Here are some ideas for fun activities to try while the kids are out of school this holiday season. As always, stay up to date on the latest information in Massachusetts regarding Covid-19 by visiting https://www.mass.gov/info-details/covid-19-updates-and-information. The Emergency Orders section gives you a list of all the Governor’s latest orders including gathering sizes, travel orders, etc.
If you do venture out- call the location ahead of time to see what protocols they have in place due to Covid restrictions. Calling ahead before suggesting an idea to your kids can save a lot of disappointment if you go and find out the location is closed, you have to reserve time slots, the location changed hours of operation, or they have reached max capacity.
Enjoy the Outdoors
- Have an epic snowball fight
- Go sledding
- Try friluftsliving
- Make a snowman or a snow fort with people in your household
- Go snowshoeing
- Make snow angels
- Go stargazing
- Take a wintry hike
- Try ice skating
- Make snow sculptures
- If possible, find animal tracks in the snow
- Start a weeklong fitness challenge – indoors and out – jump rope, sit-ups, pushups, etc. Team up – kids versus adults!
Enjoy the Indoors
- Build a pillow fort
- Enjoy a living room picnic
- Host a movie marathon of all your favorites
- Bake cookies to safely share with your friends and neighbors (if they’re comfortable)
- Have a dance party
- Try some family-friendly exercise videos to keep each other moving. There are tons of free ones on YouTube
- Break out board games
- Using stuff from around your house, set up a bowling lane
- Have a doll or stuffed animal wedding
- Make a stuffed animal zoo
- Read to the pets or Grandparents (via Facetime/Skype)
- Download an animation app for your phone or tablet and do stop motion animations (There are many simple free and low cost ones!)
- Turn a big box into a television set and put on shows (this can also double as a puppet stage)
- Silent Disco: Everybody puts on their headphones and dances around to the music of their choice. Don’t forget to film the shenanigans for posterity!
- Have the family partake in Karaoke
Enjoy Those Winter Vibes
- Load up a cup of cocoa with whipped cream or marshmallows
- Bake a pie
- Make baked apples
- Make a big stack of pancakes and slather them with maple syrup
Get Crafty
- Build a gingerbread house
- Cut paper snowflakes
- Make a birdfeeder out of pinecones, peanut butter, and birdseed—and place it near your window for a show
- Build a Fairy House – here are instructions for building one from the official Fairy Houses website
