Birth and adoptive families with open adoption relationships that involve visits often like to try to schedule something close to the holidays. After all — it’s a season that celebrates family! Plus, people tend to have some time off from work and school, which might make this the perfect opportunity for everyone to get together.
But in addition to navigating mutually busy schedules during the height of holiday craziness, you’ll now likely have to work within the constraints of the kid-dreaded indoor activities. Don’t worry. We’ve got you covered with these four holiday adoption visit ideas if you’re planning a get-together this winter:
1. Ice Skating
This is a good one for older kids who wouldn’t be thrilled about sitting still for hours. They can hit the rink while the grownups catch up. Or, you can take a few turns with them, if you’re tempted to get on the ice yourselves. The best part: hot chocolate all around once they’re all skated out!
2. Cookie Baking
If you’re planning on meeting up at one of your homes, staying warm indoors with some cookie baking and decorating is easy and gets even younger kids involved. Decorating gingerbread people or houses, frosting and decorating some of your favorite holiday shapes, or busting out that amazing family recipe can all be great (messy) fun. Afterwards, you’ll have time to enjoy your creations and company.
3. Check Out the Lights
For visits with fewer people, you could all hop in the car with some snacks and drive around neighborhoods that are lit up and decked out. Have a bigger group? Check around for a holiday lights event or garden in your area. This activity requires post-sundown exploration, so keep bedtimes in mind if there are younger kids involved.
4. Visit Santa
If you were planning on taking the little kids to see Santa this year, make it extra special by having everyone there together. It’s always a memorable experience, so it can mean a lot to share these with one another. This would make a cute photo-op that you’ll all want to look back on every year to come.
Remember: You don’t have to plan something elaborate! Meeting up for lunch or a cup of hot chocolate is always good — as long as you’re able to spend some time together and the kids enjoy themselves, it’s a successful visit.
If you need some more tips about planning an upcoming holiday adoption visit, check out some of our previous guides on open adoption visits.
What are your favorite winter-season adoption visit activities? Let us know!
