For many, Spring Break conjures up images of playing on the beach somewhere warm or freezing your nose off while skiing with the family all day long. Well if you aren't jetting off this
School Break, I ™m here to show you how to make it a fun & memorable one for the entire family!
What do THEY want to do?
I am always scouring the Internet to find unique and fun things for us to do as family in my local area, but have found that many of my ideas are not exactly what the kids would like to do.
What do you mean you don't want to learn how to make your own soap?? So this year, I asked the kids to brainstorm a list of ideas that they wanted to do for Spring Break. I gave them no limitations except that we were staying home each night.
What is something you have always wanted to do but we haven't found the time to yet?
Think of what kind of things we can do that would make you say, This has been an awesome week! ™.
What do YOU want to do?
Mom & Dad should have a say too! There are so many resources in our local areas to find ideas ¦from local magazines to free fun websites. So grab that list of ideas you found online and make your suggestions as well. How else will the kids know about the Ice Cream factory that gives tours and free samples??
Make a Plan
Discuss as a family what you want your week to look like. Keep an open mind and really listen to your kids ™ ideas. In return, ask them to be respectful of everyone's ideas and not bash their brother's desire to go to go to a petting zoo of
turtles & snakes. This is a great opportunity to model and teach your kids how to explain their ideas fully and sell them to their family members.
Lastly, here are some fun ideas to add to your plan.
Think there's Nothing New to do? Never! With a little bit of time and energy, you can find tons of great ideas in a 100 mile radius. From painting pottery and guided nature hikes to roller skating, library story times and farmers markets, there is TONS of great family fun in your area.
On a budget? Challenge yourselves to only spend $100 the whole week “ get creative, find free activities and use coupons/deals.
A Day in the Park? YES! Some of the best ideas are right down the road. One of the best days we had last year was a trip to the local park where we played in the stream, flew kites, and had a long picnic.
Been there Done that? No matter how many times we have been there, my daughter always wants to go to the zoo. This year, we plan on creating a photo
scavenger hunt to go along with it to make it fun again. Another idea is to give each child a camera with the promise to create a book of their day when they get home. You can still do the same old stuff your children love with a twist to make it new and fun.
Try Something New! Challenge yourselves to come up with something completely new that no one has tried before. Geo-caching, zip-lining, hiking in a cave, swimming in a waterfall. The ideas are limitless!
A Home Day? My kids LOVE to have home days , so we always plan one in on our break. We play games, rent a movie we all want to see and plan a menu of their favorites (homemade pizza, nachos, and brownies? Hush “ it's one day!). Also, incorporating in a home day allows a day of rest on your staycation. You might need it with all the other fun activities you have planned!
Schedule Your Staycation
Together as a family, make a fun list of your week and post it to create excitement for your upcoming Staycation. Remember to pace your days – don’t over schedule them. The last thing you want to do is be running from activity to activity. Make sure you give yourselves ample time to enjoy the fun things you have planned. It’s NOT a problem to not have enough time to do everything you want in a week. Keep a list of them and conquer them as a family on weekends and during your summer break.
Make sure you take lots of pictures of all the fun you have that week! It is guaranteed to be a Spring Break full of fun memories “ a Staycation you won't want to forget!
And I LOVE the visual of the week (poster)!