Starting Friday, most of your kids will be out of school for TWO WEEKS.
It's all fun and games at the beginning, but by the second week, you might want to leave the house.
So, we put together a list of things you can do with them, organized by day.
Enjoy!
Friday, Dec. 23
• Parents and Tots Walk at Saguaro National Park East, 3693 S. Old Spanish Trail. Grab your infants and toddlers and go on an easy, ranger-guided walk to explore the sights and sounds of the Sonoran Desert. If your toddler doesn't have a backpack, he or she can borrow one there. The walk is from 10 a.m. to noon and costs $10 for the whole family. Call 733-5153 to make reservations.
• Send a letter to Santa or make a Christmas, Hanukkah or Kwanzaa card at the Postal History Foundation, which is at 920 N. First Ave. No, it's not too late, but this is the last day you can do it. Supplies will be provided, but you'll need $0.47 to mail the letter to the North Pole. You can go anytime between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Call 623-6652 for info.
• Gingerbread Man puppet show at Wheeler Taft Abbett Sr. Public Library, 7800 N. Schisler Drive. Puppets Amongus puts on a show of the Gingerbread Man. The show starts at 2 p.m., but get there starting at 1 p.m. to get a ticket. It's free to go. Call 594-5200 for more info.
Saturday, Dec. 24
• Family Nature Walk at Sabino Canyon, 5700 N. Sabino Canyon Road. Take the whole family and enjoy the nice weather while you learn about the desert on an easy naturalist led walk. It starts at 10 a.m. The walk is free, but you have to pay $5 to park. Call 749-8700 for more info.
A tranquil pool near day’s end in Sabino Canyon on September 8, 2016. — Credit: Doug Kreutz / Arizona Daily Star
• "Santa's Little Outlaws" at Trail Dust Town, 6541 E. Tanque Verde Road. Watch the comical Pinnacle Peak Pistoleros in their Christmas themed wild west stunt show. It's at 7 p.m. and costs $5 per person. Call 398-5618 for more info.
Pinnacle Peak Pistoleros will perform their Christmas-themed Wild West stunt show at Trail Dust Town.
Sunday, Dec. 25
It's Christmas and the second night of Hanukkah. Whether you celebrate or not, enjoy the day with your family. If you get bored, take a drive up to Mount Lemmon or through the eight mile loop of Saguaro National Park East.
Monday, Dec. 26
Happy Kwanzaa!
Take the kids to the Reid Park Zoo, which is at 3400 E. Zoo Court. It'll wear them out so you can relax later. Admission is $10.50 for adults; $6.50 for kids ages 2 to 14 and free for kids under 2 years old. Click here for more info.
Yebonga, a 42 year-old-white rhino, has been living at Reid Park Zoo since 1976. Mamta Popat / Arizona Daily Star
Tuesday, Dec. 27
Story Time — Music Hour at Bookmans, 6230 E. Speedway. Kids of all ages will learn classic childhood songs, read stories, make crafts and have a snack. It's at 10 a.m. and it's free. Click here for info.
Wednesday, Dec. 28
Young Flyers Fun at Pima Air & Space Museum, 6000 E. Valencia Road. It's an introduction to aviation and aerospace through activities, tours, story books, demonstration and hands-on craft projects you can take home. It's at 10 a.m. and costs $15.50 per person. Click here for more info.
A British Hawker Hurricane, used primarily during World War II, at the Pima Air & Space Museum.
Thursday, Dec. 29
• Take a road trip to Tubac and visit the Holiday Artisan Market. It's a nice drive and there's lots of arts and crafts from regional artists to look at. May be best for kids who are a little older or young enough to ride in a stroller. The market is at the Tubac Center of the Arts, Nine Plaza Road. It's open from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• Pan for garnets at Sabino Canyon, 5700 N. Sabino Canyon Road. Instruction and equipment are provided. Bring a lunch and spend the day there. The kids will love finding pretty garnets in the creek. The event is from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. It's free to participate but costs $5 to park. Call 749-8700 for more info.
Friday, Dec. 30
• ICYMI last week: Parents and Tots Walk at Saguaro National Park East, 3693 S. Old Spanish Trail. Grab your infants and toddlers and go on an easy, ranger-guided walk to explore the sights and sounds of the Sonoran Desert. If your toddler doesn't have a backpack, he or she can borrow one there. The walk is from 10 a.m. to noon and costs $10 for the whole family. Call 733-5153 to make reservations.
The view east over Reef Rock from near the top of the Rincon Mountains in Saguaro National Park. This photo was taken in June.
• Toddler Tales at Bookmans, 1930 E. Grant Road. Read exciting tales and do activities and crafts to match. Snacks are included. It's from 10 to 10:45 a.m. and it's free. Click here for more info.
• Children's Museum Tucson, located at 200 S. Sixth Ave., has $3 admission today. That's more than a 50 percent discount!
Saturday, Dec. 31
• Kids want to celebrate the new year, too. So take them to the Children's Museum Tucson, which is at 200 S. Sixth Ave., for its Happy Noon Year event. There will be events going on throughout the day, but make sure you get there for the balloon drop at noon. Hours are 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Admission is $8 for anyone over one year old.
• Read to a Dog at the Joel D. Valdez Main Library, 101 N. Stone Ave. It's reading practice disguised as fun. The kids will love reading to "Gizmo," who the library says is a good listener. It's at 11 a.m. and it's free. Click here for more info.
Your kid can be in the middle of all those balloons at the Children's Museum Tucson's Happy Noon Year celebration.
Sunday, Jan. 1
Happy New Year!
Start the year off right. Take the family out for a hike or get your bikes and ride along the Pima County Loop.
Monday, Jan. 2
• Visit the Bookmobile at the UA Mall. You can go from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The kids will love that they can look at books in such a cool vehicle. It'll be located off of Cherry Street at the east end of the mall. It's free to go, but don't forget your library cards.
• After visiting the Bookmobile, go to Flandrau Science Center & Planetarium, which is at 1601 E. University Blvd. There are hands-on exhibits, a gem and mineral room and laser shows. Admission is $14 for adults; $10 for children ages four to 17 and free for kids age three and under. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Phoenix Graykeenan, 8, on a field trip with his third-grade class from Fulton Elementary School in Chandler.
Tuesday, Jan. 3
• Storytime at Mildred and Dildred, in the La Encantada Shopping Center, 2905 E. Skyline. It's designed for children ages four and under, but all are welcome. It's at 10:30 a.m. and is free. Click here for more info.
• Build a Newspaper Tower at Quincie Douglas Library, which is at 1585 E. 36th Street. This one is for kids ages six and up. They'll learn about the function of towers and then design and build one out of newspapers. It's from 2 to 4 p.m. and is free. Click here for more info.
Wednesday, Jan. 4
Wander around the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, which is at 2021 N. Kinney Road. Spend the day looking at animals and plants that make our desert special. Stop at the animal tracking stations and the children's activity center. Also, make sure and check out the new stingray exhibit. Hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $20.50 for ages 13-64; $8 for kids ages three to 12 and free for kids 3 and under. Click here for more info.
The stingray touch exhibit is a new feature of the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum.
Thursday, Jan. 5
Take the kids roller skating at Skate Country, which is at 7980 E. 22nd Street. If you go between 3 and 6 p.m., it's only $4 to get in. Bring your own skates or rent them there for $3. Click here for more info.
Friday, Jan. 6
• Make balloon-powered LEGO cars at the Quincie Douglas Library, 1585 E. 36th Street. This one is designed for kids ages six and up. They'll get to design and build a balloon powered lego car. You can relax and browse books in the library. The event is from 2 to 4 p.m. and it's free. Click here for more info.
• If you have kids ages 7 and up, they can play Minecraft for free on the computers at Miller-Golf Links Library, 9640 E. Golf Links Road, from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. Click here for info.
Saturday, Jan. 7
• Science Saturday: Horses at Wheeler Taft Abbett Sr. Public Library, 7800 N. Schisler Drive. You'll get to meet and greet a Clydsdale and miniature horse. It's from 2 to 3 p.m. and it's free. Click here for more info.
• Mr. Nature's Music Garden will be at Bookmans, 6230 E. Speedway, from 11 a.m. to noon. The children will learn to love music and the great outdoors with Mr. Nature. They'll dance, sing and play musical instruments at his Musical Instrument Petting Zoo and be in their own parade. The event is free to attend. Click here for more info.
Sunday, Jan. 8
It's family night at Skate Country, 7980 E. 22nd Street. It's only $12 for a family of up to six people to skate. Add $3 each if you need to rent skates. Click here for more info.
