Winter break with kids in New Castle County
The week off school between Christmas and New Year's is when parents run out of ideas by Tuesday. This list pulls the dated winter-break programs and events from our calendar — day camps, library specials, museum drop-ins — grouped by area. For the standing options that don't need a date (indoor playgrounds, museums, rainy-day picks), the guides linked below are the evergreen answer.
The lineup isn't out yet.
We rebuild this list from live events, so it fills in as the season's dates are announced. In the meantime, the full calendar has everything that's on now.
Questions parents ask
Are there winter-break day camps near Wilmington?
Dated camps appear on this page once they're in our calendar, and they usually need registration. One is already posted: the Delaware Museum of Nature & Science has a School Day Off Camp on December 23, 2026 for ages 5–14, 8 AM–5:30 PM; pre-registration is required and closes two days ahead. Confirm with the organizer before planning around any camp.
What can we do the week between Christmas and New Year’s?
Hagley runs Science Sparks, a drop-in cardboard-engineering activity, 11 AM–3 PM on December 26–29 and 31, 2026 and January 1–3, 2027. Yuletide at Winterthur continues through January 3, 2027, Tuesday–Sunday 10 AM–5 PM; it is open New Year’s Day, with no evening hours on December 26 or January 1. Confirm tickets and admission with each venue.
Get the good ones before they fill up
One countywide shortlist every Friday morning, with ages, cost and logistics on each pick. Free.
More guides
Dates refresh from each organizer’s listing twice a day.
Event dates come straight from our live calendar and refresh automatically. Last reviewed October 23, 2026. Confirm anything dated on the source before you go.