The holidays are all about spending time together – which is why we think these five festive activities are great fun for the whole family!
Novel Effect is celebrating The 5-Days of Bookmas!
Each day we are featuring a holiday title found on Novel Effect via social media and pair it with a family-friendly activity to get into the spirit of the season.
Activity 1: Make Your Own Grinch Ornament
Go back to our Christmas Collection
Prep Time: 20-30 minutes
Materials: Clear plastic ornament, various shades of green tissue paper or shredded crinkle paper, glitter glue or puffy paint, metallic pen, and optional pom poms (all available at craft stores or from Amazon)
Step 1: Take the top off the plastic ornament and fill with crinkle/tissue paper (mix up the colors) until it is full. Add pom poms if desired. Replace the top
Step 2: Use glitter glue or puffy paint to draw three different sized hearts on the ornament (“The Grinch’s small heart grew three sizes that day”)
Step 3: Use the metallic pen to add extra details, like your child’s name or the year
Step 4: Once the paint dries, add a hook and hang on your tree!
Read our Novel Effect Gift Guide to find the perfect book for any young Who in Whoville.
Enter our 5-Days of Bookmas celebration to win a copy of “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” by Dr. Seuss!
Download Novel Effect for free in the App Store | Coming soon to Android!
Activity 2: Indoor Snowman Bowling
Go back to our Christmas Collection
Prep Time: 30-40 minutes
Materials: 6-10 empty toilet paper tubes, 6-10 sheets of white construction paper, double-sided tape or glue, markers, scissors, optional pipe cleaners or pom poms, and a small ball to bowl with
Step 1: Cut each piece of construction paper to a size where it will cover each toilet paper roll
Step 2: While the paper is still flat, use markers to draw faces, scarves, buttons, pipes on each snowman (they can all look the same or completely different!). Add pipe cleaners or pom poms for extra embellishments
Step 3: Using glue or double-sided tape, securely wrap each piece of paper around the toilet paper tube (if using glue, wait for it to dry)
Step 4: Set up your snowmen on a flat surface in bowling formation. Using a small ball, take turns seeing how many you can knock down!
Find more holiday titles to read aloud this season in our Novel Effect Gift Guide.
Enter our 5-Days of Bookmas celebration to win a copy of “The Snowy Day” by Ezra Jack Keats!
Download Novel Effect for free in the App Store | Coming soon to Android!
Activity 3: Snowflake Ornament
Go back to our Christmas Collection
Prep Time: 30-40 minutes
Materials: Sturdy decorative paper (or holiday paper plates!), glue, glitter, scissors, string
Step 1: Fold the paper in half and then fold diagonally in half again
Step 2: Make small cuts on all sides of the paper
Step 3: Open and lay flat. Line the edges of the paper with glue and then sprinkle with glitter (the more, the merrier!)
Step 4: Once dry, tie string to the top and add to your Christmas tree!
Check out our Gift Guide on Novel Effect and find titles for every unique snowflake this season.
Enter our 5-Days of Bookmas celebration to win a copy of “The Polar Express” by Chris Van Allsburg!
Download Novel Effect for free in the App Store | Coming soon to Android!
Activity 4: Christmas Tree Card
Go back to our Christmas Collection
Prep Time: 20-30 minutes
Materials: Construction Paper (green and other colors), metallic markers, scissors, glue, pom poms, glitter
Step 1: Fold a sheet of construction paper (a different color than your tree) in half
Step 2: Using another sheet construction paper, cut out a tree shape and glue to the front of the folded construction paper
Step 3: Using the metallic markers, decorate the tree. Use extra materials, like glitter, if desired
Step 4: Once all elements are dry, write a message inside and deliver the card (to a classmate or elderly neighbor, perhaps)
Give the gift of reading and view our Gift Guide for holiday titles found on Novel Effect.
Enter our 5-Days of Bookmas celebration to win a copy of “Bear Stays Up for Christmas” by Karma Wilson!
Download Novel Effect for free in the App Store | Coming soon to Android!
Activity 5: Decorating Christmas Cookies
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Cookie Ingredients:
- ¾ cup butter, softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2-¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- ½ tsp. salt
- Christmas cookie cutters
- Tinted frosting, colored sugar, edible glitter, sprinkles
Step 1: In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla; mix well. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Chill for 1 hour or until firm
Step 2: On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/4-in thickness. Cut out with Christmas cookie cutters of your choice. Using a floured spatula, transfer cookies to greased baking sheets. Bake at 375° for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely on wire racks
Step 3: Decorate cookies with frostings, sugars, sprinkles, and glitter. Enjoy! And don’t forget to save some for Santa 🙂
Visit our holiday Gift Guide to find more holiday activities and titles for the season.
{Closed} Enter our 5-Days of Bookmas celebration to win a copy of “The Night Before Christmas”!
Download Novel Effect for free in the App Store | Coming soon to Android!
