Make it Memorable with SWMI Winter Break Activities
It doesn’t get better than having time off to relax, enjoy time with family, and bask in one of the most enchanting seasons of the year, no matter which holiday you celebrate.
However, as the school hiatus progresses, the kids develop a strong case of cabin fever, and you are fresh out of ideas. Where to take the kids sledding or tubing?
Where can you find indoor activities when you need a snow break? What if there isn’t any snow?!
We have researched so you don’t have to: this guide includes 30+ boredom-smashing winter break activities to entertain and engage families in Kalamazoo.
Most area schools start winter break on December 22 and return to school on Monday, January 5, 2026.
In this article
• Featured Activities
• Indoor Activities
• Outdoor Activities
• Road Trips
• Winter Break Activities Calendar
Featured Activities
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Play Inside
Although we expect snow in December, we sometimes don’t get it! Get inspired by some warm, dry indoor activities to escape the cold.
These shops, museums, and other local favorites offer great indoor spaces to explore and play during break.
• Test your artistic skills by painting pottery at Art Bayou. You can paint in the studio or create at home and drop them off for the kiln.
• Go bowling. Head to Revel & Roll West or Airway Fun Center and go bowling! Both spots also offer tasty food and other fun activities.
• Climb the walls at Allegan Event. Find ziplines, climbing walls, and Michigan’s largest indoor ropes course.
• Try a hot cocoa bomb from Mattawan Candy Company. These adorable snowmen were one of our favorite stocking stuffers! Add warm milk and watch your chocolate drink come to life.
• Make your own Sand Candle with Kalamazoo Candle Company.
With shops in both Portage and Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo Candle Company provides two convenient locations for this fun activity.
Sand = no drying time and you can add as many or as few colors as desired. Each color has a different scent.
For an additional fee, kids can also decorate the candle jar with stickers
• Cozy up at the Kzoo Cat Cafe. Playing with adoptable cats and eating snacks sounds like a great afternoon. Be sure to register online before you go.
• Climb to new heights at Climb Kalamazoo. There’s a wall for everyone!
• Try some Camps & Clinics at Branch Gymnastics. Tumble and flip with friends.
• Bounce away the day on inflatables at Jungle Joes. All age groups can participate and there’s an arcade!
• Explore Kid’s Empire. Climb, slide and play at this indoor playground for kids 12 & under on West Main in Kalamazoo.
Outdoor Winter Break Activities
Let it snow! Embrace the beauty of a Southwest Michigan winter and get outside- or at least outside in your car to see some light shows before the holiday season ends.
• Go skiing or snowboarding at Bittersweet Ski Resort in Otsego.
• Go on a scavenger hunt for beautiful artwork downtown with a mural crawl. If the weather is calm, this free activity is a fun way to see the city AND beautiful artwork at the same time. Win. Win.
đź“·: Louie’s Trophy House
• Try out a new favorite sledding spot in SWMI.
• Go ice skating at Millennium Park in Portage. Be sure to check their schedule for open ice times.
• Experience one mile of Christmas lights as you drive Marshall’s Merry Mile. The Merry Mile runs through December 28; the cost is $10/car.
• Bundle up and hike on one of our favorite trails.
• Take a stroll downtown through the sparkling lights. We recommend some shopping or grabbing dinner while you are on the mall, too!
• Ride the Holly Jolly Trolley on NYE.
• Try snow tubing.
• Dine outside in a heated igloo. Most restaurants recommend reservations.
• Go cross-country skiing at the Kalamazoo Nature Center.
• Take a drive down Christmas Card Lane to see over 40 oversized Christmas cards in the Westwood neighborhood.
• Try our Portage driving route to see lights, sights and bites! We recommend a walk through Celery Flats to see the historic buildings.
• Playground Hop. There are over 25 playgrounds around Kalamazoo for your kids to run off their energy. No snow? No problem.
• Visit a family-friendly New Year’s Eve event.
Road Trip
Looking to explore beyond Kalamazoo? Try these day trips during break.
• Head west to St. Joe and stroll through over one million twinkling lights. Light Up the Bluff runs through until mid-February.
• Go on a gnome hunt in Frankenmuth. Pick up the map in the Visitor Center.
• Explore some drive-through lights in other cities in the Mitten. The Christmas Lite show (pictured) runs through January 3, 2026 in Comstock Park.
Idea 30- Visit a Scheduled Winter Break Event
Local museums and organizations have planned some fun events over Winter Break.
Try this list for some family-friendly activities before returning to school:
More to Explore
