The Self-Care Mom

Planning ahead for holiday break activities this year and focusing on kid activities the family can enjoy together is exciting!

With an active toddler, a curious six-year-old, and a demanding eight-year-old, it’s always interesting to see how the day will go.

Planning in advance can help minimize the amount of guesswork that comes with parenting three kids six and under.

On most days, we’re looking for places to go as a family. On others, we’re fine with hanging around the house and watching a movie together.

To make this holiday break a success, we asked around the online blogging community for some kid activities to try. We were impressed with the number of posts we came across. A total of 44 posts were shared within a week.

After scanning through each one, we realized there were a lot of fun ideas and we wanted to put together a holiday break activities piece for our readers.

Holiday Break Activities For The Active Toddler

Making time for the little ones during the holiday break might be on your mind. The truth is, you really have to set aside the time to dedicate to your loved ones — more so during the crazy holiday season.

Every year, we tell ourselves we’ll dedicate time to playing outdoors with the kids, baking together, etc. If you’re looking to make this winter break a success, then we suggest trying one of these 10 easy toddler activities.

Here’s a breakdown of the different indoor activities you can try with your kids today:

1. Simon Says

Our favorite one to do with the kids is Simon Says. It’s great for learning commands and helping your child understand the value of listening skills. It’s great for learning commands and helping your child understand the value in listening skills.

2. Sensory Bins

Creating sensory bins is a great way to keep the kids busy. We love grabbing any bucket we find and throwing in random things for our kids to discover. Try this rainbow ice sensory bin.
With our youngest, this is one of her favorite activities to do. Not only does it offer her a sense of independence, but also gives us a chance to focus on other things.

3. DIY Jars

Much like sensory bins, DIY jars are always a hit with the kids because it keeps them entertained for a period of time. For those of you with a kid who enjoys space exploration, this DIY Galaxy Jar is the perfect STEM activity.

4. Homemade Play Dough

Kids learn best through play. It’s no surprise how many kids find it exciting to manipulate play dough in their hands. Our kids love recreating dishes they see in cooking shows by using Play-Doh. It’s not always easy to keep the colors separated. We do our best to keep pieces off the floor and from having someone actually eat the food creations.
With this kid-safe and gluten-free play dough, you don’t need to worry about harmful chemicals or issues if your kid eats a piece while you’re not looking.

5. LEGO Challenges

One of the easiest and most rewarding activities we do as a family is building LEGO creations. Our kids love making their own, and we make the best out of the time we have together. It’s even taught us a couple of parenting tips as well.

Having a daily LEGO challenge during winter break is something on our to-do list for the kids. Here’s a free printable LEGO challenge calendar for ideas.

6. Popsicle Catapult

Kids will always find launching things to be fun — we’ve learned it’s just part of being young. I remember throwing things around in our backyard with my brother. There were these purple hosta flowers that would grow in our backyard. We’d pick them off the stem before they would blossom because they made the perfect darts.

I wish we had this popsicle catapult when we were kids. It would’ve come in handy during our dart wars.

7. DIY Fluffy Slime

Creating different slime textures is always a good idea when you have an active toddler. Their attention spans might not be the best, but they do enjoy playing with fluffy and squishy things.

This fluffy slime doesn’t have any borax and can be made using simple ingredients you already own.

8. Bookmark Designs

Who doesn’t enjoy a good book? This corner bookmarks design activity is perfect for the bookworms in your home. Also a great way to make reading fun and interesting for the little ones.

9. Paper Puppets

I don’t know any toddler who doesn’t enjoy a good show. Entertaining kids has always been fun for us. Sometimes we have to keep other people’s kids busy during the holiday break. One of the ways we do so is through arts and crafts.

Creating a paper dog hand puppet is a great idea to help your toddler’s imagination run wild. They can re-enact things they’ve seen dogs do or they can create their own characters.

10. Origami Designs

If your child enjoys playing with paper, then introducing them to origami might be the best way to keep them entertained during a busy holiday season. Here are some kid-friendly origami ideas to get started.

Fun Fact: My husband learned how to create origami when he was in school. Who knew it would come in handy with the amount of paperwork he files daily. It’s taught him how to be more organized and has taught him to take more pride in his work.

11. Animal Cutouts

Whether your toddler enjoys heading to the aquarium or the zoo, it’s always a good idea to teach them about the food cycle.

You can use this shark printable game as a way to show them what the sharks eat. With time, you may create other animals your child is interested in as well.

12. Sensory Bags

Easy to set up and easy better on the mess, these sensory bags are great for keeping your kid entertained during a busy morning. It’s a quick set up and the little ones always love manipulating things with their hands.

Get festive and add tiny papers to represent snow.

Preschool Holiday Fun

Getting your child ready to head back to school or their daily routine can be tough when they’ve been away from it. Teaching them the importance of a daily routine starts young.

One of the ways we like to keep our kids excited about school is to make lessons out of everyday life. Here are XX fun activities you can try together.

13. Build A City

They say every city needs a hero, and this indoor activity is perfect for kids who love creating things. One of the things we’ve learned about having kids is that they love solving mysteries.

Use this superhero printable as a way to teach your child about consequences for their actions.

14. Acting

Is there a movie or a show your child likes best? Why not re-enact a scene with them! Kids do this already when they play with their toys, but it’s always fun to participate in the things they enjoy the most. For other indoor activities to try on a rainy day, click here.

15. Friendship Bracelets

If there’s anything we love than spending time with our kids, it’s quiet time arts and crafts. These friendship bracelets are a great way to teach your child the value of relationships and how to think of others.

You can ask them to think of someone they’d like to gift their creations to and have them think of colors or pieces that the person would like.

16. Edible Slime

There’s nothing like baking during the holiday season, and a little chocolate goes a long way. But how about dipping your hands into some edible chocolate slime?

Not only can you eat it, but you can also gift it to a family member and say it’s reindeer droppings.

17. Colorful Designs

Although these rainbow snakes would make the perfect activity for those who enjoy the outdoors, you can also create candy cane designs with the steps for this fun activity.

Our kids love getting messy and playing with squishy things, so this is one we’ll be trying during the holiday break.

18. Tupperware Town

Do you have any Tupperware that no longer has a lid? Grab that and make this Tupperware town activity with your kid!

It’s great for teaching them about the importance of recycling and upcycling items.

19. Jello Lego

Of course, we had to mention LEGO again in this roundup. This time it’s for some Jello Fun! Our kids love making a mess, and an edible mess is always easier to clean up. Grab everything you need for this activity and try this Jello LEGO indoor fun.

20. Cardboard Racetrack

Our kids love racing. To keep them from racing around the house, we let them race their cars. One of the best ways to keep them entertained is to create indoor obstacles for their cars. This cardboard racetrack idea is a great start.

You can try this and the other 20 indoor activities here.

21. Unicorn Coloring

Are unicorns your kid’s thing? Maybe one of your relatives might enjoy creating them. Either way, there’s an indoor activity for them as well.

This unicorn coloring bookmark is the perfect placeholder in your child’s favorite story. It even has motivational quotes as well to keep them going.

22. Fish printables

These fish printables would go great with our previous one for a shark. They tie into the ocean theme and help with the food chain idea we mentioned earlier.

The best part is, this indoor activity comes with a song! Preschools always learn best through song.

Gradeschool Madness For The Holidays

23. Target Shooting Game

Does your child like shooting things in the air, maybe even throwing things across the room? Get ready for a little madness with this target shooting game.

We might recreate this activity to keep the boys entertained.

24. Weird Facts Game

This is the age when kids enjoy learning random things about life and all that surrounds them. Why not make your holiday break interesting by exchanging weird facts?

This game requires little to no setup and there’s much to learn from strange everyday life.

25. Dried Flower Frame

Are you looking for a thoughtful DIY holiday gift for your child to create for a loved one? This dried flower frame is perfect and shows the recipient how much they care.

You can use fake flowers as well to make it easier. Not sure if you have dried flowers lying around.

26. Storytime

One of the fun activties we like to do as a family is tell stories. The boys love whenever there’s a superhero involved.

This rainy day activities printable includes storytime as a fun way to keep the kids entertained.

27. DIY Bracelets

Friendship bracelets are fun, but so are these DIY bracelets for the kids. They’re easy to make and can be personalized to your kid’s liking.

28. Balancing Act

Have you ever tried balancing a number of things on your head and walking in a straight line? This screen-free easy game idea is perfect for grade school kids who love a good challenge. BONUS: You can even get the adults to try it as well. See who is model material!

29. Melting Ice Race

Kids love experimenting, so why not turn an activity into a lesson? You can layout a number of items and try this melting ice race idea with your kid.

We recently tried the layering liquid idea with the boys and they thought it was interesting how the liquids don’t mix.

30. Seasonal Crafts

There’s nothing like making seasonal crafts. Although these autumn crafts are meant for the fall, you can use your imagination to create something similar for the winter.

For example, you can take leaves from poinsettias and create a wreath or the sun catcher activity mentioned here.

31. Cereal Box Notebook

If you’re looking for ways to teach your child about recycling everyday items, then this cereal box notebook activity is right for you.

We love turning our recycling bin into a treasure chest. There’s much to see and create from the toilet paper roll or the plastic containers.

32. Toilet Paper Roll Craft

Does your family go through toilet paper as much as we do? Start collec them now and try this toilet paper roll craft.

You can create indoor snowmen and even an entire family. Great for those who decorate their children’s room during the winter season. Yes, there are people who have a second tree in their child’s room.

33. Rainbow Toast

Fun breakfast for the holiday season is having kids create their own. This rainbow toast activity is great for any kid who enjoys the kitchen. You can use festive colors as well.

34. Creative Play

Let your child’s imagination soar with this creative play idea featuring Bunchems. Our boys love building characters. These Bunchems pieces are interesting to try.

35. Mess-Free Painting

Regardless of age, anything mess-free is a win in my book! We enjoy painting with the kids during the weekends or after a long week. It helps us relax our minds. This mess-free painting idea is great for toddlers up until school-age children.

https://www.whatsupfagans.com/preschool-mess-free-paints/

36. Jell-O Alphabet

Do you remember playing with your alphabet cereal? How about that alphabet pasta? My brothers and I would look forward to coming home from school to snack on these treats.

Make this fun activity for your kids to try together. It could help them spell certain words they might be struggling with at school.

37. Scented Play Dough

I don’t know about you, but nothing says the holidays without the smell of pines. This scented play dough recipe is made with the scent of apples.

With a few adjustments, you can make your play dough smell like peppermint or anything your heart desires.

38. Candy Color Experiment

Our boys love two things: science and sweets. This Skittles science experiment is perfect for them to create on their own or with our assistance.

39. No-Cook Play Dough

Who needs to buy play dough when you can make it? This soft play dough recipe is easy to make and requires ingredients you already own.

40. Play Dough Fossils

Whether you decide to create your own play dough to purchase it, you can give this play dough fossil activity a try. It’s great for adults as well. Always fun to try and guess the imprint of things around your home.

41. Alphabet Mazes

Although toddlers and preschool can benefit from this alphabet maze activitiy, older kids can use this same activitiy to recognize multiplication problems and cursive letters as well.

42. Finger puppets

Cute and silly, these finger puppets are great for entertaining the kids during the holiday break. They can even be used to put on a show for the adults. Bonus: Create a “guess who” game by impersonating the adults.

43. Magic Wands:

There’s nothing more exciting than pretending to have magical powers. Our kids love pretending to say magic words and making things appear.

With these magic wand designs, your child can use their imagination to make things disappear.

, your child can use their imagination to make things disappear.

44. Make Your Own Journal

One of my favorite things to do with our kids is to try different things and see what they enjoy best. Journaling has always been a hobby of mine.

This indoor activity involves creating your own journal. With some creativity, your kid will have a product they’ll be able to enjoy for years to come. You can modify this activity for the younger ones who like to tell stories. They can create their own storybook.

For more activities and play ideas for babies and toddlers, head over to my friend’s page: KidActivitieswithAlexa.com