How excited were the kids at Christmas? Having kept themselves busy counting down the days, the big day is usually a frenzy of gift-unwrapping and trying out new toys.
Frazzled parents, meanwhile, are now no doubt thoroughly worn out following that Christmas shopping, cooking and entertaining - yet there are still plenty days of the school holidays to fill.
The festive break started late this year and, with most kids not due back in school until well after the first week of January, the question on exhausted parents' lips is how to continue to keep the young ones entertained?
After all, they've played with their new toys - or at least the boxes that they came in - and are starting to go stir-crazy cooped up in the house with a whole load of sweets still to eat plus chocolate and cake. And dates - because everybody still buys dates but nobody eats them.
So to help you out with ideas and revive those flagging spirits, our festive gift to you is a list of things you can do with the kids in and around Newcastle during the holidays and right up to when they will return to school. So, relax and enjoy.
Enjoy some animal magic
Washington Wetland Centre
This haven is open daily and there is always something to see and do.
Its opening hours are 9.30am until 4.30pm, with last admission 3.30pm.
Not only does the centre offer a welcome chance for a breath of fresh air after being holed up in the house over the festive season but it also lifts the spirits with its range of resident wildfowl.
All ages will love seeing the added attractions of otters and flamingos whose daily feeding times offer extra fun.
The centre hosts talks and crafts and there are also walks with a warden which will explore the highlights of our wildlife reserve.
For more about WWC and ticket prices see here.
Twelfth Night Celebrations
Beamish Museum
The County Durham museum is hosting Twelfth Night celebrations until January 6 (save for New Year's Day, January 1) when families can enjoy music, dancing, food and first-footing -billed as the perfect outing to blow away the post-Christmas cobwebs.
There will be traditional ceilidh dancing at Pockerley Old Hall; an outdoor Beamish Bazaar in The Town park - and lots more.
Look out too for the Edwardian-style pantomime running in the Masonic Hall and the outdoor ice skating rink. Ice skating is available until February 25.
As with all daytime events, visitors can use their Unlimited Pass if they have one.
There are all the usual museum attractions which will ensure a packed trip out on any day you choose to visit and, if you've pre-school children too, then the Thursday JiggleBeamers drop-in play sessions in the Pit Village Band Hall should hit the spot.
See here for more of what's on.
Show off your skating skills
Pityard Skating Rink, Woodhorn Museum
Daily during the Christmas school holidays until January 7 - including New Year’s Day - visitors to this former colliery attraction in Ashington, Northumberland, will be able to glide across the outdoor synthetic ice rink which is located in the Pit Yard against the eye-catching industrial backdrop of the historic coal mining headgear and pit wheels.
Opening times are 10am until 4pm, with last skate at 3.30pm. Advance booking for a session is available by calling 01670 624 455 between 10am and 4pm.
The cost is £5.50 for children (up to the age of 12) and £6.50 for adults for a 30-minute session (including skate change time) and skate hire.
It's open to ages two-plus.
See here.
Outdoor Skating Rink, Centre for Life, Newcastle
Ice skating has returned to Times Square with the rink in residence until February 18, 2018 (except for New Year’s Day)
It has special skating events on New Year's Eve and even Valentine's Day if you want to plan ahead for a romantic whirl. Booking (online) is essential for these: see here for details.
Free family activities
Baltic Centre of Contemporary Art
With all the expense of Christmas it's always a relief to find somewhere to go that doesn't include a cost.
The Gateshead gallery has several free activities to occupy all ages.
Meet & Make is aimed at those aged up to 13 and the 2pm-4pm Sunday drop-in session involves creative fun with a Baltic artist.
A level 2 Sensory Room is open daily from 10am until 6pm and - as nice contrast to the busyness of the season - offers a quiet space to play and explore sensory toys, projections, materials and a sensory wall. It's aimed at those aged up to five but all ages are welcome.
Family Quest invites those aged 13 and under, plus their families, on a mini-tour with Baltic crew to find out more about contemporary art in an imaginative way involving games and activities linked to current exhibitions. It runs on Saturdays at 11.30am.
The level 5 viewing box is a great place to spot familiar landmarks on both sides of the Tyne. Challenge kids to count the bridges crossing the Tyne, point out Grey's Monument in the distance or spot anything festive.
Exploring the building is fun on its own as visitors can burn off festive calories by climbing - and counting if you've breath - the 203 stairs to the top while looking out for a hidden Space Invader in the stairwell. You can always ride the glass lift back down.
Find out here what is currently showing at the gallery.
Party Around The World
Seven Stories
On Saturday, December 30, the national centre for children's books is hosting a New Year's Eve Party Around the World.
This will be an opportunity to say goodbye to 2017 and welcome in 2018 ahead of the big night while also exploring when and how New Year traditions are celebrated the world over.
Wherever they are, such traditions are designed to bring luck and good fortune in the coming year.
Young ones will learn about the customs and celebrations with the help of themed story times, parties and craft activities.
There will be two parties in total; one for under fives from 11am until noon and another for those aged five-plus from 1.30pm to 2.30pm.
Booking is essential. The cost is £5 per child (no admission fee applies) and accompanying adults can attend free with a maximum of two per family group.
See here for more details and what else is on at the venue.
Then on January 6, the launch of a Wombling Weekend will help turn young ones' thoughts to do with all that festive waste now Christmas is over. Elisabeth Beresford’s heroes of recycling will help get the green message across throughout the day.
Don't forget the centre's current Comics exhibition has lots to enjoy for all ages (and we're including adults here).
Enjoy a taste of the fair
Helter Skelter in Newcastle
A funfair has stopped off in town - or at least a helter skelter and merry-go-round - and will the rides will be sited at the bottom of Northumberland Street until January, giving families plenty of opportunity to have a whirl.
The cost is £2.50 and while the spiral down the helter skelter is over pretty quickly - it probably takes longer to climb the stairs - it is always a traditional favourite and is pretty much guaranteed to bring a smile to anyone's face.
Have a ball at a museum
Happily Ever After, Discovery Museum
The Newcastle museum is hosting a 'Happily Ever After' Princess Ball which is set to be equally popular.
From 11am-1pm then 2pm-4pm on December 29 there will be music, fun, games and entertainment in the company of six princesses who will sing and dance, give a princess etiquette lesson and a princess parade. There will be party bags to take home too.
For tickets (£15 which admits a child aged three-12 plus one adult; and £7 for each additional adult or over 13-year-old) see here.
The first week of January hosts interactive bubble shows but these are now full-up. The Newcastle museum, however, has plenty permanent attractions to enjoy from its collection - hands up who knew it has one of the finest collections of scientific and technical material outside of London?
If you think that sounds a tad dull for young ones, what it really means is that it has great stuff to look at, from the Turbinia ship and a prototype tank to steam engine models and a replica of Joseph Swan's lightbulb - all of which will make you proud of the region's pioneers.
Note that children on the autistic spectrum can enjoy early opening on January 4 to experience the current All The Fun of the Fair exhibition.
Game on - join the fun
Gaming Day, Blackfriars Ouseburn Cinema (BOC)
This independent, cabaret-style cinema known as BOC is hosting a Cinema Gaming Day on Saturday, December 30 from midday to 10pm which could suit the older children while offering them a chance to find out what it would be like to play their favourite game on a giant cinema screen.
That's a 5M HD screen if you're wondering and there will be two XBOX Ones and two PlayStation 4s for all to enjoy.
After volunteers realised the fun of plugging a games console into the cinema set-up on a non-film day, they have decided to open the big-scale action as an experiment.
Gamers can play solo or challenge mates and then book a time-slot and bring along their games and controllers.
A cafe will be open too. See here.
Festive pantomimes
They're still going strong - oh, yes they are! The range of pantomimes around the North East - more than ever this year by the way - doesn't stop at Christmas.
That festive cheer and shouts of f “it’s behind you” will be echoing around the region at several venues until the kids are back at school - and later in some cases.
So there are still tickets to be had and if you want to bag one to enjoy another dose of festive family fun then check out guide to what you can see in the North East this year:
Discover the world of Paddington Bear
Fenwick’s Christmas Window
Christmas just wouldn’t be Christmas without it and Fenwick’s window is still continuing to light up children’s faces.
This year Fenwick is celebrating 46 years of lighting up Northumberland Street with the help of children's favourite - now film star- Paddington Bear and families will be able to enjoy the sight of right up until January.
Fenwick's Christmas window LIVE: Paddington Bear is unveiled as the 2017 theme
Always a popular (and free) outing, just pop along to the store to see the festive scenes featuring the bear - who is currently making a return to the big screen in the film sequel of his adventures - and see if you spot all his pots of marmalade!