Spring Break Ideas for Kids
Things to Do With Children at Home for School Vacation
Got a house full of kids for spring break and no plans to travel? Here are some spring break ideas for kids and parents that will turn a week at home into a fun vacation.
Looking for some spring break ideas that will bring your family together and won’t break your budget? You don’t have to take a trip to make spring break fun for your kids. With some advance planning and creativity, you can make spring break as much fun as a week at the beach.
If you’re staying home during spring break, think of the outings and activities you can’t fit into your school-day schedule and get them done. Visit the places you can't get to on weekends and do projects your regular schedule won't allow.
Something Fun Every Day
Make every day a different theme, using the things that your kids are interested in. Designate one day a “Backwards Day” or “Opposite Day” and do everything backwards. (Eat dinner food for breakfast, have pancakes for dinner, wear your clothes backwards and inside out, say hello when you greet someone, and say hello when you leave.)
Camp out in the back yard on Wild West Day, do some stargazing on Outer Space Day, and go for a fossil hunt on Dinosaur Day. Have a Birthday Day, when it’s a special day for everybody; organize a gift exchange and have cake for everyone.
Plant a Garden With Your Children
Spring break is the perfect time to start thinking about your garden. Let your kids choose a small piece of ground in the back yard and dig it out into their very own garden. Let them put in a border with bricks or rocks and plant what the season allows.
Start some seeds in potting soil in Styrofoam cups indoors so they can plant them outside when the weather gets warmer.
Kids’ gardening and planting projects are great lessons in science and math.
Spring Day Trips
What’s within driving distance to where you live? Get out a map and let the whole family look at what’s nearby. Schedule some trips to an arboretum, a planetarium, museums, factory tours and other local offerings.
Many attractions have free-admission days on week days and off season discounts, both of which you can take advantage during a spring break.
Volunteer
More and more college students are giving up party-filled Florida spring breaks in favor of building houses for Habitat for Humanity and other volunteer projects. You can do the same with younger children. Call your church or town hall to find out what volunteer opportunities are available. Sign up to do a week’s worth of laundry at a homeless shelter, serve dinners at a soup kitchen, or help out in a low-income day care center.
Get Ready for Easter
If you celebrate Easter and your spring break falls before the holiday, use it to prepare the biggest and best Easter celebration ever. Make natural dyes for coloring Easter eggs, do lots of Easter crafts, and make your own heirloom Easter baskets.
