15 ideas to keep children entertained during Twixmas 

To help the young people in your life make the most of the days between December 25 and the return to school, we ask experts, parents and a grandparent for their top tips 

Picture: iStock 

Right now, your mind’s probably 100% on Santa, Christmas dinner, and last-minute gifts you need to buy – and not so much on that post-Christmas phase when children are on holiday and you’re all in the house together.

But the start of that 10-day period is just days away – screens will feature of course, but why not make it a time of fun togetherness involving plenty of outdoor activity too. Here are 15 ideas:

1 After you’ve sat around/eaten/stayed indoors too much, get out for a long walk. Dress for the weather and go for at least an hour. Choose local – your favourite stretch of beach, forest or walkway. Make it a Christmas Day – or at the very least St Stephen’s Day – tradition.

2 Don’t just do a family walk one day – get out together most days during the holidays. It’ll make everyone feel physically better and much more upbeat – plus you’ll come back with stories, and build memories too.

And you’ll be in good company: Sport Ireland says recreational walking is at its highest ever in Ireland, rising from 64% in 2015 to 74% in 2021. For a walking trail suitable for your family/interests, check out Irish Examiner’s 100 Irish Trails: 

• Volume 1
• Volume 2 

3 Cork County Council’s ‘Explore Cork’ app is a great resource for Cork-based families but also for visitors/wider Munster community. Featuring over 850 places to see/things to do in Cork across 18 categories of activities – trails, family fun, visitor attractions, arts, culture and beaches – it’s free to download and also spotlights each of the 23 main towns in Cork County.

4 Mum-of-four Sinéad Crowther loves Ardgillan Castle and Demesne in Balbriggan, North Co Dublin, for family day trips. “It’s a beautiful castle and demesne with stunning views of Skerries coast, a vast area of beautifully kept grounds you can let the kids run wild around. There’s a designated off-lead area for dogs – and a great playground for little ones.”

5 Occupational therapist and director of Braincalm Institute, Brenda Cassidy is a big fan of activities that strengthen brain connections, helping a child feel less anxious, less out of sync and able to sleep better. She recommends plenty playground trips during holidays. “Wrap up warm, bring a towel in case swings/slides are wet. And go, go, go! The playground’s free and full of brain-building equipment.” 

She highlights that:

• Children need a strong core (tummy/back/buttock muscles) to help them sit for long days in school. Strong core equals strong brain and better concentration. Climbing up a slide is great for this.
• Swinging on a swing/standing on a roundabout helps stimulate balance sensors and helps a child learn his 'own space' (and not bump into another child). If playground has a 'moving bridge' to walk across, or a balance beam, even better.
• Monkey poles: going across these using hands is great to help settle fidgety/on-the-go children. Putting pressure (even pulling sensations through arms) can help settle the child.
• Cassidy encourages parents to build good memories during playground visits: “Stay off your phone while your child’s playing. They love you to play with them.”

6 National Adult Literacy Agency (NALA) has hundreds of fun activities parents can do with children at home or outside. Here’s one that adds another dimension to family walks: Scavenger hunts are great in woods/at the beach. Each child gets a bag/box and has to find as many different types of leaf/flower/shell/fossil as possible. Once home, look up what you find together in books/on Google – even better, stick into a scrapbook and help your child write description.

7 Another outdoor play idea from NALA: North South East West: One person’s the compass. When they shout ‘north’, everyone has to run north until the person shouts another direction. Anyone who runs the wrong way is out – great for burning off energy. 

8 If you live in Cork City or its environs, why not enjoy the historic urban landscape in a healthy, fun way courtesy of Cork City Heritage Urban Orienteering Project. 

Developed as an outdoor activity suitable for all ages, it has two city orienteering routes: one through Shandon, the other through the Marsh and South Parish. These routes highlight architectural features – fanlights, iron railings, bridges, and shopfronts – visible on houses/quaysides/civic buildings. Visit www.corkcity.ie/en/things-to-do/parks-outdoors/orienteering/ – includes downloadable maps/clues to help you navigate through the areas.

9 Cork Orienteering club has an event on December 28 in Regional Park Ballincollig. Details at exa.mn/fixtures-regional-park. It’s open to all, catering for all ages/fitness levels. It doesn’t matter how young/old/fit you are – run/walk/jog the course at your own pace. 

For orienteering events further afield, visit Orienteering Ireland’s website: www.orienteering.ie/fixture. 

10 What could be cosier, more endlessly fascinating, than a trip to your local library? Tracy McEneaney, executive librarian at Waterford City & County Libraries (Ardkeen Library), says libraries can be busy during winter holidays. “Members and non-members like to come in, stretch out and read a book. Libraries are ideal for grandparents to bring grandchildren, and it’s all free. It’s important to start children early on their reading journey – we have six-month-old babies at our story times.”

McEneaney suggests Christmas holidays are a great opportunity for adults to model the enjoyment of reading for children. “Adults need to lead by example. If children see adults enjoying reading/making time to read, they’ll want to copy them.”

Waterford Libraries are open on December 29 and 30. Ardkeen Library has its preschool story time at 10.30am on Friday, December 30.

In County Cork, some libraries reopen on Thursday, December 29, while others will wait until January 3 – contact your local library for post-Christmas opening time. Cork City libraries are open on Friday, December 30; and reopen again on Tuesday, January 3.

11 Now for a few indoor activities – it’s winter after all. Child psychotherapist and play therapist Denise Enright says Christmas is a great excuse to pick up a new game for family fun. “There are so many to suit all ages. Laughter and play create connection, feel good and make special memories. A firm favourite in my house is Dobble. 

For teenagers Beat That! is a great one.

12 Fifteen to 20 minutes daily of child-directed play reaps big benefits for children/parents, says clinical psychologist and member of the Psychological Society of Ireland Dr Vincent McDarby. “Hide-and-seek, playing with their toys – it doesn’t matter what game. Children love if it’s directed by them and parents are engaged – no ‘one eye on the phone or TV’. Children respond really well to this kind of play.”

13 A treasure hunt can be played indoors – but have a reward, says NALA, which suggests rewards like: “sweets, small money or get the kids to write their own prizes and stick them in envelopes to be hidden – for example, ‘allowed to stay up half-hour longer for one night’. Parents could include their own dream prize: ‘I promise to make everyone’s bed tomorrow morning!’”

14 Co Clare-based grandmother-of-six Dor McLoughlin recommends Who Am I – a 20-question game: “Children and adults sit in circle. Each person thinks of an occupation, writes it on a piece of paper with their own name on the back. The person in charge collects and gives each player an occupation, which is then stuck unseen (by them) onto their forehead. Each person gets their turn to ask questions – limited to 10 or 15 – as to who they are.”

15 For when children are on screens, Dr Meera Oke, lecturer and director of National College of Ireland’s BA in Early Childhood Education and Care, has tips for high-quality digital engagement:

• Children will do what they see – be a role model. Let them see you use screens for an exercise regime, or trying out a recipe. Limit the time they see you just watching a screen.
• Encourage use of apps that stimulate active watching, rather than passive. Use apps that ask children to be off-screen for a bit, to find objects or construct characters/track movements.
• Choose high-quality apps that offer feedback, tailor content to child's performance level, and incorporate learning that’s relevant to/serves a purpose child can identify with.
• Children really enjoy listening to their own voices and seeing themselves. Create a safe play space and allow them to use a digital device to actively record what they do/see/hear, and play it back.