10 Things Parents Can Do With Kids During the Holidays

The school holidays are here—and for many parents, that means one big question: “How do I keep my kids happy, active, and learning during the holidays?”

While children deserve time to relax after a busy school term, the holidays are also a wonderful opportunity for parents to spend quality time with them, encourage creativity, develop new skills, and create memories that last long after school resumes.

The good news is that keeping children engaged during the holidays doesn’t have to mean expensive trips or endless screen time. With the right activities, everyday moments can become opportunities for learning, creativity, imagination, and family bonding.

Here are 10 fun things parents can do with their kids during the holiday period.

1. Have a Family Game Day

Bring the whole family together for a game day.Board games, puzzles, building sets, card games, and strategy games can turn an ordinary afternoon into an exciting family experience. Beyond entertainment, games can help children practise problem-solving, patience, communication, and teamwork.

Instead of simply giving your child a game to play alone, join them. Ask questions, play as a team, and let them teach you the rules.

Sometimes, the best holiday memories are created around the living-room floor.

2. Encourage Creative Play

Children naturally learn through play, so the holidays are a great time to give their creativity room to grow.

Set up a small creative corner at home with art supplies, building toys, colouring materials, craft kits, or modelling activities.

Challenge your child to create something completely from their imagination.

You could say:

“Build something nobody has ever built before.”

The goal isn’t perfection. It’s giving children the freedom to experiment, make mistakes, and discover what they can create.

3. Try a Screen-Free Afternoon

Screens are an easy way to keep children occupied, but holidays provide an opportunity to introduce more screen-free activities.

Choose one afternoon each week where phones, tablets, gaming consoles, and television take a break.

Replace screen time with:

• Board games
• Puzzles
• LEGO building
• Drawing and painting
• Reading
• Outdoor games
• Pretend play
• Family challenges

You don’t have to eliminate screens completely. The goal is to create a healthier balance between digital entertainment and active play.

4. Let Them Help in the Kitchen

Holiday cooking can become a fun learning experience.

Depending on their age, children can help measure ingredients, decorate cupcakes, prepare simple snacks, or organise ingredients.

Cooking introduces children to practical skills such as:

• Following instructions
• Measuring
• Counting
• Creativity
• Patience
• Responsibility

And of course, the best part is enjoying what you made together!

5. Organise a DIY Adventure at Home

You don’t always need to leave the house to create an adventure.Turn your home into a mini adventure zone.

Create a treasure hunt with clues hidden around the house. Build a blanket fort. Set up a pretend shop. Create a camping experience in the living room. Give the children a simple story:

“You are explorers looking for a hidden treasure.”

Then let their imagination take over. Activities like these encourage storytelling, problem-solving, communication, and imaginative play.

6. Spend More Time Outdoors

Children need opportunities to move, explore, and burn off energy.If the weather and environment allow, take them outside for activities such as cycling, football, walking, running, skating, or simply exploring the neighbourhood.

Outdoor play can also be a great opportunity for parents to disconnect from work and spend uninterrupted time with their children.

Even something as simple as a family walk can become a memorable holiday activity.

7. Give Them a Holiday Challenge

Children love challenges. Create a simple holiday challenge based on their interests.

For example:

The 7-Day Creativity Challenge

Day 1 – Draw your dream house
Day 2 – Build something with blocks
Day 3 – Create a superhero
Day 4 – Write a short story
Day 5 – Make something from recyclable materials
Day 6 – Solve a puzzle
Day 7 – Present your favourite creation to the family

A challenge gives children something to look forward to while encouraging consistency and creativity.

8. Encourage Reading Through Stories

The holidays shouldn’t mean that learning stops completely.Instead of making reading feel like schoolwork, make it fun.

Let your child choose books based on their interests. Read together before bedtime, create funny voices for different characters, or ask your child to tell you what they think will happen next.You can even encourage them to create their own stories.

A child who reads, imagines, and tells stories is developing skills that go far beyond the holidays.

9. Have a Toy Rotation

If your child has many toys, you don’t necessarily need to buy new ones every time they say, “I’m bored.”

Try rotating their existing toys.Keep some toys away for a few weeks and bring them back during the holidays. Toys that haven’t been seen for a while can suddenly feel exciting again. You can also combine different toys to create new games.

For example, building toys can become part of a pretend city, while dolls, action figures, vehicles, or animals become characters in a story. This is another reason why open-ended toys can be valuable—they can be used in many different ways.

10. Create Family Memories

Perhaps the most important holiday activity is simply spending quality time together.

Take pictures. Cook together. Play together. Have conversations. Let your children tell you stories about their favourite things.

Ask questions like:

“What was your favourite part of this year?”

“What would you love to learn next year?”

“What’s one thing we should do together before the holidays end?”

Children may not remember every toy they received, but they are likely to remember the moments when their parents were fully present with them.

Make This Holiday About More Than Keeping Kids Busy

The holidays aren’t just about finding ways to keep children occupied.They’re an opportunity to help children play, learn, explore, create, and connect.

Whether you’re building with LEGO, solving a puzzle, creating art, playing outdoors, reading a story, or simply sitting together and talking, every activity can become part of your child’s development.

At Delightful Toyshop, we believe play is learning. The right toys can give children opportunities to explore their imagination, develop problem-solving skills, express creativity, and enjoy meaningful play.

So this holiday, don’t just ask:

“What can I buy my child?”

Ask:

“What can we create, discover, and experience together?”

Because the best holiday isn’t necessarily the one filled with the most activities or the most expensive gifts.

It’s the one filled with moments your children will remember.

Ready to Make This Holiday More Delightful?

Explore fun, creative, educational, and engaging toys at Delightful Toyshop and find something your child can enjoy throughout the holiday season.

From creative play and building sets to puzzles, games, dolls, vehicles, and more, there’s something to help every child play, imagine, learn, and grow.

Visit Delightful Toyshop and make this holiday a season of joyful play.