Winter Break Guide for Parents

Southeastern Wisconsin | Winter Break 2025–2026

School’s out, the snacks are disappearing at record speed, and the kids are asking what’s next before you’ve even had coffee. This guide pulls together family‑friendly outings across Southeastern Wisconsin to help you survive the rest of winter break.

From high‑energy activities to low‑key movie afternoons, there’s something here for every kind of winter‑break mood.

Milwaukee County Zoo: Frosty Free Week & Wild Lights

Frosty Free Week
December 26–30, 2025
Parking fees apply
Closed Christmas Day and New Year’s Day

The Zoo offers free daytime admission during Frosty Free Week. Families can enjoy winter walks, viewing cold-weather animals, and seasonal activities. It’s an easy outing to scale up or down depending on how long the kids last outdoors.

Wild Lights (Evenings)
A separate, ticketed evening lights experience featuring illuminated tunnels, large-scale light displays, themed sections, and walk-through areas throughout the Zoo. A New Year’s Eve Wild Lights option is also available for families staying local that night.

Indoor Ice Skating

Mullett Ice Center (Hartland)
Public holiday skating is offered throughout winter break and is a popular family rink in Lake Country.

Naga-Waukee Ice Arena (Delafield)
Public holiday skating is available, with skate rentals offered.

Eble Ice Arena (Brookfield)
Public skating is offered during winter break; plan ahead as popular sessions can fill up.

Petite Ice Center (West Allis)
A community rink offering public skating opportunities that work well for families and newer skaters.

Skateland (Roller Skating)
An indoor roller skating option with winter break hours and themed sessions.

Indoor Jumping, Slides & High-Energy Play

When outdoor play isn’t realistic, these indoor spots are ideal for burning energy.

Urban Air – Milwaukee West
A large indoor adventure park with trampolines, climbing walls, ropes course, warrior-style obstacles, tube playground, and overhead ride elements. Works well for mixed-age groups.

Sky Zone – Milwaukee & Waukesha
Wall-to-wall trampolines, foam pits, dodgeball courts, and glow-style jump sessions. Often structured with options that work for different age ranges.

Kids Empire – Brookfield
A multi-level indoor play space with slides, tunnels, climbing structures, and a dedicated toddler area. Designed for longer free-play visits.

Slick City – Wauwatosa
A dry slide park featuring large slides, air courts, and soft-landing zones. Popular with kids who want movement without trampolines.

Air360 – New Berlin
Includes trampolines, foam pits, ninja-style obstacle courses, and dunk lanes. A strong option for tweens and teens.

The Big Backyard – New Berlin
Indoor playground with climbing structures, tunnels, slides, ride-on toys, and a toddler-only area. Ideal for younger kids when you want active play without the intensity of a jump park.

The Old School House – Nashotah
A cozy, community-focused indoor play space with imaginative play areas, slides, climbing structures, and rotating themed activities. A great choice when you want something lower-key but still out of the house.

Creative & Hands-On Activities

Perfect for quieter days or kids who love to make things.

Michael’s Kids’ Craft Classes
Holiday-themed craft sessions and drop-in make-and-take projects—an easy win when you want a structured activity without committing to a full day out.

LEGO Store – Mayfair
Free play tables, mini builds, and kid-friendly browsing that can keep kids engaged longer than you’d expect, especially if they’re LEGO obsessed.

Glaze Art & Ice Cream – Oconomowoc / Thiensville
Paint-your-own pottery with kid-friendly pieces. Great for all ages, and you leave with something tangible that feels like a real “winter break memory” instead of another screen day.

Movies & Theater

Marcus Theatres – Holiday Movie Lineup
Family-friendly matinees, $5 Tuesdays, and Kids’ Snack Packs make it an easy, budget-conscious outing—especially on afternoons when everyone needs a reset.

First Stage Children’s Theater – Milwaukee
Live theater created specifically for young audiences and families. Productions are designed to keep kids engaged—not “sit still and suffer”—with strong storytelling, visual staging, and age-appropriate pacing. It’s a great option when you want something that feels meaningful and memorable, especially for kids who love books, music, or performance. (Tip for parents: this is often a strong pick for kids who struggle in long movies but thrive with live energy.)

Museums & Indoor Exploration

Betty Brinn Children’s Museum – Milwaukee
Designed primarily for children ages 1–10, Betty Brinn focuses on learning through play. Expect hands-on exhibits that encourage creativity and problem-solving—often including pretend marketplaces, building zones, interactive stations, and kid-driven exploration. It’s an excellent half-day outing when you want something educational that still feels fun.

Milwaukee Public Museum
A classic winter break destination with dinosaurs, butterflies, immersive historical exhibits, rotating science displays, and planetarium programming. Works well for quick visits or long wandering days.

Mitchell Park Domes Holiday Show: “The Twelve Days of Christmas”

The Domes holiday show transforms the conservatory into a warm, walk-through winter display filled with themed plantings, large poinsettia groupings, and playful interpretations tied to The Twelve Days of Christmas. It’s visually engaging, stroller-friendly, and a solid option when you want a festive outing without being outdoors for hours.

Planetarium Shows

Retzer Nature Center Planetarium (Waukesha County)
The only planetarium in Waukesha County, featuring a 90-seat Digistar-6 system. Winter break programming includes astronomy shows, space science topics, and seasonal sky presentations appropriate for families and school-age kids.

Indoor Water Parks

Springs Water Park – The Ingleside Hotel
Indoor water attractions include tube and body slides, a lazy river, activity pool, indoor/outdoor hot tub, zero-depth kids’ area, plus an arcade and snack bar. A strong full-day option close to home.

Timber Ridge Lodge – Lake Geneva
Moose Mountain Falls indoor water park, with day passes often available. A great middle-ground option when you want a “mini getaway” feel without going far.

Great Wolf Lodge – Wisconsin Dells (Worth the Drive)
If you want a bigger outing during break, the Dells can be worth the drive. Great Wolf Lodge offers the full indoor water park experience, and it can work as either a day trip or an overnight reset for families.

Bowling & Duck Bowling

Thirsty Duck – Sussex
Duck bowling with short lanes and lighter balls—more approachable for kids and first-time bowlers.

Traditional Bowling Options

• Bowlero Wauwatosa – Wauwatosa

• Sunset Bowl – Waukesha

• Foxx View Lanes – Waukesha

• Jay’s Lanes – Mukwonago

• Alpine Lanes – Muskego

• Sussex Bowl – Sussex

• Zero-Proof Café & Bowl – Muskego

Bowling is one of the easiest winter break activities to adapt for different ages and group sizes.

Cool Fool Kite Festival – New Year’s Day

January 1, 2026
Veterans Park, Milwaukee Lakefront
Free event with free parking

A long-running New Year’s Day tradition with kite flying, large kite displays, and free hot chocolate, coffee, and snacks while supplies last. Families can bring their own kite or purchase one onsite.

Winter Break Wrap-Up

Between school calendars, winter break plans, and busy family schedules, having the right home in the right community makes all the difference. The Hupke Team | RE/MAX Forward helps families find homes that fit real life. In 2024, we had 121 closings totaling over $38 million and earned 130+ five-star Google reviews.