Winter break is here for the kiddos!  The thrill of staying in pajamas and watching cartoons may last for a little while but if your house is like ours, the little ones will soon look to you for entertainment.  While it is hard to compete with classmates, teachers and fun typical school day activities don’t fret!  We’ve come up with a play-by-play of fun things to do to get in (or stay in) the holiday spirit!

A Day Downtown:  Start at Reading Terminal Market and nibble away at your favorite fare from standard diner fare to Amish delights to crepes.  Kids will love the sights (even dead fish!) and stimulation and especially the 500 sq foot train display in the Piano Center.  The exhibit is interactive and kids can help operated the trains and the other displays.  Once you are done, head one block up to Macy’s for two awesome holiday displays.  If you are there close to the top of the hour (10am-7pm), catch the Macy’s Light show (formerly the Wanamaker show) and then stop on the 3^rd floor to see Dickens’ Village, a life-sized recreation of Victorian London, based on the beloved classic A Christmas Carol.  Next, walk over to the west side of City Hall to Christmas Village and take in the beautiful tree, lighted City Hall, and Santa’s house.  And the 80+ vendors will delight you with sweets and treats as well.

A Day-Long Excursion:  If you want to take a longer adventure (after all car rides = nap-times?), there are so many places you can head (and so many days of winter vacation, you do the math!).  Hershey Park gets decked out for the holidays with Hershey Park Christmas Candylane.  There are lights, decorations and even rides!  If you are not one with the cold, you can enjoy the view from your car with Hershey Sweet Lights, two miles of wooded trails illuminated to your delight! Peddler’s Village is also showcasing its incredible Gingerbread house competition and Dutch Wonderland has evening hours so you can ride by twilight (bundle up!)

A Day in the Main Line:  Everything may not be within walking distance but things are just as exciting out in the ‘burbs.  Make sure to visit Longwood Gardens and their dancing fountains, amazing Christmas displays and the kid favorite Garden Railway, featuring Thomas the Train.  If you still want more, head over to Linvilla Orchards to check out the animals in their winter coats and their Christmas-land display.  Oh and for the procrastinators out there, you can still cut down a tree until Dec. 23^rd!  Phew!