Get out for holiday fun this weekend in CT, like the Winter Lantern Festival at Lyman Orchards! Winter Lantern Festival photo courtesy of Lyman Orchards
Kidz Bop 2024 and More Things To Do in CT This Weekend
Polar Express trains are coming to towns all over New England for Christmas 2024! Essex Steam Train Railroad photo courtesy of Mommy Poppins.
Polar Express Train Rides and Christmas Trains in New England 2024
GUIDE
CT Fall Day Trips Guide: Orchards, Festivals, and Family Getaways 2024
Find the best things to do in Connecticut this November, like the Stamford Downtown Parade Spectacular. Photo courtesy of the event.
22 Best Things To Do in Connecticut November 2024 with Kids
Groupon's online marketplace offers tons of discounts on activities for kids and families.
Save On Top-Rated Connecticut Outings and Experiences for Kids and Families
Kids meet new friends as they jump, slide, and swing at the top indoor playgrounds and play spaces in Connecticut. Photo courtesy of Romp N Roll in Wethersfield
20 Top Indoor Playgrounds and Play Spaces in Connecticut
Grab some friends for some birthday laps around the track. Photo courtesy of RPM Raceway
Fun Birthday Party Places in Connecticut for Tweens and Teens
Our ultimate family bucket list has all the things to do in Connecticut before kids grow up. Photo courtesy of Lake Compounce
100 Things To Do in Connecticut Before Kids Grow Up
Find big fun in all shapes and sizes at free museums for kids in Connecticut! Photo courtesy of the Eli Whitney Museum
Free Museums in Connecticut To Visit with Kids
Don't sweat the weather, because the best indoor water parks in New England are waiting for year-round fun! Photo courtesy of Jay Peak Resort
Best Indoor Water Parks in New England for Easy Family Getaways
By land, by sea, by river—however!— families are coming to the best Museums in Connecticut! Connecticut River Museum photo by Ally Noel for Mommy Poppins
Best Museums for Kids in Connecticut: Children’s Museums and Family-Friendly Museums
Photo courtesy of Flamig Farm
Best Petting Zoos in Connecticut: Animals Up Close at Farms and Petting Zoos
New England Family Travel Guide
Costumed interpreters share stories of colonial life along the historic Mystic seaport. Photo courtesy of the Mystic Seaport Museum
Mystic, Connecticut with Kids: Top Things to Do on a Weekend Getaway
Find a sweet treat for the whole family at the best places for breakfast in Connecticut with kids! Photo courtesy of Hotcakes
Best Breakfast Restaurants in Connecticut
As classic as the roller rink or modern as a VR experience, these fun indoor places are perfect spots for teens and tweens to hang out! Photo by Ally Noel
Fun Places in Connecticut Where Tweens and Teens Can Hang Out Indoors
Indoor spots offer plenty of adventure in Connecticut.
GUIDE
Connecticut Guide to Indoor Play Spaces & Fun Zones
Parents can enjoy some relaxation when their kids spend time at the
10 Family-Friendly Hotels and Spa Resorts in Connecticut
Bike the ground of Fort Trumbull. Photo courtesy Visit CT
GUIDE
Connecticut Day Trips & Weekend Getaways Guide
A double slide at Jonathan's Dream. Photo courtesy of O'Brien and Sons Landscape Structures
The Best Tot Lots and Toddler Playgrounds in Connecticut
Ball pit fun at Chelsea Piers.
Great Birthday Party Places in Connecticut for Preschoolers
Flat walking trails make Wharton Brook State Park a sure bet for kid hikers. Photo by Mommy Poppins
A Dozen Short Hikes in Connecticut for Preschoolers and Toddlers
Take a step back in time with a visit to Mystic Seaport. Photo courtesy of Ally Noel
Top Attractions in Connecticut: Best Things to See and Do with Kids
From rolling hills and lakes to scenic views and summits, there's great outdoor adventure for families at Connecticut state parks. Photo courtesy of Visit CT
25 Connecticut State Parks and Forests That Are Great to Visit with Kids
Bubbles are a classic free fun activity for Connecticut kids
GUIDE
Guide to Free Fun Things to Do for Connecticut Kids
Outdoor fun and healthy activity await at one of the top Connecticut playgrounds! Jonathan's Dream playground photo courtesy of O'Brien & Sons
Top Connecticut Playgrounds That Families Will Love
Run through the vineyards at Aquila's Nest. Photo courtesy of Aquila's Nest, Facebook
The Best Family-Friendly Vineyards and Wineries in Connecticut
Practice new skills at Calf's Pasture Beach, photo courtesy of Norwalk Skate Park, Facebook
Top Skate Parks in Connecticut
Create colorful storm clouds out of shaving cream and food coloring.
  VIDEO
25 Preschool Science Experiments: Simple Science for Toddlers through Kindergarten Kids
Revel in nature's majesty at Webb Mountain. Photo by Ally Noel
Best Nature Centers in Connecticut To Visit with Kids
We’ve rounded up the best escape rooms in Connecticut for a fun family outing!
Awesome Escape Rooms in CT: Kid-Friendly Parties and Family Adventures
The festivities get downright magical with Kids' Birthday Party Entertainers in CT! Photo courtesy of Dean Davids Magician
Kids' Birthday Party Entertainers in CT That Come To You
Find family fare and great deals at these Connecticut restaurants where kids eat free! Photo courtesy of Bigstock
Kids Eat Free: Connecticut Restaurants with Free Meal Deals for Families

Christmas Vacation in CT: 30 Staycation Ideas for Things To Do With Kids

These fun things to do with kids over Christmas vacation in CT will have you feeling the joy! Photo courtesy of Hebron Lights in Motion
These fun things to do with kids over Christmas vacation in CT will have you feeling the joy! Photo courtesy of Hebron Lights in Motion
12/17/23 - By Ally Noel

There's so much for Connecticut families to do to keep busy over Christmas vacation. So, if you're searching for ways to keep kids a little busier, check out our list of 30 fun and enriching activities. These holiday break activities offer something for everyone, from ice skating to nature classes to fireworks to trains and trolleys! 

For even more ideas to keep the entire family entertained during school break, bookmark the Mommy Poppins events calendar and our Connecticut Holiday Fun Guide. Follow us on Instagram for our latest finds. 

OUR LATEST VIDEOS

Christmas Vacation in CT: Things To Do near Hartford

1. Catch some basketball when the Harlem Globetrotters come to Hartford.

2. Indulge in Cocoa and Crafts: Where the Wild Things Are at Connecticut Museum of Culture and History (kids 10 and under).

3. Take the family to see the the 6pm fireworks show at First Night Hartford.

4. Celebrate this season of lights at the Magic of Lights drive-thru light display in East Hartford or Fantasy of Lights in New Haven. 

5. Participate in the Winter vacation camp at the Eleanor Buck Nature Center.

6. Ride the trolley's at the Winterfest and Tunnel of Lights in East Windsor.

7. Come see a live animal feeding at Northwest Park in Windsor.

8. Learn all about the things that have been invented in Connecticut, like the lollipop or the lobster-roll

Photo of family ice skating - Christmas Vacation in CT 
Get in some outdoor skating during Connecticut's holiday break. Skating rink photo courtesy of Winterfest Hartford

9. Spend some time ice skating at Winterfest at Bushnell Park.

10. Celebrate New Year's Eve kid-style at Nomads Noon Year's Eve Celebration.

Christmas Vacation in CT: Things To Do in Fairfield and Litchfield Counties

11. Learn about all the global festive traditions at Stepping Stone during their Let's Celebrate! exhibit.

12. Take in a viewing of The Polar Express at the IMAX Theater at the Maritime Aquarium.

13. Take in a Christmas play in Bridgeport at the Cabaret Theater (The Santa Story).

14. Cross your fingers for snow and for New Years Eve, go skiing at Sundown First Night.. 

15. Play games, make crafts and learn about the Native Americans at Winter in the Woodlands.

16. Bring your little train-lover to "All Aboard" Storytime at Fairfield Museum and Historical Center. 

17. Take a horse-drawn wagon ride and see the petting zoo at Christmas in the Country in Torrington. 

Christmas Vacation in Connecticut: Things To Do in Eastern CT

​18. Send the kids to a day of Winter Break "Camp" at Stonington Community Center.

19. Awaken your Sweet Tooth at Lyman Orchards with some freshly made sugar cookies.

20. Celebrate Kwanzaa at the Merry Days and Jolly Nights monthly celebration.

21. Check out the largest display of holiday lights in all of New England at Olde Mistick Village.

22. Take a nature class at Denison Pequotsepsos Nature Center.

23. Dive into a world of candy at Niantic Children's Museum's Wonka Week.

24. See the BenAnna Band live at Mystic Seaport for the New Year's Eve countdown.

Christmas Vacation in Connecticut: Things To Do near New Haven

25. Go see amazing, tiny model trains in Hamden and Stamford.

26. Spot a Bald Eagle out in the wild (don't forget your binoculars!) at the Shepaug Dam.

27. Don't miss your chance to see one of the most unique shows around: Hip Hop Nutcracker.

Christmas Vacation in CT: Things To Do Around Connecticut

28. Get out and see the amazing neighborhood holiday lights all over Connecticut before they go dark for the 2023 season.

29. Learn to skate at one of Connecticut's outdoor ice rinks.

30. Dress warmly and go snow tubing at one these fun places.

 

 

 

An earlier version of this post by Jacqueline Miller ran in 2019.

Updated December 2022, 2023