Parenthood is a funny old thing. Your kids are born and you love having them around the house as much as possible. Their first days of school are a struggle – you don’t want them to leave you on your own! Then, you gradually realize that having a bit of space is good for you. Your kids start to get older and have more energy, meaning they get bored quickly and require constant attention.
After a few years of being in school, you reach the point where school holidays are a big thing. How are you supposed to entertain your kids for weeks on end while juggling the rest of your life?! You adore your kids but part of you longs for school to return so you have a bit of respite.
If you’re one of the millions of parents frantically trying to keep their kids entertained during the upcoming winter school holidays, we’ve got a list of activities to try and things to do that should satisfy everyone. Your children will have fun, you’ll spend quality time with them, and by the end, you’ll wish they could stay off school for longer!
Try any of these things when your kids get bored and need to be entertained:
Christmas Crafts
It’s the holiday season, so there are loads of cool things to do revolving around Christmas or gift-giving. Kids love custom crafts, and you’ve got endless things to make with them during the winter school break.
Some of the best ideas include:
- DIY Christmas tree decorations
- Homemade Christmas cards
- Secret Santa Christmas gifts
- Party hats
- Homemade Christmas crackers
- DIY Christmas Santa hats
Those are just a few things that came to mind while writing this, so you’re bound to think of more in your spare time. Get the crafts set out and prepare a space on the main kitchen/dining table to get down to business. Let your kids pick what they want to do, so they won’t complain about being bored.
It’s a wholesome family activity – consider putting Christmas music on or playing a Christmas film in the background to set the scene. Time will fly by, and some of the bigger DIY Christmas craft projects will easily take multiple days to complete.
Baking
Staying in the home, you could enter the kitchen and start baking with your kids. This is a brilliant activity to try throughout the year, yet it’s way better during the holiday season. Why? Because you’ll find countless Christmas-themed things to bake and decorate!
Gingerbread men are the obvious option, but you can try to create Christmas sugar cookies too. If you’re feeling super adventurous, maybe you can make mince pies or a Christmas cake. Kids love baking sweet treats for three main reasons:
- They love eating the treats when baked
- They love eating the raw batter before it gets baked
- They love making a complete mess and getting their hands sticky
You can never go wrong with baking during the holidays, so our advice is to collect a few ideas and ask your kids what they want to make. Does this mean you’ll make a dozen batches of gingerbread over the school break? Probably, so make sure you know the best ways to decorate gingerbread men ahead of time.
Bowling
Thanks to the great winter chill, outdoor activities are hard to come by during this school break. In the summer, you can go to beaches or play with your kids at adventure parks. Now, you don’t want to spend too much time out in the cold – which is why you should find indoor activities.
Don’t worry, you’re still able to leave the house, and that’s where bowling alleys come into play. Bowl. Dine. Unwind. Family Fun – it’s a simple equation that’s easy to come by at bowling alleys. Kids love trying to knock all of the pins down and then running around the arcade after. Most places have diners serving lots of food, so you can eat there and make a day out of it.
It’s the type of activity you can do every week without getting bored. Kids love seeing themselves improve and parents can get involved now and then. Plus, it’s the perfect excuse to team up with other moms and dads looking after their kids. Meet up at the bowling alley and the kids can spend an hour or two in the lanes while the parents have a cup of coffee and a catch-up.
Ice Skating
With the holiday season in full effect, numerous ice rinks will pop up in your area. Some are outdoors while others are inside. Regardless, you should take your kids skating at least once. It gets them in the festive spirit and they’ll love zooming around on the ice.
Ice skating rinks will have plenty of safety measures to ensure your kids don’t hurt themselves, so there’s no need to worry. They can hold onto the railings with you or get a little support penguin to hold and push around.
Make sure everyone wraps up warm when doing this – even if you’re inside. Ice skating rinks are known to be very cold, so you don’t want your kids getting frostbite!
Christmas Markets
Yes, it’s cold, but you should still make time to go to Christmas markets. They’re popping up everywhere and provide the perfect places for festive family fun. Take your kids to one and walk around different stalls, sampling loads of delicious treats. There will always be things that catch your children’s eyes, so treat them with a market gift or two.
Make sure you pick a Christmas market with a Santa – if your kids still believe in him. Lots of markets will have a Santa’s Grotto where kids line up to sit on their knees and talk about their Christmas lists. It’s a beautiful experience for kids as you see their innocent eyes light up. They’re probably already in the holiday spirit, but this will turn it up to 200%.
Christmas markets are fun for the whole family too – even if you have teenagers or older children. They’re the perfect excuse for a family day out filled with hot chocolate, smiles, and laughter. Turn this into a mini vacation if you like by checking out the best Christmas markets in the entire US.
Snow Days
Do you get a lot of snowfall where you live? Kids are mystified by snow, so they’ll be eager to get outside and play in it as much as possible. You can’t let them go outside all the time for too long as they’ll probably start getting too cold. However, you should encourage snow days now and then.
Let’s be honest, is there anything as joyous as seeing your child make a snowman for the first time? Or, hearing their uncontrollable laughter as they throw a snowball at you. Playing in the snow is fun for everyone, so get some proper winter clothes, ensure your kids are as warm as possible, and then head outside.
Find a place to go sledding too. Kids adore sliding down a hill on a sled and you usually meet up with other neighborhood families too. If you ever need a day to wrap presents or go Christmas shopping, letting your kids go out and play in the snow with friends or other families is the perfect way to free up some spare time!
You’ve got six different activities to try during the winter holidays if you need to entertain the little ones. Try as many as you can and it’ll be the best school break they’ve ever had.
Mom on the go in Holy Toledo 