Southwest Orlando Winter Kids Calender

Winter break is just around the corner, and soon, students will be out of school for several days. If you’re seeking kid-friendly activities to keep your children entertained, active and out of trouble, then look no further. Southwest Orlando Bulletin’s Winter Kids Calendar provides great ideas to get you started.

gaylordChristmas at Gaylord Palms presents ICE, featuring A Charlie Brown Christmas, from Nov. 18-Jan. 1.

Christmas at Gaylord Palms — 6000 W. Osceola Parkway, Kissimmee, 407-586-0000 — guests will marvel at lavish holiday displays that include more than 2 million twinkling Christmas lights and acres of larger-than-life decorations. Activities include heartwarming visits with Santa; the Cirque Dreams UnWrapped Live Stage Show; ICE, featuring A Charlie Brown Christmas, from Nov. 18-Jan. 1; and many other exclusive holiday events and attractions to get everyone in the spirit of the season.


craniumCranium Academy’s holiday camps keep kids entertained with a blend of fun and learning.

Cranium Academy — 407-294-6950, www.craniumacademy.com — offers holiday camps that provide a unique daily option and keep children ages 3-10 engaged with a blend of learning and fun. Activities include learning adventures, crafts, active play in Cranium’s indoor gym, an outdoor playground, bounce house and more. Camps are $45/day. Drop-off is after 7 a.m., and pickup is before 6 p.m. Fall Harvest Celebration takes place Nov. 21-23; and Holidays Around the World Celebration is Dec. 19-23.


grandcypressGrand Cypress Academy of Golf holds holiday season camps for golfers ages 7-17.

Grand Cypress Academy of Golf — 407-239-1975, grandcypress.com — offers junior camps for ages 7-17. Sessions include Black Friday Drop & Shop, a half- or full-day camp, on Nov. 25; a two-day holiday camp from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. on Dec. 26 and Dec. 27; and a three-day holiday camp from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. on Dec. 28, Dec. 29 and Dec. 30. Camps include on-course playing lessons on practice holes, short game instruction, full swing instruction and an excellent student-to-teacher ratio. Prices vary.


idrive360IDrive 360 features the Coca-Cola Orlando Eye as well as a mix of attractions, restaurants, clubs and shops.

I-Drive 360 — www.i-drive360.com — is the perfect setting for a three- to five-hour family escape. It features the Coca-Cola Orlando Eye as the centerpiece of the complex — the 400-foot observation wheel is the tallest on the East Coast of the U.S. I-Drive 360 boasts a mix of attractions, restaurants, clubs and shops, including Sea Life Orlando Aquarium, Madame Tussauds and Skeletons: Animals Unveiled, a museum with more than 500 skeletons of animals from around the world. Free covered parking is included.


kingsbowlKings Orlando features kid-friendly bowling with bumpers and light bowling balls for children, shuffleboard, billiards and more.

Kings Orlando — 8255 International Drive, Orlando, 407-363-0200, www.kingsorlando.com — is the perfect place for a rainy afternoon or escaping the Florida heat with the family. Kings’ 30,000-square-foot venue, located next to the Coca-Cola Orlando Eye, features kid-friendly bowling with bumpers and light bowling balls for children, shuffleboard, billiards, foosball and bocce ball. Kings, voted Orlando’s top family dining and entertainment venue, also boasts a chef-driven scratch kitchen and two full-service bars with creative food and cocktails.


Orl Rep Clip artOrlando Repertory Theatre presents performances of Harry Connick Jr’s The Happy Elf from Nov. 7-Dec. 18.

Orlando Repertory Theatre — 1001 E. Princeton St., Orlando, 407-896-7365, www.orlandorep.com — presents performances of Harry Connick Jr.’s The Happy Elf from Nov. 7-Dec. 18. Energetic Eubie believes if he can restore joy to the forlorn town of Bluesville, full of children on the naughty list, he will win a spot on Santa’s sleigh team — his ultimate dream. Positive thinking, teamwork, and faith are wonderful gifts to give and to receive. In this story of elfin magic, the audience finds that these gifts are never in short supply. Ticket prices start at $14.


orl_treetrekOrlando Tree Trek Adventure Park is an elevated outdoor obstacle course, featuring zip lines, suspended bridges, nets and Tarzan swings, for every age and ability.

Orlando Tree Trek Adventure Park — 7625 Sinclair Road, Kissimmee, 407-390-9999, www.orlandotreetrek.com — invites youngsters to climb, swing and soar through courses that feature dozens of aerial games. The kids ticket, for ages 7-11, includes two courses; and the junior ticket, for ages 9-11, includes three courses. The park offers unbeatable photo opportunities, and it is a day kids won’t soon forget. Prices start at $29.95.


skyzoneSky Zone Orlando hosts “Glow” on Saturday nights for age 13-older.

Sky Zone Orlando — 5250 International Drive, Suite C1, Orlando, 407-326-0482, szorlando@gmail.com — allows guests to party in the dark at the wall-to-wall trampoline park. People age 13-older can get their jump on with music, black lights, laser beams and more. “Glow” takes place Saturdays from 8-11 p.m., and the cost is $20. Reflective shirts must be worn and are available for purchase for $5 each. Gather your friends and glow at Sky Zone Orlando!


theatresouthTheatre Souths Youth Playhouse holds auditions for Xanadu Jr. and I Wanna Be Annie.

Theatre Souths Youth Playhouse — 407-489-4458, theatresouthorlando.com, theatresouthorlando@gmail.com — is just warming up this season. Go back in time to the ’80s and join the playhouse for the hit musical Xanadu Jr. for teens in sixth-12th grade. Then join them for a tribute to Broadway’s favorite musical, Annie, in the hysterical and heartfelt tribute show I Wanna Be Annie for performers in kindergarten-fifth grade. Auditions for both shows will be held Dec. 10, 17 and 31 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Reservations are required. All shows rehearse and perform at the Rosen Event Center Theater.💓