I love it when the kids are home from school! I love the fact that if we want we can stay in our pajamas all day and just hang out without anything to do. I especially love this in the wintertime because winter break usually means cozy blankets, hot cocoa, and watching movies. We can never come up with enough fun winter break ideas!
I think it’s good for the soul to have some days that you do absolutely nothing except hang out at home. But I also think it is good to plan some fun winter break ideas to do with the kids.
11 Winter Break Ideas to Keep the Kids Busy
So if you find yourself asking, “What can I do with the kids during winter break?” look no further.
Because we have 11 winter break activities for kids that include fun winter break project the kids will love!
Scavenger Hunt
Set up a scavenger hunt for the kids.
There are two ways to do a scavenger hunt.
The first is to hide “treasures” around the house and make a map or write clues so the kids will have to find them. The person that finds the most treasures wins!
The other way you could do a scavenger hunt is to make a list of things the kids have to find. Then when they find it, they snap a picture (thank goodness for digital pictures, right?). The person or team that finds the most objects on the list wins!
A scavenger hunt costs nothing, but it can be hours of fun with the kids!
Baking
One of my favorite winter activities for kids is baking with them!
We love to create snacks and treat and try new recipes.
The kids pull their stools up to the counter and help measure, sift, stir, and mix.
I love baking with the kids throughout the year because it is teaching them life lessons that they actually enjoy learning!
Invite Friends Over
Who doesn’t love having friends over? And honestly, winter break is the perfect time to invite friends over to play because there is usually not a lot going on during the break.
The kids love to have friends overall on the same day so they all have someone to play with. When this happens, it allows me to get a few things done too!
I try to invite friends over once or twice and then try to arrange a couple of days where the kids go and play at other people’s homes so I have a few minutes of winter break by myself to recoup and have a few minutes for some self-care.
Go to the Zoo
Although it is Winter break, does not mean that every day is cold and rainy. The zoo is so much fun to go to, especially with little kids.
If you live close to a zoo take advantage of the annual memberships so you can go as often as you like with the kids.
Pack some snacks and have a fun time wandering around seeing all the animals.
Visit a Museum
If you find the weather outside is too cold for the zoo, bundle the kids up and head to the museum for a fun winter activity for kids.
They will love wandering around seeing and observing things and how they work.
My kids love going to the children’s museums.
Have a Party!
I don’t know a single kid that does not like to party!
So put on your favorite dance music and boogie in the living room.
Not only does dancing relieve stress and promote movement, but it is also just fun to do. So let loose with the kids, and boogie with them. This will quickly become one of your kid’s favorite winter break activities.
Open an Art Studio
One day turn your home into an art studio for a fun winter activity for kids.
Set up centers where they can color, paint, mold clay, and cut, glue, and craft.
Perhaps grab some cardboard boxes and make car boxes to watch a movie in and pretend to go to the drive-in or design a spaceship to go to the moon, the possibilities are endless!
Art is an important open-ended activity where kids can just create and express themselves in a whole new way.
Sure it is messy, but you know what they say, “Excuse the mess, this house is creating memories.”
Create a Movie or a Magazine
Kids love to create things. So have a fantastic winter break idea is to create a movie or a magazine.
If they choose to create a magazine they can draw artwork, write articles, conduct interviews and more and compile it all together into their very own magazine.
If you have older kids, help them create a movie or a show. Get out the digital camera or just use your smartphone to create a vlog.
Not only will they have a blast doing it, who knows they might really love it and find a career out of it and become the newest YouTube star!
Winter Break Ideas: Projects
Clean the Toy Room
Sure, cleaning the toy room might just be a dreaded winter break project, but it usually is much needed.
It has become a tradition to clean the playroom before Christmas to make room for all the new toys that Santa is going to bring.
It is also a great time to find those toys we have forgotten about as they get lost in the toy room.
This winter break project is a great way to clean out and donate your gently used toys to a local charity that accepts donations.
Book Appointments
Missing school is sometimes so hard because it takes kids a little bit to catch back up. So a great winter break project is to take care of those routine appointments like annual doctor’s visits, dental appointments and so forth.
Serve
While the kids are home for winter break, find a couple of things you can do to serve others. This can be in the neighborhood or in the community or around the world.
Shovel a driveway covered in snow
Take lunch to Grandma
Visit a nursing home and take a game to play with them
Serve food at a soup kitchen.
There are so many wonderful ways to serve.
These winter activities for kids will become some of their fondest memories that they will look back on and say, “Remember when we did… during winter break with mom?”
What winter break ideas would you add? Share in the comments!
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