The presents are opened, the cookies are eaten, but Christmas break is far from over.

Are the natives getting restless in your house?

Need some ideas to decrease the stress and increase the fun?

Here are 25 ways to make this Christmas Break a blast!

  • Make a photo show. Have your kids help you go through digital photos (or printed ones) of the year. Make a year in review slide show that you post online for friends and family to see.
  • Go camping! Erect a massive fort in your living or family room, big enough so you can fit in there with your kids. Gather some flashlights, microwave some s’mores and enjoy the great indoors 🙂  You can even have the whole family “camp out” and sleep under the Christmas lights tonight.
  • Read! Make a trip to the library so they have some new reading material for the next  week.
  •  Make a meal! If you have teens, have them plan a meal this week and completely make it by themselves.  This is also a good time to teach them to do laundry…start to finish!
  • Explore a museum you haven’t been to in a nearby town.
  • Go sledding in the house! If there’s no snow on the ground where you live and if you have stairs in your house, make paper box sleds and allow your kids to slide down the stairs!  They’ll think you’re the coolest mom in the world!
  • Research a trip! Ask your kids: Where would you like to go ANYWHERE in the world and why?  Then challenge them to get on the internet and plan the trip.
  • Take a SURPRISE RIDE! Tonight when your kids get their jammies on to get ready for bed, yell “Surprise Ride” and tell them to go get in the car with their jammies!  Have hot chocolate already made in travel mugs and then drive around and see Christmas lights.
  • Have  a “Thank You Note” party.  Make hot chocolate, put on some music, and write thank you notes for gifts received!
  • Encourage your kids/teens to create a mini-movie. Use a video camera or cell phone to record it and watch it!  You can even upload it to YouTube to share with family and friends.
  • Have a Game Day!  Prepare your kids to know that on “Game Day” you will only play board games or card games…no TV, computer, or video games.  Be ready to entice your teens with lots of good munchies!
  • Feed the birds. Make birdseed treats for the birds, spreading pine cones with peanut butter, seeds, etc.
  • Serve. Offer to help Grandma, an older neighbor, a widow, or someone who’s been sick to put away their Christmas decorations or accomplish a task they’d like to get done.
  • Dream. Give your pre-teens and teens a notebook to write in.  Tell them to dream a little and set some goals for their life.
  • Make a time capsule for New Year’s Eve. You can use a Pringles can or an oatmeal box. Put memories, predictions, jokes, wishes, fears…then read them on New Years next year!
  • Burn some energy! Bundle everyone up and go for a winter walk today!
  • Make edible peanut butter play-doh!  You can find the recipe here!
  • Have an indoor picnic!  Have lunch or dinner sitting in the family room on a blanket.
  • Have a tea party!  Make some baked treats and serve tea or hot chocolate in special teacups!
  • Reminisce. Pull out the old family videos/DVD’s today.  It’s great to watch, remember, and laugh together.
  • Do an interview.  Have your kids interview a grandparent about life when they were young.  At dinner, they can share what they learned!
  • Dance! Turn on some music and dance with your kids/spouse!
  • Get creative! Give the kids a roll of masking tape and let them make roads all over the house….floor, furniture, etc.  Then they can play with any cars/vehicles they have on their new roads.
  • Have a  “Let’s Pretend We Don’t Have Electricity” Day. Pull out the crayons and coloring books (yes, even teens will color on occasion!), light candles, read books by flashlight, play cards, play board games, and more!
  • Have a “Stay in your PJ’S and Watch Movies Day.”  Complete with popcorn and hot chocolate.  If your kids are younger you can pull out boxes you have from big Christmas presents and let them make “cars” out of the cardboard boxes for a “drive-in” movie.  You can even set up a card table with concessions (hot chocolate bar, candy, and popcorn)!

What about you? Do you have any Christmas Break activity ideas to add to this list? 

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