Isn’t technology a wonderful thing? Of course, it has its downsides but as a parent, there are lots of benefits to the way technology can help us. Have you ever tried to “track Santa” to see his location in the days leading up to Christmas? 

We did it last year and it was incredibly exciting. There are so many apps and websites that will give you the opportunity to log in, register your location and pin-point where Santa currently is relative to your home. 

It is a really unique way to build an extra layer of excitement for the kids as Santa makes his way to your house for the big day. Children will understand the concept of him setting off on his travels to deliver presents to all the boys and girls in the world.

Here are some of the apps that are offering this service and some Christmas fun in general. Why not give it a go this year? They are all free and the little ones will love it.

Google Santa Tracker is Google’s annual entertainment app for the Christmas season. It has so many functions including an opportunity to track Santa once he has left the North Pole to begin delivering gifts all around the world. 

There are daily activities which make this app really interactive and exciting for children to use. There is an opportunity to do puzzles, art, a quiz and some really useful classroom resources if teachers would like to share this app with their students. It is easy to use and available for Android and iPhone. santatracker.google.com/

Official Norad Santa Tracker is the original Santa tracker. The idea of tracking Santa has been around since 1955 and it now continues to be the most popular app to track Santa’s whereabouts on Christmas Eve. The company work with the North American Aerospace programme to track Santa and make the information available to the public. This video shows how it all began. Parents can track Santa using the Google Earth function on their website, app and on their social media. www.noradsanta.org

Track Santa a little differently this year by actually contacting him directly! This app allows you to create customised videos for your children directly from Santa. In the video, Santa will speak directly to your child using their name. The video will also include photographs of your child and just watch your child’s jaw drop as Santa quotes unique facts about your child as well as what they are hoping to receive on Christmas morning. I have personally done this for the last two years and the excitement levels are through the roof! www.portablenorthpole.com

Unlike some of the above apps, this one allows you to track Santa’s whereabouts at any time of year – not just on Christmas Eve. The scanning function allows you to track Santa’s location relative to your own location. It also gives you a countdown timer to estimate how long it will take for Santa to reach your home. App store

And sure while we are here... who doesn’t want an app that allows you to upload photos of your family and friends only for them to be placed on the bodies of dancing elves? Watch your hilarious customised videos and share to social media for a Christmas giggle. www.elfyourself.com

Tracey is a happy mammy to four-year-old Billy. She is a breastfeeder, gentle parent and has recently lost five stone so healthy family eating is her passion! You can find her at www.oveofliving.ie.