For most schools in Douglas County, Winter Break lasts two and a half weeks. The first few days will likely be filled with gatherings, baking, and last-minute prep for the holidays, followed by playing with new toys, watching new movies, and reading new books... but then what?
ART ENCOUNTERS. The celebrated outdoor public art program features more than 30 sculptures by 17 artists in public places throughout Castle Rock, Highlands Ranch, Lone Tree, Parker, and Roxborough. Visit them all and then use the Vote4Art tool to nominate your favorite for a People's Choice or Kid's Chose Award by January 31, 2024.
BUNDLE UP & HEAD OUTSIDE. If there's snow on the ground, bundle up and head outside! We've got 13 Ideas for Fun and Games on a Colorado Winter Day, from building a family of Hawaiian shirt-wearing snowpeople to "painting" the snow to making (and eating!) snow ice cream!
CARE FOR OTHERS. Make Blessing Bags to distribute to the homeless. It's a great way to involve children in community service and spread some Christmas spirit. Host a get-together of friends and families and make it a playdate!
DOUGLAS COUNTY LIBRARIES have the most fun and imaginative indoor play areas! Playscapes include The Market at Highlands Ranch, Playful Pets animal clinic and grooming spa at Lone Tree, Little Letters Post Office at Castle Pines, U-Fix-It Pit Stop auto shop in Parker, and Mission Control at Roxborough.
ENROLL YOUR CHILD IN A WINTER BREAK CAMP OR CLASS. Many local businesses are offering great Winter Break Camps, including before-Christmas options. Use that time to do something fun just for YOU, whether it's lunch with a friend, pampering with a mani/pedi, a nap... or all three!
FIRST DAY HIKES! On January 1, celebrate the arrival of a new year and get a head start on your fitness goals by participating in a First Day Hike at a Colorado State Park.
GATHER UP UNWANTED OR OUTGROWN TOYS. Get your kids to take part in a pre-Christmas toy purge to make room for all the new goodies that will be showing up on Christmas morning. We have five fun ideas to get your tiny pack rats on board with an "out with the old, in with the new" philosophy.
HOLIDAY LIGHTS ADD SPARKLE TO LONG WINTER NIGHTS! From a decorated miniature golf course in Westminster to an Electric Safari in Colorado Springs, we know where to see the Best Holiday Light Displays on the Front Range. A few will be open till after the New Year.
ICE SKATING burns 300-400 calories an hour! Skate for free at Southwest Rink at Skyline Park in Downtown Denver (skate rental is $9-$11, or you can bring your own). Check out our Guide to Local Ice Skating Rinks for other places to skate, both indoor and outdoor.
JOKE OFF! Fill your family room with giggles by having a contest to see who can tell the best joke. Can't remember any? We've got 60+ Christmas jokes for you!
KEEP WARM with a cup of hot wassail! The recipe is simple and smells so yummy while simmering on the stove!
LASER TAG & MORE! We've rounded up a list of our favorite indoor play places for kids of all ages!
MOVIE TIME! 'Tis the season for Holiday Blockbusters! Catch a weekday matinee at your favorite neighborhood theater to see the latest releases. On our list: Wonka, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, Migration, Poor Things (for me and my hubby), and The Color Purple (for me and my bestie).
NEW YEAR TREE! Remove all the Christmas ornaments from your tree. Replace them with shiny silvery balls, Mardi Gras beads, tinsel, party poppers, noisemakers, and New Year decorations from the party section of your local store.
ORGANIZE YOUR 2023 FAMILY PICTURES. Spend some time editing and sorting your year into a photo album or create a photo book online. You won't be able to stop smiling as you relive and remember all the fun you had!
PICNIC UNDER THE CHRISTMAS TREE. Once the presents are unwrapped and put away, turn on the lights and enjoy a prepared dinner from your grocery store deli on a blanket in front of the tree. Set the kids up in sleeping bags to turn it into an overnight adventure and take turns sharing your favorite holiday moments from this year and memories from years past.
QUIET TIME IS IMPORTANT! After all the hubbub of the holiday season, relish the sound of silence. Put together a jigsaw puzzle, read a book, color, learn to meditate, or just sit and daydream.
READ A BOOK OUT LOUD TOGETHER. It isn't just for toddlers and preschoolers who can't read yet. Harry Potter and Percy Jackson are fun chapter books the whole family will enjoy. My kids and I are pretty partial to the fantasy-adventure Scepter series, written by Macaroni Dad Scott Collins.
SPLASH & SWIM. At 23,000 square feet, the Apex Center in Arvada boasts the largest indoor aquatic facility in the Denver metro area, complete with a lap pool, large play structure, two water slides, a vortex area, a family spa (94℉), and an adults-only spa (104℉). Or book an overnight stay at the Great Wolf Lodge in Colorado Springs. Don't want to travel? Head to your local rec center instead!
TACKLE THE STAIRS AT PHILIP S. MILLER PARK. The Challenge Hill has 200 timber steps that climb 178 feet in elevation, similar to the Manitou Springs Incline. You'll burn enough calories to enjoy another glass of eggnog guilt-free!
UGLY SWEATERS AREN'T JUST FOR WEARING. Bake a sheet cake, then use frosting and candy to decorate it to look like an ugly sweater. Make it a team project or divide it into sections with each person in charge of their own design. Need ideas? Check out this example from Betty Crocker.
VAIL, KEYSTONE, COPPER MOUNTAIN, BEAVER CREEK, ASPEN, MONARCH... The snow is deep, and the mountains are calling. Not a skier? Try a tubing hill or a guided snowshoe tour instead.
WANDER THROUGH WILD COLOR. Delve into the color spectrum like never before with the temporary exhibition, Wild Color, at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. Encounter the boldest, brightest, and most delightful shades imaginable in this immersive exhibition that celebrates the full spectrum of hues found in nature. Photo ops abound!
XMAS IS COMING BACK NEXT YEAR. Get a jump start on decorating and stocking stuffers by hitting a few after-Christmas sales! The more you spend, the more you save, right? Right???
YOGA IS GOOD FOR THE BODY AND THE MIND! Invite your kids to join you. Go to YouTube and search "yoga for kids" for a variety of short, kid-friendly sessions.
ZOO ANIMALS TEND TO BE MORE ACTIVE IN COOLER WEATHER! Visit the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo (open 365 days a year) or the Denver Zoo (open every day except Thanksgiving and Christmas) to see how the lions and tigers and bears (oh my!) play in the cold.
