Winter vacation is right around the corner. For most moms, this means your kids will be home from school for a minimum of two weeks and in need of things to keep them busy. You’ve probably discovered it’s better to prepare with plenty of kids’ activities ahead of time to avoid a winter vacation with them overdosing on screen time.
Here are some fun winter vacation activity ideas to keep your kids happily busy during their school break.
1. Community Kids’ Activities
Check out your local community activities and see what might be available during winter vacation. Many cities have tree lighting ceremonies, day camps, volunteer opportunities or other kid-friendly activities going on. Your local library, city website, or city Facebook page may have some resources to get you started.
2. Play Tourist
Pretend your family are tourists in your hometown. Winter break is a great time to visit local attractions. Take a day to visit a local museum, zoo, or park. Sometimes there are actually fewer crowds this close to the holidays and you may discover a new favorite place to visit close to home.
3. Indoor sports
Winter vacation is a great time to get active as a family. Visit a local ice skating or roller skating rink. Go bowling, or find an indoor mini golf course. Many of these activities are inexpensive and fun. Share some of your favorite childhood activities with your kids and enjoy doing them together.
4. Walk Right Outside Your Door
If you prefer free activities closer to home, take your kids for a walk right outside your door. Get to know your neighborhood on foot. You can even plan a scavenger hunt for your kids in your own yard or neighborhood. Try organizing outdoor games of tag and hide and seek. The benefits of fresh air and exercise can hardly be overstated.
If you’re living in an area with snow, take advantage of it! Encourage your kids to roll out some snowmen. Or lay down and create snow angels. If you’re lucky enough to have a sledding hill, enjoy it and get your kids out there in the cold. They’ll create memories to last their whole life.
5. Arts and Crafts
A craft project will give your kids a chance to exercise their creativity. You can gather up a variety of art supplies, paper, glitter, glue, cotton balls, pipe cleaners, you name it. And let them create whatever creature or object they can come up with. If you prefer something more directed, find some simple craft kits or project directions online.
Winter art projects and crafts abound, from cutting out paper snowflakes to gluing cotton balls on paper and creating a snowman. You can also make paper chains or crafty tree ornaments. With enough supplies, your kids could have your holiday decorating done within a few days of starting their winter vacation.
6. Science Experiments
Winter vacation is a break from school but it doesn’t have to be a break from learning. And it’s a great time to show how much fun learning can be. One way to do this is with at home science experiments. Check out this list of ideas or have your kids come up with their own.
Science experiments don’t need to be complicated to be fun and educational. They can be as simple as mixing cornstarch and water to play around with the texture. Or seeing what is the fastest way to melt an icicle or ice cube around the house. Easy experiments can be done with a few household items and some imagination.
7. Board Games and Puzzles
Winter vacation is a great time for a family game night, or game day if you’re all at home. Pull out some old family favorites from your board game collection or a deck of cards and enjoy some relaxing family time.
For puzzle fans, set up a folding table in the house with a large puzzle you and your kids can enjoy working on throughout the break. You can set a goal to complete the puzzle by the end of winter vacation with a reward or treat planned for when you get it done.
8. Reading
Curling up with a book during winter vacation is a wonderful way for your kids to spend a relaxing afternoon. Make a trip to the library to gather a supply of new reading material or re-read some old favorites. You can make this a family activity by reading aloud or reading the same book and discussing it during lunch and snacks.
9. Holiday Baking
Make the holiday cooking and baking a family project by getting your kids in on the action. You can make your contribution to your family holiday party together with your kids or bake cookies for the neighbors. Consider inviting your children’s friends over for a cookie exchange to make a party out of it. Most kids love the fun and mess-making involved in holiday baking.
Have Some Fun!
I hope these ideas can inspire your kids to try some new and fun activities during their break. And that your entire family has a wonderful winter vacation!
