The kids are almost out for Christmas break. Below are fifty, yes FIFTY, ideas to keep them having fun–not just busy!!

1. Drink a cup of hot chocolate with marshmallows.
2. Make an ornament.
3. Paint a Christmas scene.
4. Play Tree, Tree, Star in place of Duck, Duck, Goose.
5. Watch a Christmas movie in your Christmas pajamas. Prancer is free on Amazon Prime right. It’s super cute.
6. Track Santa on NORAD.
7. Read a Christmas book, like Twas the Night Before Christmas.
8. Sing Christmas songs.
9. Drive around and look at Christmas lights.
10. Write Merry Christmas on a piece of paper. Have your children see how many new words they can create from this phrase.
11. Donate to a toy drive.
12. Bake cookies.
13. Talk to Santa on a phone app.
14. Make a gingerbread house.
15. Make an ugly sweater. We buy ours at the thrift store for a few dollars and glue Christmas cards, bows, and ornaments on them.
16. Have your children write their own Christmas stories.
17. Create mazes, words searches, and word finds online for free.
18. Track the weather for Christmas.
19. Check out local events, like holiday markets and tree lightings.
20. Go ice skating.
21. Visit the library. Libraries often have events during this time too.
22. Put together and send a soldier care package.
23. Visit a nursing home to distribute homemade cards.
24. Snuggle and look at old Christmas pictures.
25. Rake the leaves or shovel the snow as a family.
26. Clean out drawers and closets and donate these items.
27. Play board games and card games. Uno is a family favorite at our house.
28. Go on a bike ride.
29. Get dressed up and make a meal or go out to eat.
30. See a play. Local schools, theaters, and churches have many this time of year.
31. Play Pin the Ornament on the Ugly Sweater.
32. Have your child draw a nativity.
33. Create a snow globe.
34. Have your child take pictures of his favorite Christmas decorations.
35. Go camping.
36. See a live nativity.
37. Take the kids for pictures with Santa.
38. Have your kids help with Christmas card creating and distribution. Do they have a favorite picture for the card?
39. Make candy to give as appreciation.
40. Play Christmas charades.
41. Put on your own family Christmas play.
42. Read about the birth of Jesus in the book of Luke, beginning in chapter two.
43. Make a felt nativity.
44. Wrap presents in funny ways. Use ten boxes for one present. Wrap with the comic section of the newspaper.
45. Look up Christmas jokes for kids.
46. Get a group together and sing Christmas carols.
47. Play Christmas Bingo.
48. Make a fancy drink, like punch or cider.
49. Call family members that you haven’t spoken to in a while.
50. Sprinkle oats as reindeer food on the front lawn.