Fun Spring Break Activities for Kids

When most people hear the words "Spring Break" the first thing that comes to mind is college students in Cancun. When I hear the words Spring Break I wonder what can I do to keep my two elementary age children busy while still keeping my sanity?

Spring break is a time for the kids to relax and have some fun, but after the first day or two they are bored out of their minds. So, how do you keep them busy while they are out of school? Here are a few suggestions:

Nature Hike

Most state parks have nature trails that you can explore. Some parks may have guides that will accompany your group on a hike. Guides can give you more information about the park and any animals that live in the park. If guides are not available be sure to stay on the designated trail to avoid getting lost. Take some bug repellent with you to keep mosquitoes away and watch out for poison oak and poison ivy. Pack a picnic lunch to enjoy after your hike. You can also see if any of your local parks have hiking trails.

Treasure Hunt

Kids love games and they love winning even more. A treasure hunt can be done in your back yard, in the house or at the park. Make a list of "treasures" that need to be found and see who can be the first one to find all of the "treasure".

Legos

If there are children in your home then chances are that there is Legos in your home. Legos has been popular with kids for many years. They are a great rainy day activity. Kids can sit for hours building their own creations. You could have a contest to see who can build the tallest Lego tower.

Library Story Time

Most public libraries have a story hour. Call or stop by your local library and ask if they have a story hour. After story hour is over the kids can pick out a few library books to take home and read.

Museums

If you live in or near a large city you probably have access to several museums. Most metro areas have several types of museums such as natural history museum, science museums, transportation museums and children's museums. If you live quite a distance from a large city you may want to plan a two or three day trip and checkout the museums.

The Zoo

What kid doesn't like the zoo? There are so many fascinating animals to see. No matter how many times you go you can always find something new to see. Spring is a great time to see the new baby animals that have been born. Some zoos have short educational shows where you can learn more interesting facts about the animals in the zoo.

Some smaller cities have zoos also. They may not be as big as the zoos in larger cities but they are still a fun place to go.

Rainy Day Activities

Along with the beautiful sunny days of spring comes the not so beautiful cloudy, rainy days. It's a good idea to have some indoor activities planned for those rainy days.

Play-doh is always a popular activity for kids. The kids can use plastic cookie cutters, rolling pins, etc. to make their play-doh creations. Place an inexpensive plastic tablecloth underneath the table to catch any play-doh that falls to the floor. This will make cleanup quick and easy.

Little girls love to play dress up. See if you have some old clothes they can play with. If you do not have anything at home you can visit a local thrift store and purchase a few items at little expense.

Board games are another great rainy day activity and a fun way to pass the time.