This post is sponsored by Xfinity. but opinions are my own.
Winter break can’t come fast enough in our home. It’s been a challenging year for my kids and us parents. Both kids started new schools this fall while my husband and I have found a precarious balance of working from home together.
Which is why we’re looking forward to a quiet, low-key staycation over the holidays.
Like any parent, I want more family time where all four of us do things together instead of sitting on the couch looking at our individual phones. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it’s good to change things up.
Planning family activities can be tricky when you have a tween and teen. We parents aren’t as cool as we used to be. (Were we ever?) So what’s a mom or dad to do?
I’ve got you covered!
How to convince your kids to play along
For me, the hardest part is convincing my kids to try something new as a family. Now that my kids are older, they have their own interests. They’d rather watch their favorite livestreamers or scroll their favorite video apps.
Fifteen minute rule: I borrowed this one from my husband, who uses it for movies we watch. Instead of forcing our kids to join us, we ask them to try the activity for just fifteen minutes. If they’re not having fun or it’s not their jam, they can stop. I don’t guilt them or try to coerce them to keep going.
About half of the time, they end up having fun and we’ve added a new family activity to our repertoire!
Give them a choice: Remember when your kids were toddlers and you let them choose between two activities (that you wanted to do)? It works when they’re older, too. Which brings me to the next part.
Create a list of fun family activities
Kids are finicky by nature. They may love dinosaurs one day and suddenly, they’re now into dwarf planets like Pluto. (True story with my youngest.). So make a short list of fun things you’d like to do together as a family.
If you’re not sure where to start, check out Xfinity Rewards, a free rewards program available to Xfinity customers. There are some awesome perks and experiences and it only takes a minute to sign up online at xfinity.com/rewards or in the Xfinity App.
It’s a great mix of virtual and live experiences, such as a discounted Fandango ticket offer for Sing 2, out in theaters December 22. (Log into your Xfinity Rewards to claim your promo code.)
Pull up your Xfinity Rewards online or in the Xfinity app and make your list together. It’s a great starting point to help you brainstorm for free or low-cost experiences. Once you add a few things to your list, it becomes easier!
Xfinity Rewards your family will love
The program is free to Xfinity customers and easy to enroll. All you have to do is visit Xfinity Rewards or download the Xfinity app to sign-up. Once you’ve signed up, you’ll see all your available rewards.
My kids were skeptical about the Sing 2 rewards until I showed them all the options. I think they automatically say no to anything that’s new or different. But I’m glad some of the perks made it on our family’s winter break list.
Host a Sing movie night
When you claim this reward, you can rent the original Sing movie for only a buck! I don’t always love all kids’ movies, but I caught myself singing along with the characters in Sing. It was funny and tender. If you or your kids haven’t seen it, it’s worth a watch.
Bonus: Right now you can visit your local Xfinity store and pick up a free Sing 2 Movie Night Kit (while supplies last). It includes microwave popcorn, inflatable instruments, stickers, and more fun items for family movie night.
Family Karaoke Night
Here’s your chance to shake your booty and show off your voice! Xfinity Rewards members can try out Stingray Karaoke for 30 days for free (available through December 31, 2021). Choose songs from a special playlist with songs from Sing and Sing 2 or any of the other 20,000 songs.
I know what we’re doing on New Year’s Eve!
Download free Sing 2 activity packets
If you have younger kids (or those young at heart), definitely download the printable activity sheets. When they’ve reached the point during winter break where they complain about boredom, print these out!
Activity sheets include a word search, a maze, and more! Combine them with the Sing 2 Movie Night Kit, and you’ll have plenty of non-screen activities to entertain your family.
Keep adding to your list
Winter break will never be long enough, but the family fun doesn’t have to stop! Keep a running list on your phone and share it with all of your family members. That way they can add activity ideas as they come up.
New perks and experiences are constantly added to Xfinity Rewards, so make sure you check in often.
I hope I’ve given you some starting points to create your family fun activity list! Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to do some vocal warm-ups to prep for our karaoke night!