Fun Winter Break Activities for Families

1. Explore Holiday Light Displays
Transform a simple outing into a magical experience by exploring holiday light displays.

• Local Neighborhoods: Drive or walk through nearby neighborhoods with extravagant light decorations. Let kids vote on their favorite display!

• City Events: Research parks or public areas that feature free or ticketed light shows. Many cities offer synchronized light-and-music shows, tunnel displays, or themed winter wonderlands.

• Bonus Idea: Bring a thermos of hot chocolate, pack some cookies, and turn it into a cozy evening picnic in the car or at a nearby park bench.

 

2. Cook or Bake Together
Turn your kitchen into a hub of holiday joy by preparing festive treats as a team.

• Baking Projects: Decorate sugar cookies with icing and sprinkles or make gingerbread men with unique personalities.

• Homemade Gifts: Try making hot cocoa bombs, jars of cookie mix, or spiced nuts for neighbors and relatives.

• International Cuisine Night: Choose a country and prepare a traditional winter dish from that culture. For example, make Swedish saffron buns or German stollen.

 

3. Host a Family Game Marathon
Dedicate a full day or evening to family games with a competitive twist.

• Game Choices: Choose classic board games like Monopoly or Clue, quick card games like Uno, or cooperative games like Pandemic.

• Tournament Style: Create a leaderboard with mini prizes, like the winner choosing the next family activity or dessert.

• DIY Games: Make your own trivia questions about family memories or create a scavenger hunt with clues that involve solving puzzles or riddles.

 

4. Volunteer Together
Teach compassion and gratitude by giving back as a family.

• Local Opportunities: Volunteer at a food bank, assemble care packages for shelters, or participate in a toy drive.

• Acts of Kindness: Shovel snow for an elderly neighbor, write holiday cards for nursing home residents, or bake treats to deliver to local firefighters or police officers.

• At-Home Volunteering: If going out isn’t an option, spend time decluttering and donating gently used clothes, books, and toys.

 

5. Go Ice Skating or Sledding
Take advantage of winter weather with fun outdoor activities.

• Ice Skating: Visit a local rink. If it’s your child’s first time skating, bring knee pads and focus on teaching them how to glide and balance.

• Sledding Adventures: Find a nearby hill, grab sleds (or even large plastic lids if you’re improvising), and race down together. Create mini-challenges like building jumps or who can sled the farthest.

• Snow Play: If snow is in the forecast, build snow forts, make snow angels, or have a playful snowball fight.

 

6. Start a New Family Tradition
Winter break is the perfect time to create a tradition your family can look forward to every year.

• Memory Jar: Write down favorite memories of the year, decorate a jar, and read them together at the end of next year.

• Holiday Puzzle Night: Work on a large, seasonal jigsaw puzzle throughout the break and celebrate when you finish.

• Annual Playlist: Make a family playlist of everyone’s favorite songs from the year and have a dance party.

 

7. Plan a “Staycation” Adventure
Be a tourist in your own town by visiting places you don’t usually explore.

• Local Attractions: Check out museums, nature centers, or historic landmarks. Look for special holiday programs or discounted admissions.

• Nature Escapes: Go on a winter hike at a nearby trail, bring binoculars for birdwatching, and enjoy a thermos of warm cider afterward.

• Themed Adventure Day: Plan a pirate, astronaut, or fairy-tale-themed day at home with costumes, role-playing, and matching crafts or stories.

 

8. Watch Holiday Movies Together
Create a home theater experience with all the trimmings.

• Family Movie Night: Pick a lineup of favorites like Elf, The Polar Express, or Home Alone. Include lesser-known classics like The Snowman.

• Interactive Movies: Try a sing-along movie like Frozen or a DIY commentary on a family-favorite film.

• Themed Snacks: Pair each movie with themed snacks, like candy canes for The Grinch or marshmallows for Frosty the Snowman.

 

9. Create Homemade Crafts and Gifts
Turn a snowy afternoon into a crafting workshop.

• Easy Crafts: Make paper snowflakes, salt dough ornaments, or garlands with popcorn and cranberries.

• Gift Ideas: Decorate mugs with permanent markers, paint mason jars to hold tea lights, or create custom bookmarks.

• Memory Keepsakes: Build a photo collage or scrapbook together to capture favorite family moments.

 

10. Organize an Indoor Scavenger Hunt
Keep kids entertained and active with a creative scavenger hunt.

• How to Start: Write clues or riddles that lead to hidden items around the house. Use a holiday theme, like finding ornaments or reindeer figurines.

• Bonus Fun: Add mini challenges along the way, such as doing 10 jumping jacks or singing a holiday song. End the hunt with a small prize like a craft kit or hot cocoa mix.

 

11. Build a Gingerbread House
This classic activity is both creative and delicious.

• Decorating Options: Use colorful candies, pretzels for fences, or shredded coconut for snow.

• Nontraditional Ideas: Try making a gingerbread train or a mini gingerbread village.

• Friendly Competition: Divide the family into teams and hold a contest for the most creative design.

 

12. Keep a Winter Journal
Encourage kids to document their winter break with writing, art, or photography.

• Journaling Prompts: Reflect on favorite moments of the year, write letters to future selves, or draw winter scenes.

• Scrapbooking Fun: Print photos and include them with ticket stubs, postcards, or pressed leaves.

• Story Writing: Create a short story or comic about a winter adventure, real or imagined.

 

Make Every Day Special

Winter break is a time to relax, recharge, and connect with the people you love most. By trying these detailed activities, you can create moments that your family will treasure for years to come.