Oh, winter break.
How we love thee.
Mostly ... when the kids aren’t screaming about how bored they are.
That’s where we come in. We combed through the calendar and discovered things to do for every day of winter break. The goal was to find fun stuff for kids to do so their parents can keep their sanity.
Monday, Dec. 21
Check out the “Letters to Santa” exhibit at the Postal History Foundation, 920 N. First Ave. You’ll see vintage and modern postage stamps, stationery and envelopes featuring Santa, children and toys. You’ll get to read actual letters to Santa. It’s open from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. And, it’s free.
Catch a showing of “Santa’s Little Outlaws” at Trail Dust Town, 6541 E. Tanque Verde Road. It’s a Western stunt show with explosions and gunfire. Shows are at 7 and 8 p.m. Admission is $4. Or get wristbands for $8 and get access to the show and Trail Dust Town rides.
Tuesday, Dec. 22
The Mini Time Machine Museum of Miniatures, 4455 E. Camp Lowell Drive, has its holiday exhibit, featuring holiday traditions around the world and through time. Hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is $9.
Watch “The Polar Express” at Fox Theater Tucson, 17 W. Congress Street. If you’re not familiar, it’s the story of a boy who starts to wonder whether Santa is real or not. The show starts at 6:30 p.m. Admission is $7.
Wednesday, Dec. 23
Make Ben’s Bells together. This is a free and fun way to teach kindness and giving back. Open studio hours are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Ben’s Bells Main Gate, 816 E. University Blvd. It is free, but visitors are encouraged to donate a dollar. Go to bensbells.org for more information.
Rooftop Santa Show, 4053 E. Fourth Street. The annual show features drums and dancing group Sol Axe, and of course, Santa. There will also be treats and hot chocolate. Make sure and bring a camera to take pictures with Santa. There are two shows — 6:30 and 8:30 p.m. The event is free, but bring canned or nonperishable food items for the Community Food Bank.
Thursday, Dec. 24
For a new Christmas Eve tradition with Southwest flair, head over to Saguaro National Park West, 2700 N. Kinney Road, to listen to guitar and Native American flute music while you enjoy hot cocoa, coffee, cookies and candy as the moon rises. Make sure and bring folding chairs and blankets. The free event starts at 5 p.m.
Who doesn’t love looking at Christmas lights? Winterhaven at Fort Lowell and Prince roads is the place to do that. All the neighborhood’s houses are completely decked out for the season. It’s free to walk through, and it’ll tire the kids out early so Santa can stop by.
Friday, Dec. 25
It’s Christmas day, and whether you celebrate the holiday or not, it’s a good day to enjoy your family. Break out some board games. Cook together.
If you want to get out of the house, drive up to Mount Lemmon and find some snow. Not much says winter or Christmas like snowball fights and sledding.
Saturday, Dec. 26
Sleep in a little. Then walk off Christmas dinner and show visiting relatives the beautiful Sabino Canyon during a guided nature walk at 10 a.m. Meet at the visitor center, 5700 N. Sabino Canyon Road. The walk is free, but it costs $5 to park.
Sunday, Dec. 27
Head over to Flandrau Science Center and Planetarium, 1601 E. University Blvd., for its exhibit “Meet the Trilobites: Arizona’s First Inhabitants,” which includes fossils from around the globe. While you’re there, make sure to explore the other hands-on exhibits and the mineral show downstairs. Hours are noon to 5 p.m. The cost is $7.
Check out the toy trains at the Gadsden Pacific Toy Train Museum, 3975 N. Miller Ave. It has interactive exhibits, small trains, big trains and one you can ride. Hours are 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. It’s free to go, but donations are appreciated.
Monday, Dec. 28
Go roller skating at Skate Country, 7980 E. 22nd St. It’s dollar night from 6 to 8 p.m. If that’s too late for you, they have sessions all day, starting at 10 a.m. Go to skatecountry.com for a schedule and pricing.
Play games and make crafts for free at Quincie Douglas Library, 1585 E. 36th St., from 1 to 2 p.m. Activities include Wii gaming, board games, and a holiday movie. Check library.pima.gov for a full schedule of events.
Tuesday, Dec. 29
Take a photo tour of your neighborhood, the park or downtown. Give your kids the camera or phone and give them a photo assignment to take a photo for every letter of the alphabet. Or, give them three colors to focus on.
Look at butterflies at the Tucson Botanical Gardens’ Butterfly Magic, 2150 N. Alvernon Way. Check out the Nature Connects, Art with Lego Bricks display while you’re there. Hours are 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Admission is $18 for adults and $9 for children. Check tucsonbotanical.org for other events.
Wednesday, Dec. 30
Have the kids get a workout at “Instant Recess Fun” at Eckstrom-Columbus Library, 4350 E. 22nd St. Each week features a different theme, such as superheroes or soccer. Some activities include bean bag toss, hula hooping, potato sack races, jumping rope and more. For kids ages 5 and up. Go online to library.pima.gov for a full event schedule. It starts at 2:15 p.m. Admission is free.
While the younger ones are working out, the older kids can hang out and play boardgames at the same library. “Boardgaming for Kids and Teens” takes place from 2 to 4 p.m. Admission is free.
Thursday, Dec. 31
If you have little ones ages 4 and under, Mildred and Dildred’s story time is made for you. It’s at 3:30 p.m., and it’s free. All ages welcome. The toy store is located at La Encantada shopping center, 2905 E. Skyline Drive, Suite 186.
The Children’s Museum Tucson, 200 S. Sixth Ave., is hosting a “Happy Noon Year” event in which it will drop hundreds of balloons from the ceiling at noon. There will also be treats and crafts for the kids. The cost is $8. Go online to childrensmuseumtucson.org for more events and information.
Friday, Jan. 1
Start on those resolutions by running the Cocoa 5K New Year’s Day Run/Walk. You’ll get snacks, water and hot cocoa. It costs $25 to enter the race. Kids 12 and under race for free with paying adult. Proceeds benefit the Town’s Round Up for Youth Recreation Scholarship Program. The event starts at 11 a.m. and takes place at Steam Pump Ranch, 10901 N. Oracle Road.
Take a hike. The Douglas Spring Trail, at the east end of Speedway, is easy enough for the whole family to enjoy. It’s 6 miles round-trip if you do the whole thing.
Saturday, Jan. 2
Tucson Symphony Orchestra’s String Quartet is performing a Thomas the Tank Engine show just for kids. Have them wear their favorite Thomas outfit or bring a favorite engine to the concert. There are two shows: 10 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. at Tucson Symphony Center, 2175 N. Sixth Ave. Admission is free.
The University of Arizona BookStore, 1209 E. University Blvd., is hosting Storytime Character Hour with Pancake Pig at 2 p.m. The kids will do crafts, sing songs, hear stories, color and meet Pancake Pig from the book “If You Give a Pig a Pancake.” Admission is free.
Sunday, Jan. 3
If your kids love Pokemon, there’s a meet-up at Bookmans’ Grant location, 1930 E. Grant Road, at 2 p.m. Have them bring their Pokemon cards and their Nintendo DS. Admission is free.
