10 Things to Do With Your Children During Winter Break

Can you believe winter break is already here?

Friday is the last day of school for students in until Jan. 3. With a two-week break quickly approaching—and no snow to provide a playground of fun—here are 10 activities you can do with your children to get them out of the house for a bit.

1. Have breakfast with Santa

Enjoy a plated breakfast with children's entertainment and a visit from Santa Claus at 9 a.m. Saturday and Sunday at . Call 877-556-2297 to reserve a place. Tickets cost $16.95 per person and $12.95 for children younger than 10.

2. See The Polar Express at the Penn Theatre

See this holiday favorite in downtown at 7 p.m. Friday; 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday; and 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. Sunday. Cost is $3 per person.

3. See a Christmas show

Central City Christmas Spectacular returns to Canton's this year. You can take the family to see a show at noon or 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Cost is $21 per person.

4. Skate with Santa

Children and adults of all ages are invited to go ice skating with Santa while listening to holiday tunes from 3-4:50 p.m. Sunday at .

Can't make it then? The arena also has public holiday skating from noon-2 p.m. Monday-Friday. Open skate is available from 3-4:50 p.m. Dec. 24 and from 3-4:50 p.m. and 8-9:50 p.m. Dec. 31.

Cost is $4 for residents and $5 for nonresidents, except the night skate on Dec. 31 costs $7. Skate rental is $3.

5. Addicted to Fun, Flips and Tumbles ... Not Drugs

Drop your children off for a morning of fun at Mega Fun & Fitness from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Tuesday. Children in kindergarten through sixth grade can enjoy the trampoline, obstacle course, foam pits and gymnastics races. The event is put on by the Novi Youth Council and the Novi Police and Fire Departments, and proceeds will benefit drug education for the schools. Cost is $10 per child, which includes unlimited supervised tumbling, a T-shirt and lunch.

6. Lego Club

Bring your elementary school students to play with Legos at the from 6-6:45 p.m. Dec. 19. Admission is free.

7. Winter holiday movie

The Novi Public Library invites youths to watch the movie Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, rated PG, from 1-3 p.m. Dec. 22. The event is free.

8. Happy Holidays Dance Party

Drop your children off for an afternoon at the Novi Tech Center on 42400 W. Nine Mile Rd. for a dance party for children 5-12, hosted by the Northville High School Varsity Dance Company. The event goes from 12:30-4:30 p.m. Dec. 22 and includes crafts, snacks, games and dancing. Cost is $20 in advance or $25 at the door.

Early registration is recommended as space is limited. For more information, contact Mari Anne Guidobono at 248-761-7072, mguidobono@yahoo.com, or Kelly Agnello at 586-344-8125, ksagnello@hotmail.com.

9. See Beauty and the Beast

Head over to downtown Northville to see a live performance of Beauty and the Beast at the . Shows begin at 2:30 p.m. every day from Dec. 26-30. Tickets cost $8.50.

10. Celebrate New Year's Eve

Northville is once again hosting its annual family New Year's Eve celebration, Northville Nite, starting at 4:30 p.m. Dec. 31. The event is at the Recreation Center at . The theme is "Around the World," and activities include crafts, inflatables and more. The Novi Rotary Club will sell concessions, and the event ends with an early countdown to the new year at 8 p.m.

Pricing:

Early bird registration (before Wednesday):

• 1-2 years: $2
• 3-17 years: $11
• 18 and older: $5

Registration after Wednesday:

• 1-2 years: $3
• 3-17 years: $16
• 18 and older: $7.