The holiday season brings joy, excitement, and the challenge of keeping energetic kids engaged when school's out. Whether you're looking for indoor adventures on snowy days or ways to channel that holiday enthusiasm into productive fun, we've got you covered with these creative ways to keep your kids busy during the holidays.

 

1. Get Creative with Holiday Crafts

Transform your home into a holiday workshop by encouraging kids to make their own gifts and decorations. Set up a craft station with construction paper, glue, markers, and recyclable materials where children can create personalized ornaments, handmade cards for family and friends, or festive garlands.

 

2. Include them in Holiday Prep

Oftentimes, the holidays become a stressful mix of trying to keep the kids busy and trying to get everything ready. Why not do both? Including the kids in holiday prep can take some of the pressure off you while making them feel important and capable.

Younger children can help wrap presents (even if the results are charmingly imperfect), while older kids can assist with menu planning or organizing family gatherings. Let them take ownership of small tasks like setting up decorations in their rooms or choosing music for family dinners. When children feel like valued contributors to the family's holiday traditions, they're less likely to get restless or bored.

 

3. Go Outside

Don't let winter weather keep your family cooped up inside. Bundle up and explore local parks, go sledding, build snowmen, or take nature walks to collect pinecones and branches for crafting. Fresh air and physical activity work wonders for burning off excess energy and improving everyone's mood. Even a simple game of snow tag in the backyard can provide hours of entertainment while helping kids stay active during the break.

 

4. Volunteer as a Family

The holidays are a wonderful time to give back. Look for family-friendly volunteer opportunities like helping at local food banks, participating in toy drives, or visiting nursing homes to sing carols. Volunteering together creates lasting memories while instilling important values about helping others.

 

5. Create Peaceful Quiet Time

Between all the holiday excitement, both children and parents need opportunities to decompress and recharge. Establish daily quiet time where kids can read, do puzzles, draw, or simply rest. Having this predictable downtime helps prevent holiday overstimulation and meltdowns while encouraging independent play and creativity.

 

6. Host Holiday Movie Nights

Nothing screams “holidays” more than a cozy movie night! Let kids take turns choosing holiday films, make popcorn together, and create a fort with blankets and pillows. Consider making it extra special with hot chocolate, holiday cookies, or themed snacks that match the movie you're watching.

 

7. Bake Together

What are the holidays without some sweets? Start with simple recipes like sugar cookies that they can cut into shapes and decorate, or let them help measure ingredients for family favorites. Baking together teaches valuable skills like following directions, measuring, and patience while creating delicious treats to share with neighbors or bring to family gatherings.

 

8. Schedule Regular Family Activities

Create a holiday schedule that includes regular family activities your children can anticipate with excitement. This might be weekly game nights, Saturday morning pancake breakfasts, or daily evening walks around the neighborhood to look at holiday lights. Having these consistent activities provides structure during the break while giving kids something special to look forward to each day.

 

9. Explore Local Events

One of the simplest ways to keep your kids busy during the holidays is to attend local holiday events. Keep an eye out for local tree lighting ceremonies, seasonal festivals at area museums, ice skating opportunities, and special performances at community theaters. Lafayette, Indiana, for example, hosts a free Christmas parade where children have the opportunity to see Santa and other characters. Organizations like the YMCA and local libraries also host special holiday events that are perfect for spending quality time as a family while keeping the kids entertained.

 

10. Work on New Skills Together

School may be out, but that doesn’t mean the learning has to stop. Holiday break is the perfect opportunity to encourage your child to explore new skills or hobbies they may not have time for during the school year.

Consider trying new things like learning origami, trying simple magic tricks, or taking up crochet. You might also explore online tutorials for activities like learning basic phrases in a new language or discovering simple science experiments you can do at home with household items.

 

11. Spend a Cozy Day Inside

Some of the best holiday memories happen during quiet days spent entirely at home. Create indoor scavenger hunts, have impromptu dance parties, build elaborate blanket forts, or organize family talent shows where everyone showcases a special skill. These unstructured indoor days allow for spontaneous family bonding and help children appreciate the simple pleasure of being together without needing elaborate plans or expensive activities.

 

12. Explore Programs at the Y

The Lafayette Family YMCA offers fantastic holiday programs designed specifically to keep kids active, engaged, and social during winter break. From swim lessons and youth dance classes to creative group classes, our programs provide structured fun while giving parents peace of mind.

 

The key to a successful holiday break is balancing structure with flexibility, indoor activities with outdoor adventures, and family time with opportunities for kids to explore their own interests. Remember that some of the best holiday memories come from simple moments spent together, not elaborate or expensive activities. By incorporating a mix of these ways to keep your kids busy during the holidays into your routine, you'll create a winter break that's both memorable and manageable.

 

The Lafayette Family YMCA is a community dedicated to healthy living and social responsibility. For more fitness tips and to stay up to date about YMCA events, connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram, or visit our website here.