Starting the day after Thanksgiving, kids everywhere start asking: “How many days until Christmas?” Or, more likely, “How many sleeps until Christmas?” (After all, when you’re 6 years old, time is measured in sleeps.) A little quick math, and the child has the answer…. which is usually followed up with, “Is that a lot?” Whatever the answer, it’s too many for a little kid.
To the rescue: Christmas countdown blocks! Children and adults alike can measure the days (or “sleeps”) together and make that long wait a little more fun.
Supplies for Christmas countdown blocks
- Wood blocks
- Wood base wide enough for support blocks
- Red, green and silver paint
- Black permanent marker or paint
Directions to make Christmas countdown blocks
- Paint one block green.
- Paint the second block red.
- With the silver paint, paint one number on each side of the green block: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6.
- With the silver paint, number the red block with 1, 2, 7, 8, 9 and 0.
- Paint the wood base silver.
- Write on the base, “days until Christmas” with black permanent marker.
Not confident in your painting skills? Pick up some number stencils at the craft store.
Set aside a couple minutes at the same time every day to update the countdown with your child and chat about holiday-related plans, tasks and traditions: relatives you’ll be seeing, places you’ll be going, cookies you’ll be baking… anything to help your child enjoy the whole season, not just the big day itself.
Instead of answering the holiday equivalent of “Are we there yet?” over and over during this hectic time, you’ll enjoy a little slice of peace each day to spend with your child — and savor every day of the season.