Blue Mountain Eagle
Wednesday, December 2, 2015
A9
DECEMBER 2015
WINTER BREAK
ACTIVITY IDEAS
During this busy time of year it is easy to let the Winter Break slip by without doing
FUN things with your children. While not necessarily a “break” for parents, this is
your holiday season too. Simply keeping kids busy may be one important goal, but
try to get the most out of your Christmas break with these ideas.
Many families look forward to lazy mornings, no school lunches and the flexibility
to do thing with their children when they want. But remember, there is always an
adjustment period, when children are settling into a new routine. It typically takes
families about three days for everyone to adjust.
The trick to fun school holidays is to keep the kids busy but also plan for down-time
so parents don’t get worn out! Have you kids pick some of these ideas that you
would like to do over break and create a Winter Break Activity calendar.
1.
Make popcorn and watch a movie.
56. Go fishing at 7th Street Complex.
2.
Make play dough.
57. Arrange photo albums.
3.
Take a walk around your neighborhood and play “I
Spy”.
58. Play flashlight tag.
4.
Write letters.
5.
59. Practice musical instruments.
60. Do brain teasers.
Go to the library and check out books, books on tape
61. Make gift cards.
and movies.
62. Make birthday cards.
6.
See how long you can keep a balloon (or several) in
the air.
7.
Have coloring contests.
8.
Plan a picnic indoors.
64. Write stories about past family events you have in
photo albums.
9.
Have breakfast food for dinner.
65. Play card games.
10. Hold cooking classes in your own kitchen, invite
friends.
11. Go biking or sledding.
12. Share favorite birthday and vacation stories.
13. Hide written compliments about your child where
they can find them.
14. Paint and/or redecorate bedrooms.
63. Trace cookie cutters, decorate and cut out.
66. Decorate clay pots.
67. Plant flowers in the decorated pots.
68. Do jigsaw puzzles.
69. Go outside after dark, sip hot chocolate and look at
the stars.
70. Research a new hobby at the library.
15. Learn magic tricks together and put on a show.
71. Play a family memory game like “What are the names
of your great-grandparents?”
16. Rent dance videos and hold a dance contest.
72. Make a collage of what you are thankful for.
17. Have a photo taking contest. Share cameras.
73. Make paper bag puppets.
18. Create books using pictures from magazines. Write
the story together.
74. Write love and appreciation letters to each other.
75. Cut out coupons together.
19. Visit nursing homes, bring musical instruments or
practice a song and put on a show.
76. Read to each other from joke books.
20. Volunteer at a food bank.
77. Make friendship pins.
21. Make cupcakes and have a decorating party.
78. Make potato stamp art.
22. Make your own banana splits with all kinds of
toppings and sprinkles.
79. Play scrabble.
23. Make smoothies.
81. Create a secret family code.
24. Create awards at awardwinner.com
82. Plan next summer’s vacation.
25. Download free e-books and read, read, read.
83. Bake batches of cookies and share with friends.
26. Play online games together.
27. Make bubbles.
84. Write an old fashioned letter and mail to a friend or
relative.
28. Hold a family game night.
85. Play broom ball.
29. Have kids make decorations and let them “deck the
halls”.
86. Practice and become good at hackeysack.
80. Do science experiments.
30. Design a family website.
87. Have child collect things they don’t use anymore. Play
bingo and use things for prizes.
31. Fill website with family pictures and essays.
88. Have a fashion show.
32. Ride bikes.
89. Study a topic and hold a debate.
33. Go rollerblading.
90. Catch snowflakes on your tongue.
34. Attend free festivals, events, bazaars.
91. Put bird feeders in your yard and keep them filled.
Enjoy watching the bird come in.
35. Attend movies at Grantville Theatre.
36. Press flowers and make cards.
92. Gather friends and go singing Christmas Carols door
to door.
37. Decorate thank-you notes; write messages, put
stamps on envelopes & use when needed.
93. Make snow angels on a hill. Add some branches and
food coloring to make them pretty.
38. Decorate placemats on construction paper and cover 94. Put antlers or a Santa hat on your dog or cat and take
a Holiday photo.
with contact paper.
39. Play charades.
95. Watch a sporting event you’ve never seen before.
40. Decorate small notebooks and begin a daily journal.
96. Learn how to use a compass and practice your skills.
41. Organize dresser drawers.
97. Try to break a world record.
42. Clean bedrooms.
98. Go camping. Indoors. Set up a tent in your house and
do all the fun camping activities.
43. Draw pictures and mail to other family members.
44. Finger paint with pudding.
45. Collect rocks and paint them.
99. Have a Frisbee contest.
100. Hide things around the house or your property and
go on a scavenger hunt.
46. Tie dye T-shirts and matching socks.
47. Share daydreams.
48. Rent a yoga video for kids.
49. Read a book together.
50. Make a bird house.
51. Wash the family cars together.
52. Make macaroni jewelry and art.
53. Visit playgrounds and local parks.
54. Host a “sleepover”.
55. Take nature walks, pick up interesting objects and
make a collage.
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