10 Family Fun Ideas for the Winter Holidays

Many families will celebrate one or more of the three major holidays in December -- Hannukah beginning on December 18th, followed by Christmas on December 25th and Kwanza on December 26th – while juggling work, figuring out child care during the extended holiday break when PreK – 12 and some child care programs close, and attempting to keep their young children (and older siblings) happy and occupied during the downtime.

All of this can make December feel like one of the busiest and most chaotic months of the year! It’s why we wanted to help you prepare for the holiday break and coming winter days with some easy, low-stress, and fun activities that the whole family will enjoy.

1.Movie marathon! Make a list of your family’s favorite movies, sorted by themes, such as holiday movies, sports movies, superhero movies, animated movies, princess movies and etc. Treat yourself and kids to a no-guilt movie night watching one or more of your favorite movies and eating your favorite snacks.

2. Go outdoors. Even during colder temps and rainy days, we all can benefit from some time outside. So, wrap up, grab an umbrella or rain jacket if needed and go outside.   

• Meet some friends at a park

• Gather some items from nature, such as pinecones, acorns, sprigs of rosemary or pine trees, to decorate your house. Prefer to have a few solid ideas to choose from? Check out these from Blue Corduroy.

3. See the holiday lights. Almost every town has an area or neighborhood known each year for its holiday light display. If not, explore your own neighborhood.

• If you live near Atlanta, check out Atlanta on the Cheap’s 2022 list of places to go.

• Not in Atlanta? Check out the Macon Christmas Light Extravaganza or if you are close to Dublin, Ga., Stubbs Park will be glowing through December 27th. You can find a list of sites for Savannah here. Kennesaw, Ga., hosts the largest residential light display in the state with more than one million lights. And it’s a free experience! Find out more about Lights of Joy at https://www.lightsofjoy.net.

4. Camp out Inside. Who doesn’t love building an indoor fort with couch pillows and sheets? Forget about the mess and engage your inner child to build the best indoor camping experience, fort, castle or whatever your heart desires. Then, tell stories with a flashlight, read books, play games and maybe even roast some marshmallows in the oven.

5. Craft, craft, craft! Check out the Artful Parent and The Spruce Crafts lots of craft projects and ideas for toddlers and older children. You’ll find some good ideas using natural items and lots of ideas for holiday-themed fun, including Hannukah and Christmas.

6. Set aside time for family game time. As a matter of fact, go ahead and mark your calendar to make this a regular event regardless of the season. It’s a fun activity that has so many positives that it deserves its own article. But in short, playing games together can be stress relieving, creates traditions, strengthens family connections and helps to build critical thinking skills. Happy Mom Hacks has some good ideas and printable for family game night or check out this list of board games for children three years old and up.

7. Volunteer. Sometimes it may be hard to find volunteer opportunities for a family with young children, but they do exist. Check with your local food bank, United Way or you create your own “give back” experience such as collecting trash at one of your favorite parks or assembling blessing bags for the unhoused in your community.

8. Let’s dance! Burn some energy by having a dance party. You and your children can take turns being the DJ teaching each other your dance moves.

9. Restock your library. If you have not gotten your child a library card yet, now is the perfect time. Our libraries typically offer enriching community programs, author readings, story time, and most importantly: access to a world of diverse characters, worlds and experiences. Use this time to go through your personal home library and remove books you can donate then borrow some from the library and have a lazy reading day!

10. Hit up special events! Check out the holiday festivities, free museum days and other special events happening in your area. You can find some Georgia events at Fairs and Festivals. Check out online family-oriented websites like Macaroni Kids and Red Tricycle for more local fun.