Winter break is right around the corner! December 21^st. How exciting! There are so many fun things to do with the kids during the break. We can all sleep in a little longer, no lunches need to be packed, and no homework battles for 2 weeks! I have wonderful memories of all the fun we have that first week of winter break in anticipation of Christmas. We bake cookies, wrap presents, shop, and build gingerbread houses, all with heart pumping Christmas music playing in the background. Everyone is in a good mood as we spend time together without the stress of school and work and the injection of holiday cheer.

That is the first week….then Christmas comes and goes.  The decorations start to look a little tired after New Year’s. Nobody seems very eager to turn on the holiday lights at night. I start to grow weary of kids sleeping at all hours and eating meals continuously throughout the day. I find myself beginning to count the days until school is back in session. I am tired of Christmas sweets and I crave the routine to return to my life.

To make matters worse, it feels like we just detoxed our kids from the technology addiction that developed over the summer months. Whether Fortnite, Netflix, or your 13 year old daughter’s constant checks of her social media accounts, we are right back where we were at the end of August during that second week of winter break. With the tough Midwestern January weather setting in, we find ourselves a bit more house bound and sedentary.

Here are 5 things to try with your kids over winter break as a way to reduce the amount of time spent with technology.

1. Do a puzzle – This is one of my favorite ‘Break’ activities.  I’ll pull out a 500 piece puzzle and open it up on the dining room table (pick a table that can be out of use for a week). I’ll start doing the puzzle and the kids will come and go across the break and work on it. Sometimes I find Ian quietly working on it alone for hours, which he says he really enjoys. Other times, Maeve and Cam will be working side by side with easy conversation between them. It is a no pressure activity that evolves as the week goes on.
2. See a movie – Usually around Thanksgiving, I start up the conversation about what movies we should see over break. I work to build anticipation. Depending on the movie, it can be a family outing or more of a one on one, parent/child event. Yes, it may initially feel like just a more expensive Netflix substitution, but there is something special about going to the movies and it gets people up and out of the house. If cost is a concern, as movies have gotten really pricey, try one of these:
   1. Go to the first showing of the day for a reduced ticket price.
   2. Look for a Groupon for a $5 ticket.
   3. Check out some of the discount theaters and see a slightly older release movie.
3. Put together a scavenger hunt – For years, this was one of our family’s New Year’s Eve traditions. I would buy a small prize for each child for the end of the hunt. The older kids would plan out the younger kids hunt with easier clues and then my husband would create the hunt for the older boys with much more challenging clues and puzzles. Between the planning and executing, this consumed hours of a day.
4. Go for a hike at the Arboretum – I forget what a gift the Arboretum is here in our backyard. Depending if there is snow on the ground, you can spend hours walking the trails and if there is no snow on the ground, the beauty is spectacular. You get out of the house, everyone gets some much needed fresh air and exercise, and you can end it with hot chocolate in the restaurant. It makes a lovely afternoon without fighting the crowds and the cost of a city museum.
5. Let the kids plan the day (sans technology) – This was another New Year’s Eve tradition with my family. The kids planned the day from start to finish! This included meals, games, movies to be watched and a few outdoor activities, weather permitting. We actually created committees for each child with a parent. One child planned all the meals, helped with the shopping, and cooked with a parent. Another child selected the movies and the outdoor activities and the third child planned the games that would be played. It is amazing to see what they want to do and eat when given the independence and freedom. They also learned how to consider what the other people would enjoy as they wanted their area of responsibility to be a success.

Let’s be honest, most kids will have an uptick in their tech use the second week of break. They want to unwind and do what they enjoy. The key is to find some ways to limit the tech and remind them how to enjoy other activities with their family over the holiday season.