The term "holiday break" is a sadistic joke. For parents there's nothing break-like about the days between Christmas and the new year. School is out and your little darlings are on the loose, emboldened by their recent holiday haul sand secure in the knowledge that they've got 360-something days before they even have to pretend to be good again. If idol hands are the devil's playthings, holiday break is Beelzebub's playground. Thankfully there are lots of local activities going on now through the wee days of 2010 to keep the kids occupied. Below is just a sampling; for more ideas check the Kids Events section of our online events calendar.

The only thing kids like more than building things is destroying them. Strong National Museum of Play knows this, and is putting on Lots o' LEGO School-Break Week Saturday, December 26-Friday, January 1. Kids can make all kinds of constructs from the LEGO Duplo station, or create their own LEGO blocks out of paper. It's all in conjunction with the museum's "Art of the Brick" exhibit, featuring mind-blowing sculptures created out of the teeny building blocks. Bonus: the "Videotopia" 80's arcade game exhibit is still open through January 3. After the kids have exhausted themselves, impress them by showing off your mad Ms. Pac-Man skillz. The museum is located at 1 Manhattan Square, and is regularly open Monday-Thursday 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Friday-Saturday 10 a.m.-8 p.m., and Sunday noon-5 p.m. Note that the museum closes at 4 p.m. on Christmas Eve, is closed all of Christmas Day, and has limited hours on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. Admission is $8-$10. For more information call 263-2700 or visit museumofplay.org.

The Rochester Museum & Science Center is packed with countless fun and educational activities. But Saturday, December 26-Tuesday, December 30 the museum offers even more with its Holiday Science & Technology Days. Meet live animals, try your hand at biology or chemistry experiments, and more 11 a.m.-4 p.m. most days, noon-4 p.m. on Sunday. Also on display through January 18 is "Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition," an interactive show that leads guests through real stories of the doomed voyage, and which includes actual items salvaged from the wreckage.� The RMSC is located at 657 East Ave, and regular hours are Monday-Saturday 9 a.m.-5 p.m. (extended until 9 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays), Sunday 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Note that it closes at 3 p.m. on Christmas Eve, is closed all of Christmas Day, and has limited hours on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. Admission costs $5-$17. For more information call 271-4320 or visit rmsc.org.

The RMSC's Strasenburgh Planetarium has several kid-friendly films showing over break. "My Planets" offers a tour of our solar system that's appropriate for kids 3-5, while the more ominously titled "Cosmic Disasters"� debunks - or bolsters - myths like the 2012 global environmental collapse or shifting poles (it's appropriate for ages 6 and up). Animal lovers will dig the giant-screen films "Wild Ocean" (paired with "The Song of Africa") and "Beavers" (shown with "The Octopus Challenge"). And if your kids are still in the holiday spirit, "Holiday Songs and Skies with Mr. Jack Frost" has all their favorite seasonal tunes - and lasers! The planetarium is located at 657 East Avenue. Tickets cost $7-$10. For a full schedule of films visit rmsc.org.

The Seneca Park Zoo might seem like a warm-weather-only activity, but it's open year-round and has lots to offer in the winter months. In fact, some of the animals are even more active when it's cold outside. Even if you spend the whole day watching the polar bears a trip is well worth your time. The zoo is located at 2222 St. Paul St. Regular hours are daily 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; closed Christmas Day. Admission $4-$7. For more information call 336-7200 or visit senecaparkzoo.org.

For budding snow bunnies Bristol Mountain Resort is hosting a Winter Holiday Camp Monday, December 28-Thursday, December 31, for kids ages 7-17. The camp costs $225-$325, and there are activities for skiers and snowboarders of all ability levels, and equipment rental is available for an additional fee. The resort is also open for general skiing, snowboarding, and cross-country skiing and snowshoeing through its Nordic Center. Bristol is located at 5662 State Route 64 in Canandaigua. For more information call 374-6000 or visit bristolmountain.com.

If you like your fun icy, but a little less hurling-down-a-mountain, Genesee Valley Park Ice Arena will have extended open skate hours during the break. In addition tot he normal schedule you can skate noon-1:15 & 3:15-4:45 p.m. on Christmas Eve, and again December 28-New Year's Eve. The rink is located at 131 Elmwood Ave. Admission costs $2-$4.50, with an additional $3 skate rental charge. For a full open skate schedule or more information call 428-7889, or visit cityofrochester.gov.

Tops Cooking School puts on two different holiday break cooking classes for kids Tuesday, December 29-Thursday, December 31. "Fun With Food: 2010 New Year's Celebration"� is designed for ages 4-8, and features a variety of snacks to capture young imaginations, like pigs in a blanket, pizza moons, and more. Class runs 9 a.m.-noon, and costs $80. For older kids, age 8-15, there's "2010 New Year's Celebration with Disney," in which they learn to make dishes served for the New Year's festivities at Disneyworld. Class runs 1-5 p.m. and costs $125. Classes take place at 3507 Mt. Read Boulevard. For more information call 663-5449 or visit topsmarkets.com.