Staying in town for spring break and looking for something to do? Look no further than these spring break activities! They’ll keep you and the family entertained, having fun, and creating new memories.

So, you’ve decided to stay home this year for spring break.  Maybe the budget is tight or you just aren’t up for traveling this year, but whatever the reason, I’m here to help! Take a look at the spring break fun below to keep you and the kiddos happy and enjoying the break.

Spring Break Activity #1: Backyard Camping

Why not pitch a tent in the backyard or set your sleeping bag up outside under the stars? Leave those phones and tablets inside and head outside for some good ole fashioned family fun.

What To Do During Your Spring Break Backyard Camping Trip:

• Campfire – Get out the fire pit, set up the camping chairs and warm yourselves by the fire.

• Eat Dinner – Roast up a hotdog or brat, throw a can of baked beans in the camping pot and enjoy some quality time around the fire as you eat dinner.

• Eat Dessert – What’s a camping trip with out roasting up some marshmallows? Step up your game even more and make s’mores. Get creative with your s’mores and try them with peanut butter cups or mint chocolate. Yum! ***Gluten free friends – did you know there are multiple brands that make gf graham style crackers?!

• Ghost Stories – Tell your favorite family friendly ghost story! If you don’t know any, look some up beforehand. Another fun way to do some story telling it is to make one up with the whole family. The first person starts with a sentence or a phrase and you go around the circle and each person adds a phrase or sentence until someone decides to end the story. Here’s an example:

• • • Person 1: It was a dark and stormy night…
    • Person 2: and the house was cold.
    • Person 3: Jim Bob and Margo went to start a fire when…
    • Person 4: a bat flew out of the fireplace and into the house.
    • Person 1: This wasn’t just any old bat, it had…
    • Person 2: one red and one yellow eye!

You get the idea. You’ll be sure to laugh at what everyone comes up with.

• Play the Would-You-Rather Game –Have everyone come up with two things to ask the rest of the group and everyone goes around and answers. Here’s a couple of examples:

• • • Would you rather have a pet snake or a pet spider?
    • Would you rather play in the ocean or snowboard down the mountain?
    • Would you rather jump in an ice-cold pool and stay in for 1 minute or clean the toilets?

They can be fun things or things that no one would want to do. Either way, it’s always entertaining to learn how everyone will answer and why. This is a fun spring break activity whether you’re camping or not. Try it around the dinner table now and again for some fun quality family time.

Spring Break Activity #2: Plant a Fruit and/or Vegetable Garden

Spring is the perfect time for planting and what’s more fun and educational for the family than growing your own food? If you’re not much of a gardener, choose a couple of fruit or veggie plants to place in planters. If you consider yourself a plant pro with a green thumb, try out that large garden bed.

Steps to Planting a Fruit/Vegetable Garden:

• Research what fruits/veggies grow well in your area.

• Based on what will grow where you live, choose some crops that you will eat and enjoy having in your backyard.

• Research how to care for them. You can look online, but consider also speaking with someone at a local nursery or in the garden section at your local store. You’ll often find more specific information from a local expert on how to best care for plants, specifically in your area. You’ll want to know the following:

• 1. How much sun do they need and what’s too much? ***Consider where to place your planters or garden bed in your yard based on sun needs. Some plants need morning sun and afternoon shade, for instance.
  2. How often do they need watering?
  3. What soil works best?
  4. What fertilizer/nutrients/plant food will they need and how often and when?
  5. What tools will you need?

• Decide how many plants you want to care for.

• Choose where you want to plant them (in planters vs. garden bed).

• Purchase what you need. There are some great kid-sized garden gloves and tools out there. You can even find adult garden gloves in fun colors and styles to make it more fun.

• Enjoy planting with the family!

• Track the progress with pictures every few days.

• When the plants produce fruit or vegetables (long after spring break is over) have the kids help you with a recipe that includes something from the garden. It’s a great lesson to see where food comes from and how it goes from seed to food to in your belly!

Spring Break Activity #3: Scavenger Hunt

How about a Scavenger Hunt? Variations of this fun game can be done with small children wanting to hang out with their parent/s, all the way up to teenagers wanting a little independence.

Where and How to Do a Spring Break Scavenger Hunt?

• Nice Weather? Head Outside for a Walk or Bike Ride! If your spring break weather is nice (or at least tolerable) head outside for a scavenger hunt. Make a list of items to hunt for while out on a stroll or bike ride and see how many you can find!

• • What to Hunt for Outside:

• • • Local wildlife or animals – See if you can spot birds, bunnies, squirrels, or even domestic pets you might find in your area.

• • • Local trees and plants – Search for either native vegetation or plants and trees commonly planted and grown in your area.

• Poor Weather? Head Inside to the Mall or Grocery Store!

The mall is great for teenagers. Set them loose at the mall for an hour or two for this fun spring break activity.

At the grocery store, kids can learn about the cost of food, how to read grocery store tags, how to find budget friendly items, where to find various items and more.

• • What to Hunt for at the Mall?

• • • Clothing Items, Shoes, Toys, Sporting Equipment – Make a list of specific items to hunt for (i.e. red high heels, blue sweatshirt, basketball). Split into teams and have them take a picture of each item. See who can find the most items in the allotted time with no running allowed (let’s not alert the mall cops, ha ha)! They get a point for each item found on the list, but only get points if they find something different than the other team/s (a different brand or style of red high heels, for example).

• What to Hunt for at the Grocery Store:

• • Grocery Items, Makeup, Household Supplies, Pet Food, etc – For kids who are old enough, make a random list of items you would find at a grocery store. Send kids out to shop for those items. Have them try and find the least expensive version of the items and write them down or take a picture on their phone if they have one. Then tally up the cost at the end and see who has the least expensive bill.

• • Grocery Items You Need – Make your grocery shopping trip into a game. If they’re old enough, give each kiddo three groceries and see how long it takes to come back with the items (without running). For younger kids, just have them help you hunt for items. Look at tags together and see if they can tell you how much an item is or find point to numbers on the tags.

Whether your spring break activities include a backyard campout, planting a vegetable garden, doing a scavenger hunt, or all three, you’re sure to have a fun time and create some new memories!   

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