Ahh spring break. Are you planning to head to a warmer area and soak up some rays? Or are you planning to stay home with your family this year? Although COVID-19 squashed many travel plans last year, some people are choosing to start venturing out this year. If you aren’t one of them, there are ways to stay home, relax, and still have plenty of fun. We’ve got some of those ideas right here!
Whether you head to your local campground or just your backyard, being in nature soothes the soul and allows you escape the crowds at the same time. Bring some instruments, games, and the ingredients for s’mores and you are sure to have fun. If camping outside isn’t an option, make the most of it and camp inside. Make a fort with chairs and blankets, cook s’mores in the microwave and sing some songs.
Hit the Road – While traveling a long way may not be an option for you, a road trip close to home can get you and your family out of the house and still be fun. Load up the car and stop at things like interesting roadside attractions and scenic locations and be sure to take lots of photos.
Volunteer at an Animal Shelter
While this might not sound fun at first, your kids will love it when you tell them they’ll be working with animals all day. Check with your local shelter to see which one will let you volunteer as a family and then have fun while giving back to the animals.
Have a Spa-cation – Yes, you really can stay out of the crowds and enjoy a spa experience at home. Get some cozy robes for everyone in the family and then create stations for skin care, nails, hair, and more. Use things like sheet masks, or consider making your own. Take lots of photos and create plenty of memories. And yes, even dad and the boys can enjoy this kind of fun.
Plan a Scavenger Hunt
Whether you venture through your town or keep it around your house, separate your family into teams and go on a scavenger hunt. Be sure to have a prize at the end. If you have friends close by that you’d like to invite, include them on your epic day of hunting and exploring.
Plan for the Future – So maybe it’s still cold outside and COVID-19 has you down, but now is the perfect time to plan an adventure for when it’s warmer and you’re ready to get out of the house. You don’t have to plan an expensive, extravagant trip. It could be something nearby that you’ve been dying to see.
Play Some Games
Of course you can get out your favorite puzzles or board games and enjoy some amazing family time, but why not get creative instead. Consider a water balloon fight, an obstacle course, or a game of Twister in the back yard. Maybe even organize some family or friends for an Olympic-style competition.
Start Gardening – Even if you are in a colder area, there are some things that you can start planting in your garden. If not, now is at least the perfect time to clean out the garden beds, empty old planters, and start dreaming about the garden you will have this summer. If you already know what you’re going to be planting, make some cute plant labels as part of a craft day.
Video Game Olympics – We mentioned Olympics above, but how about a different take on them. If you can’t get outside, consider hosting video game Olympics instead. Choose games that are short like bowling, tennis, or ski jumping. Plan the games out in advance and set up tournaments. Give out trophies or prizes for the top finishers. If you have a lot of participants, break up into teams, wear team colors, and create team names. Hand out sports drinks, fruit, and granola bars to “fuel” the body so everyone feels like an athlete.
Have a Movie Night
Invite some friends or family over, fix some snacks, and get cozy. Flip through Netflix, or hit the bargain bin at your local store. If you have a group of adults and a group of kids, set up a kid-friendly video in one area and an adult area in another.
Go to a Hotel (in Town) – So flying to another state may not be an option, but if you love staying in a hotel, going for a swim, and having a complimentary breakfast, who says you have to go out of town to do that? Pack up the family and check into a local hotel for the weekend. Ask them to see if they have a “staycation” special. Many hotels do right now.
Family Feast
Do you have some members of your family who love to cook? Hold your own culinary war right at home. Pick a special ingredient and then have everyone fix a dish containing that one ingredient. Team up an older sibling or parent with a younger sibling so everyone can be part of the fun. Everyone can then create their masterpiece and either have a judge outside of the family or everyone in the family votes whose dish was best. Reward the winner with an apron or other prize.
You don’t have to go out of town, or even leave the house, to have fun over spring break. Just use some creativity and take advantage of the things around you and enjoy!