Thanksgiving and Christmas break are almost here! This means kids are home and parents always want to maximize the way time is spent. So from sensory to snow, sports to music Family Entourage is here to share some favorites tips, plus some Black Friday specials that you should have on your radar. 

SNOW IN SOCAL! WINTERFEST FUN

Southern California’s largest winter festival, Winter Fest OC, returns in its 11th year at the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa. This year’s event features expanded attractions, immersive experiences, and flexible ticketing options for families, couples, and holiday enthusiasts.

Guests can enjoy real snow, dazzling lights, live entertainment, festive food & drinks, and endless holiday photo ops with fan-favorite Winter Fest OC characters including Yowie the Yeti, Ice Princess, Jack Frost, Snowflake stilt walkers, and other holiday favorite mascots and entertainment. Plus visit with Santa and capture your holiday photos in the Forest of Lights at Winter Fest OC through December 24 before he returns to the North Pole. 

• Attractions include:
  • Ice Skating under the stars on SoCal’s largest outdoor rink
  • Snowflake Summit – a 150-foot, 9-lane ice tubing slide
  • Expanded Snow Play Zone with more snow, slides, and a new falling snow area
  • Carnival rides and games 
  • Inflatables 
  • Polar Putt-Putt Mini Golf 
  • Nightly tree lighting around the 40-foot Holiday Tree and Holiday House
  • Fireside Igloos available for renting for up to 10 people 

BACKSTROKE TO THIS BLACK FRIDAY DEAL

In San Diego learning to swim is a must with the ocean and all the pools in the area. Whether your kiddos are just learning how to swim or looking to refine their freestyle stroke to be the, Noonan Family Swim has a variety of programs to suit your family’s needs and a Black Friday deal that has to be on your radar. On Friday, November 28, 2025, Noonan Family Swim will offer 35% OFF gift certificates for one day only! This is the perfect chance to save on swim lessons for your little ones or give the gift of swimming to family and friends.

Noonan has a variety of programs to suit your family’s needs. With four locations throughout San Diego, Noonan Family Swim has a splash babies program where infants and toddlers can learn water safety and adjust to the water.  As children get older, they can learn all of the different techniques to excel in freestyle, backstroke and more. As parents, we appreciate that Noonan has so many great instructors and they really take the time to match your child based on their ability as well as finding an instructor that will be a good fit.  I’ve enjoyed seeing how Noonan has helped my children progress in their swimming and enabled them to be confident in their water activities. My children love working their way up through the different levels as they complete different skills and strokes. 

SPARK IMAGINATION WITH DIY SETS

Spark imagination and sensory exploration with Crayola’s Goo sets. These all-in-one kits let kids mix, decorate, and personalize slime that they make from scratch. The All in One Sensory Stations feature Galaxy or Unicorn-themed kits. Each comes with everything needed including powder, mix-ins, four containers and even a space to mix and create. Simply mix the powder with water and add fun mix em’s for texture and play. From glitter and beads to markers, our kids loved customizing their own slime. Don’t worry moms, they are designed for less mess and to maximize the fun.

Crayola Goo is made with a special formula that won’t stick on clothes or hands. It is also safe, non-toxic and whether you’re into unicorns, fantasy, space, or beyond, these sets will provide hours of creative fun. Priced at under $20, Crayola Goo makes a great gift this holiday season. Find Crayola Goo at Walmart in the toy aisle and Crayola aisles this holiday.

MAKE MUSIC THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

Level up this holiday break and learn how to play the piano, guitar or electric guitar! Lessons, games, music and even an interactive TV show all make learning to play an instrument fun with Loog for kids and adults. Go from listening to Christmas music to leading the family sing along.  

Musical training helps stimulate the brain, and improves functions like memory and abstract reasoning skills. Loog makes learning to play easy for kids and adults. Through flash cards and an interactive app, our kids have enjoyed learning how to play not only scales but songs too. From the Beatles to Imagine Dragons, the app has different genres of songs and difficulty levels so that players of all backgrounds will find it engaging. The kids enjoy the game-based learning and we love that they are learning how to play an instrument. In addition to the piano, Loog Guitars are designed to make playing music easy and fun. Our kids enjoy playing the guitar as it is their size with 3-strings to keep it simple and get them playing songs faster. Loog Guitars are really just 3-string guitars: they use regular guitar strings, they tune like a guitar, they play like a guitar, and they sound like a guitar. As our kids age and grow they can seamlessly transition to bigger guitars with six strings.

Maximize School Breaks During Holiday Season