7 Winter Break Activities to Strengthen Your Connection With Your Tween!

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Winter break activities can seem daunting when your tween is home, but it’s actually a fantastic opportunity to bond, create lasting memories, and strengthen your relationship. Whether you’re looking for meaningful winter break activities for tweens or just ways to connect with your tween during the holidays, we’ve got you covered with seven fun and memorable ideas!

1. Volunteer and Give Back Together: Meaningful Winter Break Activities

The holidays are a perfect time to teach and show your tween the importance of empathy, kindness, and community. Volunteering and helping your community with your tween is a wonderful way to bond. I love adopting a senior in my community during the holidays but you can also participate in coat drives, soup kitchens, Toys for Tots, you name it! These activities create meaningful experiences, meaningful memories, and help empower your tween!

2. Cook and Bake: Bonding Over Holiday Treats with Your Tween

'Tis the season to make things to eat! Baking and cooking with your tween is a really fun way to connect with her! Pick some recipes together, let her set the music, and get to work in your kitchen! Creating culinary masterpieces together is a wonderful way to make lasting memories. Cooking and baking will also help her build her confidence as she learns new skills and masters the kitchen!

I have such joyful memories of baking with my parents during the holidays and those moments helped me grow closer to them. I hope you and your tween can make the same joyful, lifelong memories in your kitchen!

Bonus Tip: Share the tasty goodies you make with family, friends, and neighbors to spread the good vibes!

3. Crafting Memories: Fun Winter Break Crafts for Tweens

Crafting is an excellent way to unleash your tween's creativity, explore her individuality and style, and bond! You can make holiday decorations, personalized gifts, or something not holiday related at all! Plus, crafting boosts self-esteem by allowing your tween to express her ideas and see them come to life! Click here for more fun craft ideas!

4. Read Together: Strengthen Your Bond with Seasonal Books

Your tween is getting older but reading aloud together is still a really special way to bond and connect. It's also a great way to get away from digital distractions! Be it a seasonal novel or holiday classic, reading together as a family is awesome.

When I was growing up, my family would read classic holiday books together, and even as adults, my sibling and I still keep the tradition alive. This simple activity fosters communication, offers an opportunity to share thoughts, and creates cherished memories. There’s something magic about reading aloud together.

5. Movie Marathons: Create Fun Holiday Traditions with Your Tween

A movie marathon is a fun way to spend quality time with your tween during winter break. Choose a series or holiday-themed movies and make a day of it—complete with snacks, cozy blankets, and your favorite films. From holiday classics to beloved film franchises like Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings, movie marathons are the perfect way to relax and bond over shared interests.

Create new family traditions by choosing a theme each year, watching specific movies, and discussing your favorite scenes. These laid-back activities can lead to deep conversations and provide opportunities to understand each other better.

6. Get Outside: Outdoor Activities for Winter Break Fun

If you live in a colder climate, don’t shy away from the winter weather. Bundle up and try fun activities like ice skating, sledding, or even learning a new winter sport. If you’re in a warmer climate, take advantage of the nice weather with outdoor adventures such as hiking, biking, or visiting a local park.

I could (and probably will) write a whole post about the benefits of getting outside together. It is a fabulous, invaluable way to connect, build your tween’s confidence, unplug, help her develop resilience, inner peace, an ability to process feelings, and have a ton of fun in the process. It also promotes physical health and fosters deeper connection as you share experiences and enjoy nature together.

7. Evolving Family Traditions

Traditions are essential to building strong family bonds, and winter break is the perfect time to revisit and evolve them. Whether it's changing up old traditions or creating new ones, involve your tween in the process. Let her contribute ideas, and make sure that everyone feels a sense of ownership over the traditions you establish.

If you don’t yet have winter traditions, now is the time to start! These traditions will help create lasting memories and build a unique family culture that your tween will cherish throughout the years.

Winter break is a perfect time to strengthen your connection with your tween and create lasting memories. Be it volunteering together or re-designing your family traditions, your winter break activities will help you build a deeper connection with your tween and make her winter break unforgettable. What are ways you would like to connect with your tween this winter break?