‘Twas the night before winter break: a Modesto parents guide for the holidays
‘Twas the night before winter break, when parents all through the town, realized that the next two weeks would be without childcare — and frowned.
For the parents were still working through the holiday festivities, and worried about what their children might do without some occupying activities.
As they worried and wondered, the Modesto Bee did bring, a list of activities for them and their kin.
From winter break camps to local attractions, here is a Modesto parent’s guide through the holiday action.
If you’re looking for childcare as you finish your workday or need the day to prepare a holiday meal, consider the Modesto Children’s Museum’s Camp MoChiMu during winter break. The camp runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. for $69 a day and will be open Dec. 22-23, 29-30 and Jan. 2. The museum also offers a weeklong camp that runs Jan. 5-9 for $325.
As for local activities, Modesto on Ice, the skating rink in the Modesto Centre Plaza parking lot, is the perfect place to tire out your kiddos. The rink is open from 4 to 10 p.m. weekdays and until 11:30 p.m. on Fridays and weekends. Tickets are $19 for adults and $15 for kids. The ice-skating rink is also hosting a New Year’s Eve party for kids and a Mascots on Ice event on Jan. 6, but tickets for the NYE party are selling out fast.
Take some time to explore the Hughson Arboretum and Gardens, open anytime from sunrise to sunset all through the week. The free and beautiful space is a great way to activate children’s curiosity about the natural world and learn more about plants native to the region. The low-effort trails are a fun activity for the family, especially if the kids are armed with some paper and pencil to sketch their favorite plants.
For any parents with little artists on their hands, painting pottery at Pottery Magic Modesto, 3501 McHenry Ave., is both a creative outlet for your kids and a beautiful memento for you. The studio fee is $5 and pottery pieces range from $5 to much more, though the studio fee is waived on Mondays.
And if the day’s to-do list has you searching for a break yourself, stop by Contentment Brewing Co. for a handcrafted root beer for your kid and a real beer for you. With pinball machines and pool tables, the spot has fun for the whole family.
If you’re interested in museums, we’ve got two for you to check out. The Modesto Junior College has the Great Valley Museum, a natural history museum, on its West Campus. Adult entry is $8 and entry for children under 18 is $5. With exhibits on plants and animals from different habitats, and even live animals, the museum is an educational and low-cost activity for the whole family. On Fridays and Saturdays after the first week of January, the planetarium also will be open.
One of Modesto’s newer museums is the Be Anything Museum, which launched in September 2024, showcasing over 350 Barbie dolls, as well as houses, accessories and accompanying Mattel characters. Through its broad range of careers that Barbie dolls showcase, the museum aims to send the message that anyone can accomplish anything. Tickets are $10 for adults, $8 for kids, and free for children 5 and under. Purchasing tickets ahead of time is encouraged.
If fun rides, go-karts, bumper cars, mini golf and arcade games are more your style, try a trip to Funworks, Boomers or Dave and Buster’s, the latter is equipped with arcade fun for the kids and a pool table for the supervising adults. Watch the time slip away as everyone grabs some food and takes turns in the arcade. Dave and Buster’s also will host a NYE party for families.
As parents, there’s a duty to perform holiday magic, or the spirit of the season is simply just tragic. As you navigate the holidays, work, childcare, vacations and chores, we hope these ideas at least ease your children’s bores.
From the Modesto Bee, dear parents, we hope your holidays are bright. Good luck with winter break and to all a good night.
This story was originally published December 19, 2025 at 3:00 PM.
