Surely each of us as a parent has felt stuck in the everyday life and the routine. With spring break season upon us and summer right around the corner, here are some fun ideas for new activities to do with your kids. Use the time together to teach your children important things and to help them adopt very useful skills. Remember to cherish this special time with your kids as it passes and changes so quickly as they grow older. Here are some suggestions for spring break activities that are a lot fun for the whole family.
10 Fun Spring Break Activities To Do With Kids
There are lots of reasons people stay home for vacation. But whether you stay or go, spring break is a time to unwind and enjoy! As much as we all deserve a break, it’s important to keep our minds engaged and curiosity piqued during this period. Why not make this spring break a fun and educational one? From outdoor adventures to creative projects and science experiments, there are plenty of activities that will keep your kids engaged. In this article, we’ll explore fun and educational activities that can turn this break into a memorable experience. So, get ready to discover new ways to spend spring break with your family!
Play Bingo
Playing bingo is a great family game that kids and adults of all ages can play together. You can play bingo and make it even more fun with a few prizes- anything from movie night to no chores day. My grandmother used to have bingo as a birthday party activity when I was little and it was always a big hit with my party guest.
Explore the Outdoors
Another great way to spend spring break is by exploring the outdoors. Whether it’s a hike in the mountains, a visit to the beach, or a day at the park, being outside can be a wonderful learning experience for kids. They can discover new plants and animals, observe the changing natural environment, and feel connected to the world around them. Plus, it’s a great opportunity for exercise and fresh air!
If you’re not sure where to start, consider planning a nature scavenger hunt. Make a list of items for your kids to find, such as certain types of plants or animals, and see who can spot them first. They can also learn about the history and geology of the area. Exploring the outdoors can be a wonderful way for kids to learn and have fun at the same time. With a little planning and creativity, your spring break can be a memorable and educational experience for the whole family.
Make Playdough Or Slime
Another option is to make some cornstarch playdough or slime. All you need are a few basic ingredients like cornstarch and shaving cream for cornstarch playdoug;, flour, salt, and water for playdough; or glue and borax for slime. You can then add food coloring or glitter to make it more colorful and fun. Your kids will love creating their own unique creations and playing with them over and over again.
Cook Up Some Fun in the Kitchen
If you’re looking for a fun and educational way to spend your spring break indoors, the kitchen is the perfect place to start. Not only will your kids learn about cooking and nutrition, but they’ll also have a blast exploring new recipes and flavors.
For an easy hit, you can try making your own ice cream or popsicles. All you need is some fruit, yogurt, and a blender to create a tasty and healthy treat. Your kids will love getting to choose their own flavors and mix-ins, and they’ll learn about the science behind freezing and melting.
If your family is competitive, a delicious activity is to have a family bake-off. Choose a recipe that everyone can make, like cookies or muffins, and have each person put their own spin on it. You can experiment with different ingredients and flavor combinations and have a taste test at the end to see who created the best version.
Paint Pottery
In case your kids are keen on art, you can spend all day painting pre-made pottery in your back yard or over newspaper at your kitchen table. Children will develop their creativity and taste for the nice things, and adults will be surprised at how relaxing and fun this can be. You can find pottery sets that you can buy that come with paint that you can bake on or you can visit a pottery painting studio and make the mess there and let them bake it professionally there. You may even want to search for a pottery making studio that will let you make the pottery you will paint for a little extra fun!
Search For Hidden Treasure
To find the hidden treasure and to be a pirate is a dream of every little boy. It even continues to be the secret dream of many grown boys, that is why many men are filling their free time with computer games based on this topic! To play this game in the park or in your back yard with your son can guarantee a very entertaining time during the weekend. There is a special web site that will help you organize this game better. It is called Geocaching.com. Parents can track the hidden objects with their smart phones and things can get really fun for your mystery solvers. Of course you can customize the game and adjust it to your special needs and abilities.
A Day On The Water
If you live near the sea or the ocean, then you are really lucky! Choose this advantage to organize a sailing with a boat, followed by a nice afternoon spent with delicious food on the beach. Believe it or not few things can beat the time spent on the beach and it is always big fun, because there is water and you can splash and swim and enjoy the sun till the sunset. This is also true if you live near a lake or a river, rent a canoe or a boat and get out and enjoy a day on the water. Of course, make sure you use proper water safety. Don’t live near any bodies of water? Try finding a water park you can visit for a splashin’ good time.
Visit An Orchard or Farm
There is no better way to teach your kids a little something about the nature then to bring them to an orchard or any other garden with fruits or vegetables and to show them where part of the food comes from. Surely each of us remembers how fun it was to pick fruits and vegetables straight from the plant. It will be very useful activity for your children and if you visit a pick it yourself farm, you can have even more fun afterwards by making jelly or a meal that uses your fresh produce.
Science Experiments
Learning science and its concepts can be an fun experience for children, and there are countless ways to do it at home. From making chemical reactions to studying the stars, there are science project ideas for every age group.
One fun idea is to create an erupting volcano with baking soda and vinegar. With just a few household items, you can create a mini volcanic eruption that will get your kids excited about science. You’ll need baking soda, vinegar, food coloring, and a container to hold the volcano. Add a few drops of food coloring to the vinegar to make the eruption look more realistic and voila!
Another great idea is to make a homemade lava lamp. The science behind the reaction that makes the lava move is fascinating and interactive. All you need is a clear jar, vegetable oil, water, food coloring, and Alka-Seltzer tablets. The result is a mesmerizing, colorful, and educational lava lamp that will keep your children captivated.
Wrap Up with a Reading Challenge
Another way to keep your kids engaged and learning during spring break is a reading challenge. You can start by creating a reading list together with your child. Make it a goal to read a certain number of books during the break, and plan a reward for when the challenge is completed.
Encourage your child to try new genres or styles of writing, and to share what they’ve learned from their reading with you. Doing so will not only improve their reading skills but also their communication and critical thinking abilities. Incorporating a reading challenge into your spring break plans is a great way to make learning fun and interactive for your kids. Who knows? It might even spark a passion for reading that lasts a lifetime. So go ahead and give it a try!
7 More Stay At Home Spring Break Ideas For Families
Believe it or not, there is a way to keep from breaking the bank and still have a memorable, exciting time right in your own back yard. Even if you take a few days off work to plan a couple fun activities in your local area, you’re probably still not losing as much money as you would be heading to a vacation getaway.
So what’s the benefit of taking a few days off? You get some genuine engagement with your precious little ones – quality time that you miss out on during the hurried, day-to-day routines and, most importantly, you are creating memories that might just be the things your child looks back on fondly as an adult. Those meaningful moments are captured in the smallest of places, and here are just a few spring break ideas for families to get you started!
1) Sleep-Over Madness
Reach out to the parents of your child’s friends and organize a week’s worth of sleep-overs. Each parent commits to planning one night of fun and hosting for all the kiddos. Not only do the kids have a blast staying at someone else’s house each night, but the parents also get to enjoy several nights alone – an added bonus! Throw in some fort building, add a couple of video games or movies, some snacks, some crafts and BAM you have lots of fun for the kids at very little cost and even some benefits for the parents!
2) Bedroom Makeover
Tackle the challenge of completely revamping their bedrooms. Do a new project each day (i.e. painting, moving furniture, changing décor, adding a stereo, etc.). Your children will, unknowingly, be cooperating with you to make their room feel more mature, fun, inviting, etc. Just remember – if you have a child who wants to paint the walls black and put up ninja posters, you better be willing to compromise a little!
3) Public Service
You may never realize it, but there are so many opportunities for your children, even at a young age, to begin learning about how they can affect the world around them. And if you can find moments to help your kids understand their impact, it just might make a difference in the decisions they make as growing young adults in the future. Volunteer at a food pantry, clean up trash along the road, feed the animals at the zoo! Who knows what else there might be in your area, the possibilities are endless.
4) Producer/Actor Extraordinaire
We all have smart phones with fantastic video cameras so… why not put them to good use? Sit down and get creative! Write a short film, then pick your actors (friends and family members) and then make a movie (you probably have basic editing software on your computer as well). It will be something to look back on and reflect in those very moments when you did something together as a family. And you just might be a young Spielberg in the making!
5) 5K Challenge
Yep, some exercise… run a race together! Even if you end up walking most of it, this could instill a life-long love of the sport in your kids, as well as bring about a sense of accomplishment for them. You can save the running bib and have it framed as a memento.
6) The Local Hot Spot
Is there a place that you have been wanting to explore right in your town (or a neighboring city)? Go for it! Put on the tourist hat, forget you’re a local and check it out. A museum, aquarium, park, or even restaurant can be a great change of pace and a place that you wouldn’t usually visit during your daily routine.
7) Take A Day Trip
Look at a map a visit a new spot. If you live in Nashville like I do, you can take a day trip to Chattanooga or Mammoth Cave or over to Ocoee White Water Rafting. Really, there are so many places just a few hours away that deserve a day trip and offer lots of chance for exploration. A short road trip can add a little excitement and break up a monotonous routine. Find a visitor center and try some hands-on activities.
Conclusion
These are all spring break ideas for families that could potentially become family traditions that you and your children look forward to every year – and possibly beyond. Use some creativity to find ways to incorporate the ideals you hope to impart to your children along with some added fun to make memories that will last a lifetime! Are you planning a stay at home spring break or looking forward to getting out of town?
Spring break is a wonderful opportunity to keep kids entertained while also facilitating learning and growth. Exploring the outdoors, creating art projects, cooking up fun in the kitchen, and trying out science experiments are just a few of the many engaging activities available. Reading challenges are also great ways to keep children’s minds active. Keep your kids curious and engaged by giving them opportunities to explore and learn in fun and exciting ways. I hope you enjoy your family time! What other spring break activities for kids do you plan on doing? We’d love to hear your ideas and see your spring break photos! #familyfocusblog
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Petra says
As an adult I only started paying attention to nature recently. I have several beaches nearby but for a whole decade I ignored them. Last year I began spending time by the ocean and I have experienced many benefits including better quality sleep, less stress and overwhelm from daily demands and more contentment with life.
Thanks for writing this article.
Ted says
What great last minute spring break ideas. I need some fun new family activities to try. I am also thinking of doing a day trip to some new places close by.
Vallie says
Hello! Good stuff here, please keep us posted if you get any more activity ideas. My kids love the interactive exhibits at the grand rapids public museum.
Walev says
I was in search of family activities for the spring. Actually refreshing information. Thanks a lot.
Kidzonia says
Thank you for sharing these fantastic ideas for spring break! At Kidzonia, we believe in combining fun and learning, and these activities align perfectly with our educational philosophy. From outdoor adventures to creative projects, these suggestions will surely keep kids engaged and curious during their break, reflecting the spirit of exploration we foster at Kidzonia.
Lucky says
Despite being an adult, my appreciation for nature only blossomed recently. Surprisingly, I’ve had several beaches nearby for years, yet they remained overlooked for a decade. However, last year marked a turning point as I started frequenting the ocean. The impact has been remarkable: improved sleep quality, reduced stress from daily pressures, and an overall sense of contentment with life. Your article played a significant role in sparking this newfound connection with nature. Thank you for sharing such insightful perspectives.
Nick Smith says
I love to find free admission and or a free event near me. Thanks for the new ideas to have a great time this spring break.