The kids are almost out for Christmas break. Below are fifty, yes FIFTY, ideas to keep them having fun–not just busy!!
- Drink a cup of hot chocolate with marshmallows.
- Make an ornament.
- Paint a Christmas scene.
- Play Tree, Tree, Star in place of Duck, Duck, Goose.
- Watch a Christmas movie in your Christmas pajamas. Prancer is free on Amazon Prime right. It’s super cute.
- Track Santa on NORAD.
- Read a Christmas book, like Twas the Night Before Christmas.
- Sing Christmas songs.
- Drive around and look at Christmas lights.
- Write Merry Christmas on a piece of paper. Have your children see how many new words they can create from this phrase.
- Donate to a toy drive.
- Bake cookies.
- Talk to Santa on a phone app.
- Make a gingerbread house.
- Make an ugly sweater. We buy ours at the thrift store for a few dollars and glue Christmas cards, bows, and ornaments on them.
- Have your children write their own Christmas stories.
- Create mazes, words searches, and word finds online for free.
- Track the weather for Christmas.
- Check out local events, like holiday markets and tree lightings.
- Go ice skating.
- Visit the library. Libraries often have events during this time too.
- Put together and send a soldier care package.
- Visit a nursing home to distribute homemade cards.
- Snuggle and look at old Christmas pictures.
- Rake the leaves or shovel the snow as a family.
- Clean out drawers and closets and donate these items.
- Play board games and card games. Uno is a family favorite at our house.
- Go on a bike ride.
- Get dressed up and make a meal or go out to eat.
- See a play. Local schools, theaters, and churches have many this time of year.
- Play Pin the Ornament on the Ugly Sweater.
- Have your child draw a nativity.
- Create a snow globe.
- Have your child take pictures of his favorite Christmas decorations.
- Go camping.
- See a live nativity.
- Take the kids for pictures with Santa.
- Have your kids help with Christmas card creating and distribution. Do they have a favorite picture for the card?
- Make candy to give as appreciation.
- Play Christmas charades.
- Put on your own family Christmas play.
- Read about the birth of Jesus in the book of Luke, beginning in chapter two.
- Make a felt nativity.
- Wrap presents in funny ways. Use ten boxes for one present. Wrap with the comic section of the newspaper.
- Look up Christmas jokes for kids.
- Get a group together and sing Christmas carols.
- Play Christmas Bingo.
- Make a fancy drink, like punch or cider.
- Call family members that you haven’t spoken to in a while.
- Sprinkle oats as reindeer food on the front lawn.