All you need is an orange, wild bird seed, 2 small sticks and some string, so it’s a really simple project for children of all ages, and they will love hanging their creation in the garden and watching the wildlife arrive.
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Visit a Christmas lights trail
There’s nothing more festive than a Christmas light trail, and with most trails running until the beginning of January they are the perfect way to have a lovely family experience during Twixmas. There are plenty of trails all over the UK to choose from, so take the whole family, wrap up warm and enjoy a festive evening out.
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Have a Winter picnic
If you’re planning a Boxing Day walk with your family, why not take along a festive winter picnic? Picnics are a brilliant way to keep warm on chilly winter days, so dust off your picnic basket and take along a flask of hot chocolate or mulled apple juice, and some warmed up leftovers wrapped in foil and tea towels.
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Skim stones at a beach
We love a trip to the beach at any time of year, but there’s something beautiful about the British coastline in Winter. Take the whole family along to a pebble beach and teach children how to skim stones. If you’re feeling brave you could even take part in one of the Boxing Day swims happening at beaches all over the country.
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Go skating at an outdoor ice rink
Ice skating is a super fun activity which the whole family will love, and Twixmas is the perfect time to get out on the ice for some festive fun. There are beautiful outdoor rinks all over the country to choose from, with picture-perfect lights and decorations to enjoy, and skating aids for little ones. See here for our 5 Best Family Friendly Ice Rinks.
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Play make believe at a castle
Another brilliant way to let children run off steam between Christmas and New Year is by visiting a family friendly castle. They will love pretending to be kings and queens for the day, and you will love the opportunity to get some fresh air and enjoy some breath-taking views. Some castles even have children’s trails and activities to keep little ones busy and create a memorable experience for the whole family.
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Let little ones run off steam at an adventure playground
A really simple way to keep children of all ages happy between Christmas and New Year is by taking them to your nearest adventure playground. Playgrounds provide many learning opportunities for children and allow growing explorers to practice and their balance, agility, hand/eye coordination, problem solving and social skills. Switch up your usual playground for a new one, and they will have a brilliant time exploring and creating their own adventures.