Are you worried about what to do with your kids during winter break? Keep scrolling for my list of winter break activities that your kids will actually like!
This list of winter break activities for kids was written by family travel expert Marcie Cheung and contains affiliate links which means if you purchase something from one of my affiliate links, I may earn a small commission that goes back into maintaining this blog.
Winter break will be here before you know it and the last thing you want to hear from your kids is “I’m bored”.
So why not be prepared with some amazing winter break activities that the whole family will enjoy?
We have everything from indoor to outdoor activities that are sure to please everyone in the family. So get ready for some fun!
Here is a list of activities that you and your family can enjoy while the kids are out of school on winter break!
Wonderful Winter Break Activities to Keep Kids Busy
1. Go to the Zoo
Have you ever been to the zoo during the winter months before? It’s a chance to see all of the animals who enjoy a colder climate really in their element.
Many of the animals tend to be more active during the winter so you can see them in a whole new light than how they might appear when the weather is hot outside.
Even if you don’t live somewhere where it typically snows, many of the animals may be more active than they are during the spring and summer especially if it is hot or humid where you live, like down south.
And some zoos even have holiday light displays until January.
2. Go Ice Skating
Take the whole family out for an afternoon or evening of ice skating and hot chocolate. Even if you don’t have a permanent ice skating rink nearby, or a lake that everyone uses, there are often temporary rinks put up around the holidays for winter break.
If you don’t know of any yourself, try asking in a local Facebook community group, someone knows the best place to check out. If there aren’t any ice skating rinks you can always take the family out roller skating instead!
3. Make Thank-you Cards
After Christmas is the perfect time to take a picture of your kids playing with their new toys, using their gifts, or wearing their new clothes.
Take some pictures, print them out, and have the kids make thank you cards for the friends and family who sent the gifts, and include a picture!
4. Set up a Hot Chocolate Bar
This would be perfect to set up before a nice breakfast or before settling in for a family movie. Make some hot chocolate and set out all the toppings to go with it.
Marshmallows, whipped cream, chocolate syrup, peppermint, sprinkles, chocolate chips…whatever your family likes mixing in with their hot chocolate.
5. Volunteer Together
Find a place that will allow you and your family to volunteer together, and spend some time giving back to your community.
Places to look for opportunities to help are your local soup kitchen, food pantry, community closet, and even the animal shelter.
6. Make a Family Scrapbook
Be honest, how many pictures do you have on your phone that you have never printed out? If you are like most of us, the answer is probably a LOT!
Print some of these pictures out and spend some time together as a family creating a scrapbook. Pull out the crayons, markers, and stickers, or purchase a scrapbooking kit and reminisce as you put together your scrapbook.
You and the kids will be glad that you have the memory of making it and the book to look through for years to come.
7. Redecorate
Is it time to update your kid’s rooms for something that is more fitting to their personality and current age? While they are home for winter break can be a great time to take on a project like this.
If you plan it in advance you can even give them pictures to go with their chosen decor or bedding as part of their Christmas.
Paint the walls, rearrange the room, update the bedding and let them start the new year in a new room!
8. Have a Movie Marathon
While you probably don’t want your kids to have their eyes on a screen for their whole winter break, there is nothing wrong with letting them have some screen time, especially if you have a really cold or rainy day.
Why not have a movie marathon with the whole family? You can pick a theme and stick with that, or simply let each family member pick a movie that they want to watch together.
Get some of the family’s favorite snacks and treats and settle in for a fun day together. This might be a great day to hang out in your pj’s too!
9. Have a Craft Day
If your kids enjoy making things then why not have a craft day together? Pull out the paints, glitter, sequins, pom poms, glue, pipe cleaners, popsicle sticks, and craft paper, and let the kids have a blast.
For kids who enjoy crafting this can keep them entertained for quite a while. It’s always so much fun to see what kind of crafts kids create with their vivid imaginations.
10. Get Outside
Fresh air is good for everyone, and playing outside is a great way to help the kids burn off any excess energy.
Go for a hike, have a snowball fight, build a snowman, whatever it is that your kids and family like to do outside. Even if it’s cold, just bundle up and enjoy the sunshine and fresh air.
11. Have a Scavenger Hunt
Set up a fun scavenger hunt for the kids. Start them off with the first clue that will lead them to the second, and so on. Have a little prize or treasure for them to find at the end of the hunt.
After they find the prize, encourage them to set up their own scavenger hunt and see if you can follow the clues!
12. Pizza Night
Instead of going out for pizza, why not have a make-your-own pizza night at home?
Gather everyone’s favorite pizza toppings (pepperoni, onions, peppers, olives, cheese, diced ham, bacon, etc.) and let each person make their own pizza.
You can do this with English muffins, or grab a few french bread loaves from the bakery and slice them in half so that each person has half of a loaf of their own for a pizza.
13. Make Cookies
Pull out a few of your favorite cookie recipes and get to baking! If you don’t want to make cookies from scratch you can get refrigerated dough and then decorate them together after they are cooked.
Make enough to share with your neighbors, or take a batch of cookies down to your local police department or fire station where they are sure to be appreciated and enjoyed!
14. Make a Home Movie
Kids grow up super fast, so why not take the opportunity to make some memories that you can keep forever? Let the kids dress up and act out a favorite story or movie and film them doing it. You will love having a video that you can look back on forever.
As a matter of fact, why not film a little bit of all of these fun winter break activities so that you can look back on them together?
Things to do During Winter Break with Kids Wrap Up
These are just a few family-friendly activities that you can do together while your kids are home on winter break. What are some of your family’s favorite winter break activities to do together?