Find winter break fun in Kane County

The holidays always offer families endless opportunities to make amazing memories, filled with love and joy.

But with schools on winter break, there will also be quieter moments in which parents will almost inevitably be confronted by two words:

“I’m bored.”

Fortunately, Kane County’s communities also offer an overflowing abundance of opportunities to get out of the house and keep making memories - or keep our young ones engaged and entertained, at least.

Here, we offer an admittedly non-comprehensive list of just some of the kinds of Winter Break activities families can find from one end of Kane County to the other:

HIT THE ICE

“Christmas break is always such a fun and nostalgic time for people and there’s nothing more nostalgic than skating with family and friends,” said Gerianne Johnson, assistant office manager at the Fox Valley Ice Arena in Geneva.

Should the weather permit, the Fox Valley region is awash in opportunities for strapping on some skates and gliding on the ice at outdoor rinks. If temperatures go below zero for several days and remain cold, families love heading over the Depot Pond in Batavia for some free winter fun that has been enjoyed by locals and visitors alike for generations.

Some other popular outdoor skating spots to consider include the rinks at Wheeler Park in Geneva and Lincoln Park in St. Charles.

Of course, if the weather is a bit too balmy, or your family prefers a more climate-controlled environment, winter break is a great time to glide into a public skate session at the Fox Valley Ice Arena or Canlan Sports ice center in West Dundee.

Johnson noted the Fox Valley Ice Arena will host special afternoon Skate with Santa sessions on Dec. 21 and 22, as well as public skate sessions every day from Dec. 21-Jan. 5, including Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.

The arena will also host a free Holiday Ice Show on Saturday, Dec. 28 at noon.

GRAB A SEAT

If ice is your thing - or even if you just want to “let it go” - families can find magic and chills at the Paramount Theatre, as it presents “Disney’s Frozen: The Broadway Musical.” Nominated for a Tony Award for Best Musical, the show brings to life Anna, Elsa, Olaf and the rest of the beloved characters from the Disney animated film. “Frozen” is playing through Jan. 19.

Local cinemas also continue to offer numerous top-quality entertainment, often with special affordable matinee prices and concession specials. Family friendly films landing in the movie theaters this holiday season include “Wicked,” “Moana 2,” “Mufasa: The Lion King” and “Sonic the Hedgehog 3.”

MAKE A SPLASH

When the weather turns cold, the thoughts of many turn to warmer climates and memories of hanging out by the pool or zipping down a water slide. Fortunately, local park districts and others have you covered there, too.

In Aurora, the Fox Valley Park District’s Vaughn Athletic Center, families can find open swim featuring access to a leisure pool, with a zero-depth entry and a two-story enclosed slide, body slide and interactive water play features, as well as a competition pool, which includes a Wibit floating obstacle course.

For families looking for some unique New Year’s Eve fun for their little ones, the Vaughn Center will also offer its third annual Beach Ball Drop New Year’s Party. Guests at the party will have access to the full range of water activities at Vaughn Center and will be able to enjoy a New Year’s faux countdown at 7 p.m., complete with a big drop of beach balls into the pool, which kids can play with for the remainder of the event.

The FVPD said the event is growing in popularity, entertaining 150-200 kids the past two years. Guests must pay admission to attend.

“We know the winter holiday break is a unique time for families to spend quality time together and parents are looking for meaningful ways to get their children engaged,” said Jaime Ijams, FVPD’s Director of Recreation. “We offer a wide variety of holiday-themed programs, special events and performances that everyone can enjoy.”

Families can also find winter aquatic fun in Elgin, at the Edward Schock Centre of Elgin. The Centre offers guests public swim, splash and slide time at Adventure Island. Guests can find a 20-foot-tall water slide, diving boards, and a leisure pool, which the Centre describes as a “splash zone paradise,” complete with “tumbling toucans, playful floor geysers, boat slide, spray arches and the thrilling spinning vortex.” Open swim admission also grants guests access to the facility’s lap pool.

CLIMB A WALL OR SLIP AND SLIDE

During the winter, all parents know it can sometimes seem as if their children are climbing the walls.

At the Centre of Elgin, families can find an actual wall to climb. Measuring 32 feet high by 28 feet wide, the towering structure offers more than 1,165 square feet of climbing surface, with two different sides to choose from, with five ropes and two auto belays. One side offers climbing paths for straightforward climbs, while the other features a slight overhang for more daring or experienced climbers.

Meanwhile, in North Aurora, visitors can find the region’s first indoor “waterless slide” and air court park. Slick City Action Park opened in October, offering visitors a huge indoor play experience with several different “giant, dry slides” of varying heights and speeds, along with an arcade, zipline and more, as well as an area just for younger kids.

Winter also offers an abundance of opportunities to slip and slide outside, as well.

If nature has transformed the region into a winter wonderland, bundle the kids up and head out to the numerous local sled hills sprinkled throughout Kane County.

And no matter what the winter weather, the local networks of parks, trails, forest preserves always offer a chance to get outside and explore. Consider dropping in on popular nature centers, including Hickory Knolls Discovery Center in St. Charles or the Red Oak Nature Center in Batavia. Weather permitting, Red Oak also offers snowshoe rentals, for a different kind of outdoor winter exploration experience.

GO CAMPING

While we love being outdoors, we’re not necessarily talking about sleeping in a tent.

Rather, families can find an abundance of winter break camp options through local organizations, including Elgin Parks & Recreation and the Fox Valley Park District, which offer special week-long or fun day camp options.

The Fox Valley Park District also offers special sports camps with instruction for soccer, basketball, volleyball and more.

In West Dundee, Canlan Sports also offers winter break camps to improve ice skating and hockey skills, for all levels.

DROP ON IN

Check out your local park districts and public libraries for some daytime fun.

The Geneva Park District will offer Winter Day Off Fun Zone sessions. For kids ages Kindergarten-5th Grade, the events, running daily from 8 a.m. to 2:15 p.m., except for Dec. 24-25 and Dec. 31-Jan. 1, will offer games and activities in the morning at Harrison Street School, followed by an afternoon field trip. Registration is required one week prior.

The St. Charles Park District will offer “No School Days” at Munhall. The special sessions will offer a variety of activities, including gym time, crafts, board games and outside play. They will run from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Dec. 23, Dec. 27, Dec. 30, Jan. 2 and Jan. 3.

Public libraries always hold the promise of quiet but enjoyable hours, spent in a comfortable reading room, lost in a good book, or watching the kids play and read in the children’s area.

But libraries also offer a series of special winter break activities, too.

At the Gail Borden Public Library in Elgin, for instance, families can engage with their Holiday Craft-O-Rama on Dec. 23 from noon to 1:30 p.m., offering kids aged 3 and up the chance to drop in and make holiday-themed crafts; and on Dec. 26 from noon to 8 p.m., high school age teens can join in a Holiday Movie Marathon, with free hot cocoa.

And at the St. Charles Public Library, kids and families can find events including a Giant Game Day, featuring jumbo versions of popular games, Dec. 26; and the Smarty Pants Big Balloon Show, featuring magic, comedy and balloon props, on Jan. 3 at 11 a.m.