Keeping Little Ones Busy While on Holiday Break

Last updated on February 27th, 2024 at 05:35 pm

Our twins’ daycare is closed for almost two weeks during the holidays every year. While this is a wonderful opportunity to spend time with our little ones, after a few days we are all climbing the walls with cabin fever.

Last year our twins were a year and a half. We naively assumed they were too little to really care about all of this scheduling nonsense. We figured they would be so happy to spend time with us they wouldn’t be fussy at all. After a few short days we were all losing our holiday spirit. This year we plan to take a new approach to ensure we all get the most of this time.

Here Are Three Ideas to Help Keep Your Little Ones Happy on Holiday Break:

1. Daily Schedule

So where do you start? We started with our daycare teacher. She gave us a daily schedule that our little ones utilize down to the snack and diaper times. Our goal was to maintain that timetable as close as possible. As we looked at the schedule we noted there was time set aside for open centers, circle time, group activities and play time. Now my husband and I aren’t in the position to replicate centers that they have at school but we knew we could come up with good alternatives. I knew abstractly my little ones were busy at school, but trying to replicate their regular agenda and learning space is a lot of work.

My first homework assignment was to try to figure out what our little ones did for roughly an hour during the center stations and circle time part of their day. Our teacher showed me around the classroom one day and explained each portion of the room. I am in this room twice a day every day and had no idea the amount of thought and planning that went into the smallest details. The end result of all of her preparation resulted in my happy twins so I was open to learning. The centers had toys that were rotated on a regular basis so the children didn’t get bored. There were lacing boards, cars and trucks and all kinds of blocks and puzzles. The teacher further told me she is teaching the kids to practice putting their toys away and participating in everyday routines like wiping down snack trays. This was going to be a fantastic learning opportunity for everyone involved.

Pinterest and the internet are fantastic resources that helped me with lesson plan ideas, learning center projects and craft ideas. This is also a perfect chance to work on any last minute homemade gifts together. There are a lot of ideas online that provide age-appropriate art projects that your children can help you decorate. After you come up with a detailed roster for each day, post your daily schedule in the places you spend a lot of time like the refrigerator, near their playroom or on your phone.

2. Plan, Plan, Plan

This year we are determined to have activities sprinkled throughout the day. To start planning we looked at the calendar, starting with the first day of the daycare or school closing, penciled in our travel days, and highlighted the holidays. We knew we would only be traveling a short portion of the days off, but the drive times would be over three hours in length. So we knew that activities for those days would have to accommodate a car ride and eventually a hotel room.

3. Resources Available

In addition to the online information available, there may be community options in your neighborhood. Our local library has story time for some of the days we would be home so I added that to our calendars. Many libraries are also excellent resources not just for books but they have movies, puppets and play areas for different ages.

keeping-little-onesbusy-during-holiday-break

I researched indoor play options for the twins. If we couldn’t go outside for whatever reason, our two needed to be able to run and play somewhere safe and warm. Many indoor playgrounds have websites that show you the age-specific areas available for your children. I found online reviews for those playgrounds helpful as well, especially if you plan on going for the first time. If that doesn’t work try to schedule a playdate with other children in your neighborhood or friends you haven’t seen in a while who also have little ones around the same age. Another idea that gets everyone out of the house and allows the kiddos to run around is restaurants that have a jungle gym or playground inside where they can play.

With the exception of traveling in a car, our goal is to try to adhere to this schedule as much as possible. We came up with at least ten days of ideas that include art, songs, reading, and exercise/play time. Strive for a healthy balance – we want our kids to be engaged and inspired, however, remaining flexible can only add to the seasonal cheer. Limiting how much your family takes on allows everyone the opportunity to relax and enjoy themselves.

Diana Coleman is a native Austinite and works in the wholesale electricity market as a market specialist. She is a married mom to 2.5 year old boy/girl twins Chloe and Greyson. She enjoys organizing, reading, and watching movies while secretly fears potty training and getting her little ones to sleep in separate rooms.

Are You a New Twin Parent?

Check out Natalie Diaz’s book:
“What To Do When You’re Having Two
The Twin Survival Guide From Pregnancy Through the First Year”

In What to Do When You’re Having Two: The Twins Survival Guide from Pregnancy Through the First Year, national twins guru and founder of Twiniversity (and twin mom herself!) Natalie Diaz provides a no-holds-barred resource about life with twins, from pregnancy and birth all the way through your duo’s first year of life.

Accessible and informative, What to Do When You’re Having Two
is the must-have manual for all parents of twins.

Buy Now

Have you taken your expecting twins class yet? We offer a great class on demand so you can take it on your own schedule! There are so many video modules covering everything from your twins’ baby registry to your first week at home with twins! Sign up today to get started before your twins arrive.

Need some twin parent friends? Get the support you need with a Twiniversity Membership. Benefits include a monthly twin parent club meeting on Zoom, access to a private Facebook group just for twin parents, and a video library of twin parenting lessons. Visit Twiniversity.com/membership to join today!