Indoor Holiday Activities for the Family

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Hooray, the holidays are finally here! The festive season is the perfect time to come together and connect with the family. Not only do you get to bond with your loved ones, but you can use this holiday season to make memories for a lifetime. With all the uncertainty of 2020, we could all use some love and support from our families. 

That being said, keeping the whole family entertained and busy at home can be quite the challenge. Finding the perfect activity to engage all members of the family – from grandma to your little cousins and nieces – can get daunting. But fret not – this list of the most fun and innovative indoor holiday activities for the family are sure to get your family laughing and bonding in no time.  

• Try an Indoor Scavenger Hunt 

This holiday season, connect with your family through in-home scavenger hunts. These digitally guided scavenger hunts bring your family together in fresh new ways. Handcrafted by real-life adventurers, these hunt your home into the site of a thrilling expedition, unleashing your imagination. Choose from seven educational themes including Emerging Explorers (Ages 3-9), Advanced Adventurers (Ages 10+), Global Geographers, Writing Wizards, All About Animals, and Science Scavengers. We hear there may be a holiday-themed  hunt on the way too! You don’t need any extra supplies to take on these adventures- just a phone and lots of enthusiasm will do. 

• Bake Together  

Everyone knows that the holiday season means fresh, delicious cookies and treats. Let your children bake lip-smacking treats with you. Bond through sugar and spice. Whether you’re asking them to crack an egg open or mix flour in a bowl, involving your children in the process helps them share the joy of baking. Have younger children in the house? Let them decorate your cookies instead of baking them. Get them sprinkles, food-safe markers, and some icing and let their ‘cookie artist’ dreams come to life! 

• DIY Gifts and Cards

Introduce your children to the wonderful feeling of giving by letting them make gifts and write letters to give your family this holiday season. From simple, heartfelt letters to intricately crafted cards for your grandma, making cards and letters with your children will bring you together as a family. If you’re up for it, make cards and send them out to soldiers, first responders, or people at care facilities to brighten up their day – a small gesture goes a long way! 

• Host a Dance Party 

There’s no holiday party like a dance party! Dress up in hilarious over-the-top outfits and bring the family together for a festive dance party. Add more fun to the festivities by hosting a themed party. From a disco-themed retro bash to an ugly sweater party, there are a lot of options to choose from. Plug in your Bluetooth speakers, play some holiday tunes, and get your groove on. During the party, have a dance-off to prove once and for all which family member is the best dancer.

• Have a Gratitude Circle  

This is a sweet and thoughtful activity to take part in with your children. Gather your family in a circle and go around to ask each other what they are thankful for. This helps your children develop the habit of acknowledging gratitude. This in turn builds their emotional intelligence and helps them bond with the entire family. You’ll be thankful you thought to do something so meaningful. 

• Have a Singing Party 

If your family prefers singing to dancing, this holiday activity is a no-brainer. Crank up the music and host a singing party for your family. What does this mean? You take turns singing your favorite songs together. You don’t have to stick to Christmas carols. Try singing your niece’s favorite K-pop hits or your mom’s favorite Beatles’ songs. The musical options are endless, and singing together will help you bond like nothing else. Find the karaoke version of your favorite songs online (or better yet, get that guitar out), and sing together for some quality time with your loved ones. 

• Hold Races

Nothing beats an old-fashioned race when you’re staying home! How else will you earn bragging rights for being the fastest member of your family? As long as you stay safe and don’t break anything, this is one of our favorite holiday activities (the adrenaline!). This year, add some wild fun to the mix and challenge your family to an ‘animal race’. The rules are simple – each race must be completed only by attempting an animal movement. For example, you can try a frog leap race, a waving-arm bird race, or even a one-legged flamingo run race. Whatever aminal you choose to emulate, the fun is guaranteed! 

• DIY Ornaments

Why spend a fortune on Christmas decorations when you can make your own? Use painted golf balls, dolls, and even Origami paper crafts to make your own ornaments with your kids. Older children can make their own Christmas wreaths with a glue gun, some flowers, and tinsel. Decorate your home with your DIY creations and show off your family’s creative side with these exciting crafts.

• Play Simon Says 

This classic game is the best way to involve every member of the family in a hassle-free way. Add a holiday theme to your game of Simon Says by including activities like, “Simon says, sing a carol” or “Simon says, laugh like Santa” – get as creative as you like, and get ready for some epic laughs! 

• Paint Together 

No, this doesn’t mean painting on paper with a brush (that’s too boring!). Get creative and get your hands dirty as you paint with your fingers. Ideal for younger children, finger painting is a great way to engage your child in an innovative craft. To make this game even more fun, try vegetable painting – cut up veggies like okra, potatoes, onions, and eggplants, paint them in different colors, and press them onto sheets to make innovative shapes.

• Make a Pillow Fort

Sleeping in the bedroom is too passé. This holiday season, build a themed pillow fort in the living room where you can sleep together. Host a holiday cookie party inside, cuddle and watch movies together, and sing holiday songs in a comfy nest of pillows. You can play games or even decorate a small Christmas tree inside your fort – this bonding activity is an easy win in our books! 

• Try a Tie-Dye Craft

Perfect for both children and adults, get crafty this holiday season with a tie-dye activity. This is super simple to do – all you need are some white clothes, food coloring, vinegar, and some patience. Check out the steps to turn your outfits from drab to fab and embark on a fun DIY adventure with your kids. Your holiday pictures are sure to look extra colorful as you tote matching tie-dye outfits!  

• Make a Picture Book 

Relive the most memorable moments of your family by making a scrapbook together. Get your family to pick photos of their most cherished memories and make a photo collage of your quality time. Feel free to add captions, stickers, and other decorations. Once you’re done, you can make copies of this book and gift it to other family members who may be living far away – nothing like a wholesome scrapbook of memories to make a loved one’s day.

• Do a Jigsaw Puzzle

Doing a jigsaw puzzle together is a must-try for every family – not only does it keep the children occupied and interested, but it is a great bonding experience! Based on the difficulty level, try your hand at some holiday-themed jigsaw puzzles like this 500-piece New York City one, this 1000-piece Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer one, or this simple 100-piece kid-friendly puzzle. 

• Try a Scratch-off Adventure Book 

If you’re on the lookout for fun, fresh adventures, Let’s Roam’s Adventures From Scratch might be your best bet. This isn’t an ordinary book – it’s a treasure trove of exciting quests and adventures. With more than 50 scratch-off adventures to choose from, this book lets your family learn, laugh, and explore together. With categories like ‘Create,’ ‘Explore,’ ‘Cook,’ ‘Get Silly,’ ‘Spread Joy,’ ‘Move’ and many more, this book encourages your family to have fun like never before. 

• Play I-Spy 

This classic game needs no introduction. Perfect for every member of the family, see how quickly your relatives can think on their feet with a game of I-Spy. Before the game begins, hide fun surprises, chocolate, gifts, and other goodies around the room so that your family can discover a new treat in each round. You can play this remotely too, over video chat. This game never disappoints! 

• Watch Christmas Movies 

What’s a holiday without watching a wholesome movie with your entire family? Dim the lights, set up some cozy pillows, pop some popcorn, and bring the family together for a Christmas movie marathon. Take a poll and decide which movies to watch with everyone – you can choose from fantasy (A Christmas Carol), rom-coms (The Princess Switch), action (Die Hard), or even animated (The Polar Express). Or how about a Christmas classic like the Home Alone series? 

Spending time with the family can be rewarding, affirming, and heart-filling all at once. With these activities, you can cherish your loved ones and spend some quality time with them. Be it a hassle-free scavenger hunt or a colorful evening of painting and crafting, there are many activities to choose from. Happy holidays!