I can hardly believe that it is March. Weather here in the St. Louis Metro can’t decide if it wants to be winter or spring. Last week, we had winter storm warnings with snow and freezing rain. Yesterday, it was mid-80’s and my kid got a bit too much sun on her face playing foursquare with friends. Before we know it, spring break will be here, and we’ll be left scratching our heads wondering where the time has gone. I’m not sure if it’s because I’m recovering from a brain injury, or if it’s because time just vanishes, but it certainly doesn’t feel like a quarter of the year should be gone! Anyway, I thought I’d share some spring break activities for kids, because they’ll be complaining boredom before you know it!
Spring Break Activities for Kids
Spring break is meant to be fun, but it’s also meant to be a break, ammiright? 😉 It is possible to provide fun spring break activities for your kids without breaking the bank. You can even do many of these at home. Others will have you driving just a bit.
Outdoor Spring Break Activities for Kids
Bike Riding
Make sure the kids bike tires are properly inflated (cold deflates tires) and kick them outside for a bit. Better yet, air up your bike tires, too, and go for a bike ride with them!
Be sure to check that their helmets fit correctly. It amazes me how much a child’s head can grow between fall and spring!
Kite Flying
Spring breezes are great for kite flying, and kids of all ages love this activity. Make it even more fun by letting them color their own kite!
Be sure to have a safety conversation with them, so they know to avoid low hanging electrical wires or telephone wires.
Geocaching
If you’ve never gone geocaching as a family before, add this one to your list. Geocaching is similar to a treasure hunt, where you use a GPS to find where X marks the spot. Some geocaches have small trinkets that you can keep, or swap out, while others are bragging rights only. Simply use the GPS on your map app to find the cache. You can find geocaches in your area by checking the Geocaching site.
Once you’ve found some as a family, follow the geocaching play guidelines to hide some for others to find.
Go Hiking
Inspire a love of nature by taking them hiking. Spring is a great time to hike, as they can see things come to life. Be sure to pack plenty of tasty snacks to enjoy while you hike. Make it more fun by inviting a friend, or two, along. Make sure you wear appropriate footwear, and pay attention to the weather to be safe. Using a fun scavenger hunt will make it more interesting. Be sure to use insect repellent.
It’s always a good idea to do a tick check after spending time outdoors. If you find a tick, remove it properly to avoid potential health complications.
Scavenger Hunt
Speaking of scavenger hunts… you don’t have to go on a hike for one. While doing a scavenger hut while hiking is a great way to keep them engaged, you can have them search for objects in your yard. If they’re a little older, you can even have them search your neighborhood. If it happens to rain all spring break, bring the scavenger hunt indoors.
Backyard Campfire
Backyard campfires are especially fun on cool evenings during break. Grab some hotdogs and marshmallows, get out your roasting sticks, and build a fire in the firepit.
Don’t want to roast marshmallows old school for s’mores? Get a s’more maker. Make six s’mores at once, and have a gooey good time!
Make a night of it by pitching the tent in your back yard and camp out overnight. The kids will love it, and they’ll talk about it for years to come.
Stargazing
Spring break is a great time to get the kids outdoors, and let them stay up a bit later, to watch the stars. If you started the evening with the backyard campfire, this is a perfect way to get them to settle down for the night. Nothing beats laying out on a waterproof blanket in the grass and staring into the night sky!
Yard Games
If the weather is decent, keep them busy with some classic backyard games. You can keep it simple with three legged races and potato sack races. Or you can up the ante and add a fun new game, like Rift Ball, to the mix.
Disc golf is another fun game to add to the mix. It’s a great way to get everyone to play cooperatively, as long as they’re not too competitive.
Sidewalk Chalk
What kid doesn’t love sidewalk chalk? Have your kids create a masterpiece on the driveway, play hopscotch on the sidewalk, or draw their favorite cartoon characters in the cul-de-sac.
I generally toss sidewalk chalk into Easter baskets, so they have fresh chalk every year.
Make Giant Bubbles
Kids love to make bubbles. Whether you have them make their own DIY giant bubble solution and bubble wand or you get them a Giant Bubble kit, they will have a blast. You can make it a challenge to see who can make the biggest one, or who’s bubble travels the farthest.
Obstacle Course
Set up a fun obstacle course in your yard for the kids, and grab a stopwatch. Have them race each other, or themselves.
If your kids are anything like mine, you could also challenge them to see who can clean their bedroom, which is like an obstacle course, the fastest.
Make a Bird Feeder
My kids fell in love with birdwatching when we studied North American birds. We’ve made several different DIY birdfeeders. Our favorite ones are to spread peanut butter on pine cones, then sprinkle birdseed over them. We’ve also used clay mugs to add peanut butter and birdseed to. We simply use a loop of string, and attach to the s-hook I have hanging on the back tree. Don’t have the time, or energy, to gather birdfeeder making supplies? MindWare has some great kits!
Visit State Parks
Do some research to see if there’s a free local state park that you can go to. Some state parks don’t cost a thing. Others do have entrance fees. Either way, you’re kids will enjoy exploring. Don’t have a state park within a decent drive? Check out a nearby city park. Just know that there may be a bit of a crowd if all the other parents in town have the same idea. No worries, though, that just means the kids can play with peers and you can chat with friends. It’s a great way to allow kids the liberty to get dirty and run around.
Visit a Farm
Spring time is a great time to visit a local farm, if they’ll have you. From new chicks to bunnies, new life on the farm is almost always a hit with the kids. Just know that they may beg you for a pet of their own for weeks to come, so have the conversation before you go that the farm animals stay on the farm. Unless, of course, you’re starting a hobby farm of your own.
Indoor Spring Break Activities for Kids
The Floor is Lava
The Floor is Lava is a game where players pretend that the floor or ground is made of lava and they must avoid touching the ground. If they touch the ground, they are out (or dead). You can play this game using furniture and what not, but if you prefer to keep their feet out of your seats, you can get the board game.
Box Fort (or Blanket Fort) Challenge
Building an indoor fort, whether a box fort or a blanket fort, is a great way to spend the day. If you can get your hands on some old moving boxes, they are great for building a fort. No boxes? No problem. Just give each kid a couple of blankets and two chairs to build their fort. Once they have their fort built, they must defend it.
Indoor Snowball Fight
I am a huge fan of indoor snowball fights. I don’t like being out in the cold, and having a snowball fight while it’s warm is just so much fun! We have several packages of indoor snowballs, and lobbing them across the basement is a great way to spend the day with the kids. Beware, they may team up against you, though!
Make a Time Capsule
If you didn’t get a chance to make a time capsule with the kids at New Year’s, spring break is a great time to do it.
Visit the Library
While a visit to the library may not be at the top of their bucket list, it is a great way to pick out a few movies or books to keep them entertained during the break. Your local library may also have spring break activities planned, so be sure to check the library calendar.
Activity Books
Sometimes kids just want to chill out with a fun activity book. Right now, you can get a FREE downloadable activity book , from DentalPlans.com, to help teach your children about dental hygiene! Inside, you’ll find a Healthy Smiles Coloring Book, Word Search, and a Tooth Fairy Origami. Who doesn’t want to make losing baby teeth a little more fun.
Print it now, because they’ll be looking for something to do before you know it!
