14 Nights of Holiday "Break" for 2020

12 Days of Christmas / 8 Nights of Hanukkah / 7 Days of Kwanzaa

The kids are out of school and they have fourteen glorious nights of holiday break. Oh, wait, they've been out of school since last March?

Well then, they have fourteen glorious nights of freedom from Zoom. You're probably thinking, "I'm already exhausted." We get it. And we're here to help. Fill your holiday break with experiences - this year at home - that pack a big punch and require minimal planning.

Our kids are obsessed with these family nights, and we are certain that they will quickly become a favorite tradition for your families as well.  

Night 14: Relax Night

Get out of the house with your family for Activity Night. Grab a mask and do something/anything eventful outside. Go sledding. Go to an outdoor ropes course. Go cross country skiing. Play street hockey. Go puddle jumping. Visit the zoo. Map out your own scavenger hunt course on bikes. If the weather is terrible or you just don't want to leave your home, do Activity Night inside with one of these imaginative "Boredom Boxes".

Ditch Candy Land, and pick a board game that everyone, even you, will have fun playing. Try one or a few of these favorites: Catan Jr., Scattegories, Blokus, Evolution, Labyrinth, Photosynthesis, Monopoly Jr, or Santorini. 

Order take out from your favorite restaurant and enjoy an easy family meal. For an extra twist of fun, have each family member write a restaurant on a piece of paper and draw for the winning restaurant.

On craft night, spend a half hour getting artistic – and for an extra parent bonus, getting messy - together. Paint a picture, mold some clay, or order a We Craft Box for younger kids or a Doodle Crate for older kids.

Watch a new or old movie together at home. Make this night special with treats, popcorns and a stack of every pillow and blanket in the house. A surprise gift can be as simple as wrapped microwave popcorn or popcorn containers.

Give night is a night (or day) that you do something for your community, town or world. This can be as simple as taking a walk and picking up trash. Or donate money to a non-profit or volunteer at a local food bank.

Friends night is the night to connect. How to connect during the pandemic? Here are some ideas for your kids: schedule an outdoor masked playdate for each child or make and leave little festive treat bags on friends' doorsteps. Here are some ideas for you: bundle up and get outside for a socially distanced walk-and-talk or winter-wine-and-space-heater night. 

Start this night by ordering books from the library or opening a new gift-wrapped book. Make some hot chocolate, turn on the fire, and cuddle up under blankets on the couch. Read as a family, all independently or out loud.

Party night can be low key or big. Yes, you can party with just your immediate family. Have a family-only sleepover party complete with matching pajamas, breakfast for dinner, a pillow fight, tickle tag, dancing and a movie. Or order a Rock Paper Sprinkles Party for your kids - everything you need to throw a fun, just-because, themed party for one or a few in your house.

Make dinner and dessert prep fun with a bake-off chef night. Write menu options (vegetables, side dishes, main dishes and desserts) on slips of paper for each family member to pick and then choose what to cook. Or have each family member compete over who can make the best cupcake. For a bonus, have everyone wear a fun apron. Gift ideas: princess apron, fairy apron, Darth Baker apron, chef hats, or a retro apron.

Get out every single kid puzzle in your house and decorate the floor with puzzles. Or work on just a few new puzzles like a challenging adult puzzle and age appropriate children puzzles. Our favorite brands are Crocodile Creek, Mud Puppy, and Janod; They all have bright pictures, sturdy pieces, and solid containers to ensure multiple uses.

Go do something active with your family. Take a family walk or bike ride. Have each child plan a ten minute exercise routine at home that then everyone has to do. Make it fun and funny: burpees in the living room, army crawls down the hall, jumps up the stairs, and crab walks around the kitchen table.

Tonight is the night you play like a kid, with your kid. Grab that dinosaur figurine and make it walk, talk and go on an adventure with Princess Elena. If you have older kids, play a video game like Fortnite or go shopping. Gift idea: African Safari playscape.