5 Winter Break Activities Both You and the Kids Will Love

It’s hard to believe it’s that time of year again. The weather’s turning, the lights are twinkling, and the kids are almost home from school … for weeks. Are you ready? Do you have plenty of winter break activities planned?

If not, don’t fret. We have you covered.

Here are five fun winter break activities both you and your kids will love:

1. Have a holiday movie marathon.

Let each family member pick their favorite holiday movie, stock up on popcorn and snacks, and settle in under a cozy blanket for a full day of films. You can even have the kids dress up as their favorite characters!

2. Put together a year-end newsletter and send it out to friends and family.

Sit down and recap all the cool stuff your family has done and accomplished this year, and put it all in a family newsletter. You can include photos, your kids’ artwork, and anything else you got excited about over the past 12 months. Then, have the kids help you print, fold, stuff, and mail them out to loved ones.

3. Go on a scavenger hunt.

This is one of my personal favorite winter break activities — well, all-around activities, really. You can do it inside, outside, or a mix of both, or you can even drive on over to your nearest state park or hiking trail for a little change of scenery. Just make a list, bring a pen, and set out on the hunt together. 

4. Read your favorite book — together.

Love Harry Potter? (Me too!) What about The Hobbit books or The Chronicles of Narnia? Maybe even Shel Silverstein’s Where the Sidewalk Ends? Find a longer book that you loved as a child, and sit down and snuggle in for some reading with your kiddo. You can space it out over the entire break, reading a few chapters a day or whatever else works. However you do it, it’ll be a special time for you both.

5. Host a board game tournament.

Gather up all your board games in the house, get a chalkboard or whiteboard, and buy a few prizes. Then, go through the games, one by one, marking each family member’s wins as you go. At the end of the day, hand out prizes for first place (the grand prize!) and smaller token prizes for those who come in second, third, etc.

Need more fun winter break activities?

Try these ideas for keeping the kids busy, log onto one of these virtual activities, or whip up some of these kid-friendly recipes.