Christmas is a special time of year when you have children, as their excitement over Santa and presents is infectious. Christmas-themed activities are always fun to do with children, and turning your log cabin or shed into Santa’s grotto is one they can really get involved with and enjoy.

#1. Get your garden building ready

Unless it’s a new purchase, chances are your garden building will have some clutter in. You’ll want to take out any lawn mowers, bikes, garden equipment or anything else that’s found its way into your garden building before you do anything. These should be put somewhere safe and secure until Santa’s departure.

Once it’s clear, get rid of any cobwebs or dust to make it more inviting and safe for your children. This will help you later on as you decorate.

As garden buildings can get messy when gardening equipment and tools have been stored for a while, you might want to consider painting the walls white to give it a wintery look. If painting isn’t what you had in mind, hanging sheets can create the same effect and look just as good.

#2. Decorate

This is the fun bit, and the children can really get involved. Tell the children Santa’s going to come to see them, and he’s asked them to get his grotto ready for him. Some decorating ideas are :

• Use Christmas decorations like tinsel, baubles, and a chair for Santa.
• Some spray-on snow on the windows will make it look extra-festive.
• Hanging socks and bunting on the walls will give Santa somewhere to put presents.
• Santa’s obviously going to want to sit on a nice chair, so get the kids to come up with ideas about how to decorate it for him with tinsel and battery-powered fairy lights.
• Nativity scene decorations can fill space and a Christmas tree will finish the scene off perfectly.
• If it’s cold, think about moving a heater into the grotto to heat it up but be aware of cables and be extra careful with the children around any wires or the heater itself.

#3. Santa

Once everything is decorated, the fairy lights are in place and the tree is furnished, it’s time for Santa to come. Get a friend or relative to dress up as Santa and have them comment on how good their decorations look, as well as giving them the gifts.

Having Santa tell them how good their decorations are will really get them excited, and they’ll love the activity of decorating his grotto. Try it today!

Content provided by Tom Jeffries for Tiger Log Cabins.

Related : Lots of more Christmas activities in our Christmas Fun Ideas feature, and 50 Christmas Activities for Kids.

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