1. Take a nature walk or hike. Go to a state or city park and look for things in nature like pine cones, bird feathers, nuts, wild flowers, interesting rocks, nests, and perhaps specific bird and tree species. You can even make it a scavenger hunt by giving them a list to look for before hand. They will love getting some fresh air and connecting with nature. If you have a park with a creek or other waterway that is even better. Let the kids get good and dirty, just bring towels for your car!
2. Garden together. Start planting some seedlings indoors or prepping your flower and food beds. Check out a copy of Sunflower Houses or Roots, Shoots, Buckets, and Boots at your local library and come up with fun gardening ideas together. Another GREAT book for spring break ideas is Don’t Throw It, Grow It. It has 68 window sill garden ideas that use kitchen scraps. Your kids could find several fun “projects” and they would be learning about gardening and recycling at the same time.
3. Read a book together every day. This is a FREE and yet very meaningful activity. Check out a dozen books at the library and plan on reading one or two together every day. Find a nice tree and take story hour outside for even more fun.
4. Donate unused toys and children’s clothes to charity or freecycle them. Have the kids help gather everything up so they can decide what they don’t need and then they can feel proud of their generosity in donating to those less fortunate. This is also a great way to get spring cleaning and de-cluttering underway.
5. Go to a museum, planetarium, or zoo. Spring break is a great time to visit the a science museum, children’s play museum, or a zoo. These are fun and educational places to go. Just pack a lunch or snack if you can to keep things cheap and healthy. It might be a great opportunity to get your annual passes as well…we will be. :)
6. Do some nature crafting. Ideas include making a birdhouse, a birdfeeder, a nesting box, or making fairy furniture using twigs, nuts, and grass. You could even make some fairy wings together and let them play woodland fairies in the backyard.
7. Go to the park and have a picnic. Let the kids help prep your outdoor feast and away you go. Lay down a blanket or sheet and eat. The kids can take time away to play on the playground if there is one. Break out the frisbee, kites, beach balls, and hoola hoops.
8. Have a movie night. Pick a family movie for one or two nights during spring break and make some wholesome snacks to munch on during the movie. Turn the lights off and light some small candles for ambience. Some movie ideas that my family would love are Old Yeller, White Fang, Zathura, Parent Trap, or Swiss Family Robinson.
9. Play a game together. In addition to board games and card games you can also go play paintball or laser tag. Bowling together is another fun game idea. Any games that brings lots of smiles and laughter is a-okay in my book.
10. Look for free or low cost community events. This may include story hour at your local library or a theatre production at a children’s playhouse. National monuments are often free to view as well. My family will be taking a trip to the Harding Memorial where former President, Warren G. Harding, and his wife are buried. They will learn a bit of history, give me some great photo opps, and it is free.
Have a great Spring Break!!
