GiveA word about screens
We make a video call, so it is a screen, and we would rather say so. We think it has its place if it stays short, if it is watched with a parent, and if it makes children want to do something else afterwards.
A few official guidelines: the World Health Organization advises against screen time before age 2, then no more than one hour a day up to age 4, and less is better. We are not doctors: your GP or paediatrician remains the best adviser.
And AI?
Saint Nicholas is played by an artificial intelligence, and we don't hide it. That is why the call always takes place with a parent nearby, lasts only a few minutes, and why we keep nothing of what your child says.
For us, an AI should not become a child's companion every evening. Here, it is a short, festive moment, shared with their parents.
With your hands
- A paper mitre: a strip of red card, a golden cross, and there is a little Saint Nicholas.
- A folded paper star to hang in the window, so Saint Nicholas can find the house.
- A decorated shoe, with stickers and their name written in big letters.
- A donkey made from a cardboard tube, with two big ears and a woolly tail.
In the kitchen
- Star-shaped biscuits, dusted with icing sugar.
- Speculoos dunked in hot chocolate, after a walk.
- A clementine peeled into a star shape, for a snack.
With your voice
- Make up a song for Saint Nicholas together, or a verse for his donkey.
- Tell the legend of Saint Nicholas at bedtime. His story is here.
- Play “Saint Nicholas says”, just like “Simon says”, with a paper mitre for whoever leads the game.
Outdoors
- A walk to gather a little dry grass for the donkey.
- Look up on the way home in the evening, and find the brightest star together.
- Go and see the Saint in town: in Belgium, many towns celebrate his arrival in late November or early December.
Rainy days
- Write a letter to Saint Nicholas. Our printable letter.
- Hide the shoe somewhere in the house, and guide the search with “hot or cold”.
- A little puppet show with socks on your hands: Saint Nicholas, his donkey, and a child putting out a shoe.