Ideas To Keep Kids Busy While Waiting For The Holiday Dinner

No one wants hangry kids during the holidays. I’m sharing ideas to keep kids busy while waiting for the holiday dinner, plus a kid’s holiday tablescape idea below.

This post has been sponsored by Mott’ s®. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Ideas To Keep Kids Busy During The Holiday Dinner

It’s no secret Christmas is my favorite holiday. It’s also no secret that I LOVE to decorate and come up with a new tablescape each holiday.

I like to put extra attention and detail into my theme when Christmas comes.

Our boys are also big in celebrating the holidays. It’s a time to spend with family, stay up late watching Christmas movies, eating food, giving and receiving gifts, visiting family, and having a big holiday dinner.

I don’t know about your kids, but my kids get antsy and impatient when the food is not ready.

One or two dishes usually need to be heated up, or we’re waiting for that one uncle to show up before we can eat. It all makes us a little hangry, but I’ve learned over the years to be prepared.

It’s easy for the kids to whip out their phones and zone out. We have a no-electronics rule at our dinner table, and holidays are no exceptions. I put together a list of ideas on how we keep our kids entertained before the holiday dinner.

Ways To Keep Kids Entertained While Waiting For The Holiday Dinner

You can stop at your local craft or dollar store (such as Dollar General) to find cheap portable games and pads of game ideas like the ones I have above.

This is a great way to keep any child entertained before and after dinner.

Depending on your holiday dinner, you can have the kids create an ornament to put on their Christmas tree or give as a gift.

Try our edible ornament idea!

Have snacks at the ready. I look for snack ideas that I know won’t spoil a child’s appetite and that isn’t loaded with sugar, so fruit and Mott’s Unsweetened Applesauce pouches are things I keep on the table.

Board games. Board games are another way to keep the kids entertained, as well as spend time engaging with each other.

I like portable games, card games, and small board games I can carry with me (when we travel) or that will fit comfortably on the table without disturbing the table setting.

I made a portable Christmas tic-tac-toe game for the boys, and I’m sharing how you can make one for your family.

How To Make A Portable Tic-Tac-Toe Board Game

Supplies:

• Red Spray Paint
• Paintbrush or small craft roller
• Pine box
• a small bottle of white craft paint
• pieces to use for the x’s and o’s
• optional: holiday stencil decals

Directions:

1. I spray-painted the outside of the box and allowed it to dry overnight. (It will be completely dry within 3-4 hours).
2. After the outside is dry, open it up and spray the inside.
3. Once the inside is completely dry, place a holiday stencil at the top of the inside of the box. Paint over the stencil decal with white paint.
4. Once dry, place another stencil decal on the outside of the box. (this is optional).
5. Open the box and paint or dry white lines to create the tic-tac-toe board.

Once it’s dry, you’re ready to use it.

This craft is super easy and straightforward, and it’s portable. You can use it for road trips, on airplane, or around the dinner table.

Another thing I like to do to keep kids entertained during the holiday dinner is to give them little bags full of party favors.

Inside the bags, I will put candy canes, party favors picked up at Dollar General, and snacks to keep them from the “I’m starving” phase until the food is ready.

You can also include portable games they can take with them and the Christmas ornament they made for their tree.

Kid-Friendly Holiday Dinner Ideas

Speaking of food, do you create a separate kid-friendly menu for your kids?

For our Thanksgiving dinner, we serve turkey, dressing, mac & cheese, sweet potatoes, creamy greens, cornbread, and a list of other side dishes. 

Our boys will eat turkey, mac & cheese, sweet potatoes, greens, and bread. I don’t stress about what they eat as long as they eat something.

Our Thanksgiving sandwiches consist of the following:

• Turkey
• Mac & Cheese
• Cranberry Sauce
• Sweet Potatoes

Yes, I realize it’s the same food served the regular way. But there’s something special about it being served as a sandwich.

So, if you’re kids don’t like to eat everything on their plate, try making them a Thanksgiving sandwich.

We’ve also served them french toast, bacon, and applesauce. And one year, they had chicken nuggets.

We created a taco bar for Christmas two years ago- and all the kids loved it! 

One thing I’ve learned is this; kids will eat when they are hungry. So parents, don’t stress if they don’t eat everything on their plate.

My last suggestion for keeping the kids entertained while waiting to eat is to let them have their own space.

Growing up, we ate at the kid’s table until we were old enough to sit still and join in the grown folk’s conversation.

And while the adult table seemed quite entertaining to me, my siblings and cousins kept ourselves entertained at our table.

When I put together a kid’s tablescape, I like to create a space that allows them to feel special and important.

Instead of just tossing some paper plates on a card table and calling it a day, I want them to feel included in the holiday festivities.

So, I put as much effort into creating their space as I put into the table for the adults.

Here are a few things to keep in mind when creating a kid’s tablescape:

• Keep the silverware to the minimum, especially if there are younger kids. You may want to opt for plastic cutlery and only lay down the necessary utensils.
• While paper plates make for easier cleanup and no worries about broken plates, I want the kids to feel their holiday dinner table is special and festive. I use white plastic dinnerware. It’s not going to break but will look better than paper plates. I also dress up the plate with a charger underneath and a plastic holiday salad plate on top.
• Use wrapping paper or white craft paper to cover the table. I like using wrapping paper to decorate my table for the holidays because it helps give a festive look, and if anyone spills anything, I can toss the paper in the trash.
• You can also use white craft paper, provide the kids with crayons and markers, and let them draw on the table while they wait for their food.
• For centerpieces and other knick-knacks: If you have younger children at the table, plan to keep them off or use plastic decorations. You want everything on their table to be safe and kid-friendly.
• Keep snacks on the table. I like to buy Mott’s 100% Original Apple Juice and their Unsweetened Applesauce Pouches.

Look around your home for decor items to place on the table.

You don’t need to spend a ton of money on decorating their table.

You can also stop by Dollar General and find budget-friendly decorations to use on your kid’s holiday table.

I keep my fridge loaded with extra snacks and food during the holiday season.

The boys are on their winter break, which means they are in and out of the refrigerator and cabinets every hour (seriously, I am not even kidding!).

My boys grew up on Mott’s products because I KNOW what’s in them.

And I know they are a healthy alternative juice and snack option.

My kids will eat enough sweets from all the relatives’ candy bowls, fudge, and Christmas cookies, so I make sure I keep good snack options at home.

While we’re out on the go, visiting relatives, or running errands, I also keep a supply of Mott’s products in my bag because we all have that one kid that needs a snack right now.

Holidays around the Worthey house are fun and full of Christmas spirit and love.

Keep the kids entertained and fed, and all will be right with the world (no, seriously, do this).

Learn more about the Mott’s brand and why we love them by visiting their website, plus get more ideas on how to use Mott’s during the holiday season!

We wish you a safe and happy holiday!