On Winter Break? 32 Activities That Won't Drive You (or Your Kids) Crazy
- Caitlin Kindred
- Dec 18, 2023
- 7 min read
Updated: Dec 22, 2025
It's day two of winter break and your kids are already saying "I'm bored."
You're trying to relax (it's a BREAK, after all), but you also need to prevent them from bouncing off the walls for the next week and a half.
Here's the thing: You don't need to become a full-time cruise director, camp counselor, or do a 24-hour “mom show.” You just need a few good ideas to keep everyone entertained for a couple hours at a time so you can get back to relaxing.
We're breaking down 32 indoor and outdoor activities organized by age group—from preschoolers to teenagers—so you can actually enjoy the break instead of just surviving it.
It's a break! You're supposed to be able to relax. Especially over the holidays! —CK
Listen Here
32 Ways to Survive Winter Break Without Losing Your Mind
First: Build a Routine (Even on Break)
Before we dive into winter break activities, let's talk about setting a routine for break. I know, I know—it's a break. But routines help everyone, especially when you're all home together for extended periods.
Plan parts of your day for:
Sleep-in time and coffee (for you)
TV/screen time (PBS is a great babysitter, we said it)
Technology time (tablets, video games, whatever)
Something else—an activity, outing, or project
No one is advocating for go-go-go over a break. This is just to keep everyone from melting down with boredom. Do one thing, then go back to relaxing. That's the goal.
Important Notes Before We Start
Climate matters: We live in Texas, where it's 65+ degrees in December. If you're buried in snow, adapt accordingly. Many outdoor activities can become indoor activities with a little creativity.
Novelty is key: If you're doing something you already do (like going to the park), make it novel by going to a DIFFERENT park. Outside your usual radius. New playground = way more engagement.
This list isn't exhaustive: If you have other ideas, DM us! We'd love to hear what works for your family.
The Full Activity Breakdown
We've organized 32 activities by age group (preschoolers through teens) with both indoor and outdoor options. Rather than list every single one here, we've created a handy chart you can reference below.
But first, let me highlight some of our favorites and the hidden gems you might not have thought of:
Winter Break Activities You Might Not Know About
Home Depot Free Kids Workshops
Did you know Home Depot does free in-store kids workshops on the first Saturday of every month? They'll do a craft with your kid while you browse. Contact your local store for details, or ask if you can take the kit home to do later.
Note: We understand that you may disagree with Home Depot’s political leanings. This is not suggested to advocate for Home Depot. It’s an idea that we know about and are offering it here.
The "Sleepunder" Instead of Sleepover
Invite a few of your kid's friends over from 6-10pm. Parents drop off, go on a date, come back and get their kids. You provide snacks and entertainment. Someone will probably return the favor, giving YOU a night out.
Community Service for Teens
If your teen needs volunteer hours for college apps (or just a reality check), winter break is perfect for squeezing in community service. Do some pre-planning to get on volunteer schedules—most places don't let you just show up.
Think: Nursing homes, food kitchens, animal rescues, or collecting donations for the neighborhood. I have a neighbor who gathers all of the styrofoam from her neighbors and takes it to the collection facility.
Photography Scavenger Hunt
Create a family Instagram hashtag and do a photo challenge. Everyone has to find specific things and take pictures. Jenny and I did this with our 7th graders at the Alamo and it was hilarious. Works great for families too.
DIY Room Makeover for Teens
Around 7th/8th grade, kids' interests change dramatically. Winter break is an ideal time to ask what they want in their room and actually make it happen. Get supplies for the holidays, then block off time during break to paint, rearrange, or redecorate together.
Holiday Party Games That Work for Everyone
If you search "family games" on Instagram or TikTok right now, you'll get flooded with ideas. Fair warning: some of these look like they're for rich people giving away iPhones as prizes. Dial it back. A bag of Grinch Hershey Kisses works just fine.
Some of our favorites:
Balloon Cup Battle: Air hockey but with balloons and Dixie cups
Candy Cane Fishing: Tie a candy cane to a string around your waist, squat down, and try to hook another candy cane out of a bucket
Whipped Cream Challenge: Put whipped cream on your hand, slap your wrist, try to catch it in your mouth
Muffin Tray Game: Bounce ping pong balls into a muffin tray with numbered slots, numbers correspond to prizes
The Complete Activity Chart
Here's every activity organized by age group. Pick what works for your family, adapt as needed, and remember: the goal is keeping everyone entertained for a few hours so you can get back to relaxing.
Preschoolers (3-5 years)
Indoor
Arts and crafts with safe, non-toxic materials. Home Depot does free in-store kids workshops on the first Saturday of every month. Find your local one for details.
Storytime or puppet shows. Check out your local library for these free events. Sometimes, there are similar events at yoga studios, too. Honorable mention to local museums, as many of them do a free day and/or free events to take advantage of!
Building forts with blankets and cushions. Classic.
Simple baking or cooking together. This is a great time to teach kids how to do little cooking tasks: breaking eggs, chopping (with safe knives, of course), measuring ingredients, etc.
Outdoor
Nature scavenger hunt in the backyard. Search for “kids scavenger hunt” and about 1 million will pop up.
Sidewalk chalk art. We did this a lot during COVID quarantine and I saw a woman use painter’s tape to make outlines and the work came out super cool!
Playtime at the local park. Make it "special" by searching for parks/playgrounds you don’t normally go to (maybe outside your usual radius, but not too far outside!).
Bubble blowing. Put a bubble-blowing machine on a holiday gift list so YOU aren’t the one doing all the work.
Elementary School (6-10 years)
Indoor
Board games or puzzles. I’m adding these to my son’s stocking this year!
Movie or game night with friends. Not a sleepover (unless you’re cool with that), but more like a parent’s night out—sleepunder! Plus, I bet if you put one together, I’m sure another family will repay the favor…
Science experiments at home. There are lots of great books and web resources for these, and many of them use ingredients you probably already have in the house.
Treasure hunt or scavenger hunt indoors. Again, search for “indoor scavenger hunt” and you’ll find lots of ideas (and probably some printables!).
Outdoor
Bike riding or scooter fun. Again, find a novel place to do this and see what happens.
DIY mini-garden planting. You can do this inside, too, provided you have the materials.
Outdoor sports like soccer or basketball. This is a good time to see if there are any half-day clinics around town that teach skills while you relax.
Picnic in the park. Make it at a new park. Grab something fun to eat that is a clear treat.
Preteens (11-13 years)
Indoor
DIY crafts or art projects. This can be tough because your pre-teen might not be into it, so you might have to do some digging/web searching to figure out what will make them excited to try.
Video game or tabletop game tournaments. You v. your kid at Mario Kart.
Cooking or baking challenge. You v. them: who makes a better cookie? GO!
Movie marathon with homemade snacks. I LOVE the idea of taking those “date night” trends where you shop for things that are a certain color (or favorite whatever) and turn that into movie night.
Outdoor
Hiking or nature trails. Great time to put those “how to talk to your kid” strategies we gave you to use!
Rollerblading or skateboarding. But YOU go too. And you try it. Just bring a helmet, kneepads, and the good ibuprofen.
Organizing a neighborhood sports competition. Granted, this is work, but could be worth it!
Camping in the backyard. Climate dependent. This can also be an indoor activity!!!
Teens (14-17 years)
Indoor
Community service projects. Does your kid need a reality check and/or service hours for college apps? This is a GREAT time to squeeze in hours. Do some pre-planning and research here to get on volunteer schedules.
Outdoor yoga or fitness challenge.
Again, YOU participate too! Great way to get a head start on a New Year’s resolution?
Beach day or water activities. Again, uh, climate dependent. If there are indoor pools nearby that you can head to for an open swim, go for it!
Photography scavenger hunt. Create a hashtag for an Instagram photo challenge, and get the whole family to participate!
Outdoor
Virtual escape room challenge with friends. Or a regular escape room! Also included: online gaming sesh.
DIY home decor or room makeover. This could be an ideal time to ask your kid what they feel like they need in their room, especially as interests and needs change. You can get some of these things for your child for the holidays (or whenever, if it’s not the holiday season) and then block off time to make it happen.
Music jam session or karaoke. There’s something so fun about getting a private room with friends and singing karaoke!
Holiday games (see above)!
The Bottom Line
Winter break doesn't have to be chaos. You don't need expensive activities or Pinterest-level planning. You just need a loose routine, a few good ideas, and permission to build in plenty of downtime.
Do one activity. Relax. Repeat.
That's it. That's the strategy.
Your kids will be entertained, you'll get some breathing room, and everyone will actually enjoy the break instead of counting down the days until school starts again.
As always, thank you for supporting the show.
Love,
CK & GK
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Need more ideas? Listen to the full episode for even more activity suggestions and tips for surviving long breaks with kids.
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