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It’s that time of year when parents feel a mixture of excitement and anxiety about the holidays. While we look forward to making precious memories with our families, we don’t look forward to holiday stress. Christmas pageants and holiday parties are only part of what can make this time of year hectic. Finding ways to keep your kids engaged during their two weeks of winter break can be just as challenging. We’ve put together a list of holiday activities for kids to help you get through winter break.
1. Collect Gently Used Clothes, Toys, & Books to Donate
Donating gently used clothes, toys, and books is a great way to make space for new Christmas presents. It’s also an opportunity to help others in your community and the planet. So during winter break, block out a couple of hours to go through your kids’ closets and toybox together.
Giving away beloved items can be tough for kids. You can help them get into the giving spirit by talking about how giving away the clothes, toys, and books they’ve outgrown will make other kids happy. If your child gets excited about protecting the plant, you can discuss how donating is a part of recycling and reusing. It helps the planet by reducing landfills and the pollution that ends up in our soil and waterways.
2. Go on a Holiday Lights Tour
Going on a walk or drive to see homes and businesses lit up for the holidays can get the whole family into the Christmas spirit. You can make the trip extra special by bringing along holiday treats or insulated cups with hot cocoa to enjoy along the way.
3. Make Holiday Treats
Many kids look forward to the chance to make gingerbread men, colorful sugar cookies, and other holiday treats. They will look back fondly on the time you spent together in the kitchen making cookies or a gingerbread house. This activity is also a fun and easy way to incorporate your children into your holiday preparations. You can make homemade goodies to give to your neighbors or eat together on Christmas day.
4. Create Holiday Ornaments, Garlands, or NYE Decor
What kid doesn’t love craft time? Using craft supplies you already have at home, you can make unique Christmas tree ornaments, garlands, and New Year’s Eve decorations together. Your preschoolers may enjoy making one of these holiday garlands or some of these DIY NYE decorations and party favors!
6. Send Your Child on a Holiday Alphabet Hunt
When your kids need to get out some wiggles and you need to tackle a task, send them on a holiday alphabet hunt! Roll out a sheet of paper with the letters of the alphabet written on it. Then send your child on the hunt for holiday items starting with that letter.
You can split this activity into two days by challenging them to collect items for A – M on the first day and N – Z on the next. If you don’t have enough holiday decorations for the whole alphabet, you could do a backyard alphabet hunt instead.
7. Make Thank You Cards Together
Making thank you cards is a fun and meaningful way to help your child learn gratitude during the holidays. For preschoolers who can’t write yet, making thank you cards help them feel more involved in the process. Try one of these 10 easy-to-make thank you cards for toddlers and preschoolers. Then, after they’ve finished creating the card, you can help them fill it with a heartfelt message.
8. Make a Mural
Creating a mural out of colorful construction paper is another entertaining, creative activity for the holidays. This activity is a great way to help your children learn to work as a team. In addition, making a mural can sharper your preschooler’s recognition of shapes, colors, and fine motor skills. Browse through these 10 mural art project ideas if you are looking for inspiration.
9. Send Your Kids on a Scavenger Hunt
You can’t do enough scavenger hunts over winter break! Scavenger hunts are thrilling, educational activities that get your kids moving. You can send them outside for a nature scavenger hunt or sensory-motor activity hunt. Inside, they could go on a color scavenger hunt or an around-the-house scavenger hunt. You can find a list of printables and more scavenger hunt ideas here.
10. Create an End-of-Year Art Show
An end-of-year kids’ art show is a great way to end 2021 and ring in the new year. Ask your kids to round up their favorite art projects and drawings that they made this year. Then use painters’ tape to hang them in your home. You could hang them up in one room or throughout your house for a one-day art show.
Set a day and time for the art show to start. To make their art gallery day feel extra special, you could set up a table with snacks and sparkling grape juice to enjoy while you all walk around and look at their art. Be sure to take a picture of each one of their art projects. After the show, you can make a photo album filled with their art projects (and feel guilt-free about throwing these art projects afterward to make room for next year’s).
We hope these 10-holiday activities help your kids have a fun and enriching winter vacation. Give Kids ‘ R Kids Avalon Park a call if you are looking for childcare in the Orlando, Florida area from December 20th through January 4th! We are offering a Winter Break camp for VPK and school-age kids. Check out our December calendar to see some of the engaging activities your kids can participate in during our Winter Break Camp.