Winter break is a mix of excitement, travel, sugar and long empty afternoons. A simple coloring plan gives kids calm, creative time every day.
A two-week theme plan
| Day | Theme |
|---|---|
| 1 | Holiday characters |
| 2 | Snow and winter animals |
| 3 | Robots |
| 4 | Under the sea |
| 5 | Monster day |
| 6 | Family portraits |
| 7 | Free choice |
| 8 | Space and aliens |
| 9 | Dinosaurs |
| 10 | Food characters |
| 11 | Patterns day |
| 12 | Make cards and thank-you notes |
| 13 | New Year goals |
| 14 | Favorite page redo |
Books for the break
- Trace Then Color: Cartoon Christmas Characters for holiday days
- Trace Then Color: Cartoon Robots for robot day
- Trace Then Color: Fish, Sea Creatures and More for under the sea
- Trace Then Color: Cool Stuff for monsters, aliens and more
Calm-down breaks
Busy holiday days can overwhelm kids. A short coloring break in a quiet room helps them reset. See coloring for anxious kids.
Travel kit
For holiday travel, pack a small kit. See road trip coloring.
Family coloring
Winter break is a great time to color together. Try family coloring games.
Thank-you notes
Use day 12 to color thank-you cards for gifts.
Don’t fill every hour. Coloring works best as one calm choice among many.
Questions parents ask
How long should kids color each day?
Whatever they enjoy. Even 15 minutes is worthwhile.
How do I keep kids off screens during break?
Have screen-free options ready, like coloring, puzzles and outdoor play. See screen-free coloring afternoons.
Can older kids join in?
Yes. Offer detailed pages and better tools.
About Kevin Coulston
Kevin Coulston is a cartoonist and member of the National Cartoonists Society who has written and illustrated more than 100 drawing, tracing and coloring books for kids, including the Trace Then Color series. Meet Kevin or browse all his books on FirstArtBooks.com.
