Well, Christmas is over and the New Year is still a week away. Your kids have unwrapped their toys, and – if they're anything like my brother when he was little – have probably broken a few already. They've been playing with everything for a couple of days. I'd give it maybe one more before you'll start to hear those two little words that haunt every parent's nightmares: "I'm bored."

Those couple of weeks off school around Christmas time are highly anticipated during the fall, but somewhere in the middle of break, you realize it's far too long. There's a line in a Christmas song that expresses this. After describing what the kids are hoping to find under the tree, Bing Crosby notes, "Mom and dad can hardly wait for school to start again..."

I'm sure more than a couple parents nodded in guilty agreement. Now, I'm not a parent myself, but from the perspective of the kid, I can say parents have absolutely nothing to feel guilty about. I found myself telling my mother how "bored" I was just days after receiving dozens of new things to play with. Yes, the gratitude of children can be heartwarming, can't it?

So, we have a dilemma. Your kids are bored, but you cleaned out your bank account buying gifts to entertain and delight them. What to do? Good news! Here in Corning & the Finger Lakes, there are plenty of FREE things to do the week after Christmas that will occupy both you and your children.

Spend a day exploring The Corning Museum of Glass where "Holiday Break" activities last from December 26 – 31. Kids and teens 19 and under are always free at the museum. You and your children will love watching the master glassworkers blow intricate pieces right before your eyes. Submit a drawing of something you'd like to see come alive in glass. At select Hot Glass Shows throughout the day, glassmakers will choose a drawing and make the piece, and the winning artist will get to keep it! Watch narrated flameworking and glass breaking demonstrations.

Think your kids won't enjoy browsing the galleries? Think again! With that new smartphone or iPad, they'll be able to download the kid-friendly museum mobile app and explore the museum in a fun, easy-to-understand way. If they left their new gadgets at home, rent an iPod Touch at the admissions desk.

Spend the next day at the Rockwell Museum of Western Art. Your whole family will love exploring the Treasures Under the Tree Holiday Toy Exhibit. Journey back in time with this selection of vintage toys and memorabilia from the Victorian era. Bob and Hertha Rockwell, the founding collectors of the Rockwell Museum, collected many toys during their lifetimes. While they are no longer on permanent display, there's no better time than the holiday season to bring select objects back out to enjoy!

If you have young children, grab a backpack ArtPack when you arrive to the museum and do activities related to cowboys and Indians, horses, and so much more. Play themed seek and find games in the galleries. At the Rockwell Museum, there's something to delight every age group. As with the glass museum, kids and teens 19 and under are always free at the Rockwell.

The Glenn H. Curtiss Museum in Hammondsport is another great place to spend part of your holiday break. Your kids learned about the Wright Brothers in school, but now they can learn about a very special pioneer, right here in the "cradle of aviation." Known as the "Father of Naval Aviation," Glenn Curtiss had his hand in almost everything with a motor. Explore the exhibits with everything from motorcycles to giant airplanes Curtiss used to fly right off Keuka Lake. With collections that house everything from classic boats to dollhouses, everyone will find something enjoyable at the Curtiss Museum. Discover aviation history and local history, as well. Student admission (ages 7-18) is $4.50, and kids 6 and under are free. There is a family rate of $20.

Well, there are my suggestions for some fun activities that won't break the bank. When your kids are "bored" during their lengthy holiday break, you'll know exactly what to do. After the excitement of new gifts has worn off, get excited about family fun at these world-class museums this holiday season.