9 Fun things to do during Christmas vacation

The presents have all been opened, the toys played with, and the Christmas goodies eaten.  But, there’s still a week until the kids go back to school.  What to do??? Don’t despair. The period between Christmas and the return to school after New Year’s can be a great time for family outings and family bonding.

Think about these fun things to do during Christmas vacation:

1. Reconnect with an old friend — your local library. The library’s not just for books anymore. It offers so many things, from computer classes to DVDs, that you can check out. And most of them are free.
2. Blink! A light and sound extravaganza — It’s not too late to check out this awesome light show if you haven’t already. It runs through January 3rd.
3. Enchanted Village at Jordan’s in Avon — another FREE & fun family activity that is open through January 3rd.
4. Plot a garden. If the seed catalogs haven’t already arrived, they’re on their way. You don’t have to wait until you have the booklet in hand to start planting your spring garden. Whether you’re into flowers or veggies or both, you can get lots of ideas on the Internet. And with the kids in on the planning, they’re more likely to actually eat a veggie — when it’s harvested from their own plot of land.
5. Check out a new neighborhood. Even if the weather is chilly, having a little time on your hands presents a perfect opportunity to scout out an area of your community with which you’re not familiar.
6. “Visit” another country. This great family activity can be done without spending a lot of money. Research a country together (the Internet makes it easy) and then have a discussion on what each of you has  learned. Or each family member can research a different country and share what he or she has learned. For added fun, plan a dinner with foods and recipes from the country you’re exploring, make a craft or learn a song or game from that country.
7. Park it. Explore a park you’ve never visited. The trees may not have any leaves, but there are usually plenty of interesting things to see and do. With bare trees, it’s a great time to take up bird-watching.
8. Get Crafty with Christmas cards.  Check out these 9 fun projects you can make with all the cards your received. 
9. Take in a matinee.  Often, if you go before noon, you can snag cheap tickets. You might also want to consider joining AMC stubs program (membership prices are cut to $9 for just a few more days) to save money when you order tickets online and earn rewards when you buy tickets and refreshments

You might also like to check out these 10 rainy day activities for kids.