How to Start Simple Family Traditions with a Toddler
Right now, blogs are filled with tips for managing your toddler during the holidays. Wonky nap times, late bedtimes, the overstimulation of going to new places, meeting Santa, and tons of new toys can be a lot for toddlers. Sometimes, it is important to remember that the holidays are meant to be fun, memorable, and warm! If you are interested in starting simple holiday traditions with your toddler, this blog is for you. Keep reading to learn our three simple tips for starting simple family traditions, including how soap dough can be the key to your new holiday tradition.
Tip 1: Keep Expectations Low and Easy Breezy
Thinking back to your holidays growing up, there are likely tons of traditions that come to mind. Carving pumpkins, decorating the Christmas tree, and baking cookies for Santa are just a few of the most popular ones. As toddlers, they don't care about perfection and having picture-perfect holidays. They just want to have fun in the present moment, and that is the best way to start their holiday traditions.
- Scale it back. Carving pumpkins too difficult and messy? Stick with paint this year instead. Decorating the Christmas tree too hectic? Just let your toddler do a few. Baking cookies a mess and stressful? Just let them decorate a few instead. Scale it back during the toddler years and eventually evolve your traditions in years to come.
- If it's causing stress, just try it again next year. If you want to do specific holiday traditions but they are causing too much stress for you, scrap it. Toddlers just want to have fun, so just try again next year.
Tip 2: Make it Sensory and Hands-On
Finding traditions that are sensory and hands-on is going to go over the best with your toddlers. One of the best ways you can celebrate the holidays with sensory, hands-on play is through our Soap Dough.
Creating soap dough creations such as a pumpkin for Halloween, a turkey for Thanksgiving, or a tree for Christmas are all great ways to kick off the holiday months. Bonus points if you make batches of them for friends and family!
Soap dough looks and feels just like traditional dough play, but it becomes usable, bubbly, delicious-smelling soap once dry. It makes a great gift and a tradition to start as a toddler!
Kids can squeeze, roll, sculpt, and create freely. When they want an easier way to make a recognizable soap shape, press an EZ Soap Stamp into the dough and let the built-in spring help release it with a satisfying pop.
Little hands may not always be able to sculpt a cute soap shape quickly by hand. The three spring-loaded EZ Soap Stamps give kids another way to create. Press the stamp into the dough, and the built-in spring helps release the finished shape.
Tip 3: Make Notes for Next Year
As the holidays go on, create a spreadsheet with some information. Here are some things to add:
- Name of the holiday. Title your spreadsheet or spreadsheet tab with the name of the holiday so that you can easily find it next year. Bonus points for adding the year or age of your child so that you can refer to it in the future if you have more children.
- List of traditions you tried. Did you carve pumpkins? Paint them? Did you go to a pumpkin patch, hot cocoa party, or to meet Santa Claus? Make a list of everything you did and rate them.
- How did it go? Aside from rating your traditions, jot some quick notes about how everything went. Did your toddler love meeting Santa or absolutely hate it? Is it something you can skip next year? Should the haunted houses wait a few more years?
- Add a shopping list. Make your life easier next year by creating a shopping list of everything you need for that time. Soap dough, pumpkins, leaves, branches for wreaths, craft supplies, and more should all be added.