Whether you’re a homeschooling parent looking for spring break activities for your kids, or a teacher sending your student off on school break, you may be looking for things to do on spring break at home.
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If this is you, you’re in luck! We’ve compiled 48 spring break activities for school age kids, that will keep them occupied without costing you a ton of money! Plus, there’s a freebie you can print and keep as a sort of spring break bucket item checklist, so you’re never without ideas.
Grab your Spring Bucket List Ideas Printable At The End of This Blog Post!
Fly a kite
I think I always liked the idea of flying kites as a kid, but actually putting the idea into action; not so much. There was just a lot to it; you had to make sure the wind was just right and you needed a certain amount of strength that my 9-year-old self just couldn’t muster.
But, flying a kite doesn’t have to be so daunting, not when you’ve got YouTube and Amazon to help you! Go check out YouTube for some kite-flying know-how, grab this four-pack of dragon kites, and get the kids outdoors!
Climb a tree
If you’ve ever cringed as your child engaged in risky play (climbing too high or jumping from tall structures) we’re probably a lot alike. For years, I shielded my now-adult kids from anything that could be perceived as dangerous; but I quickly learned, that kids need those types of experiences!
Climbing trees not only helps kids expend energy but also provides a sense of accomplishment, helping them learn to trust themselves, their abilities, and their intuition.
Honestly, there’s a whole host of benefits attributed to climbing trees and engaging in similar behaviors, so if you’ve got some great climbing trees near you, get on out there and get to climbing!
Go camping
You don’t need to head to a campground to have the ultimate camping experience. I mean, of course, you could go camping, but your kids will have a great time setting up a tent in the backyard or even assembling a blanket fort in the living room!
I’ve really embraced the idea of camping so I’ve been considering setting up a Coleman tent in the backyard and doing a few trial runs before we do it for real, but of course, a living room fort and some Indoor S’mores will do just as well!
Scavenger hunt
A good scavenger hunt is always a winning idea and they can be done inside or out, depending on how in-depth you want them to be! And don’t worry, you don’t have to recreate the wheel; here are some done-for-you scavenger hunt games:
- Find and Seek Indoor/Outdoor Scavenger Hunt Game
- Melissa and Doug Let’s Find It Indoor/Outdoor Scavenger Hunt Play Set
- Go Find It Nature Scavenger Hunt
Read books
This one is easy! Head to the library to take out some new books, or check out your bookshelves for old favorites and have a read-aloud session!
This is a great time for your kiddos to catch up on some of their reading for The Book It Program from Pizza Hut, you’ve been meaning to have them do!
Visit a lake
Having lived in the Northeast, I spent much of my childhood swimming in lakes across the region so if you’ve got lakes nearby, spend some time visiting them. Here in South Carolina, we’ve got plenty of lakes, but most are teeming with alligators, so swimming is out, but that doesn’t mean we can’t boat, fish or camp nearby!
Make slime
Ok, ok…hear me out. This may not sound like the best idea when you’re looking for things to do on spring break at home, but depending on how old your kids are, it’s definitely something you can have them do independently or with minimal supervision, and outdoors if you prefer!
To make it easier on yourself, grab one of these slime kits and slowly back away from the kitchen table!
Ride a bike
Ride a bike, scooter, skateboard, whatever your kids like; do that! Kick it up a notch by creating an obstacle course with cones if you live near a culdesac or have a large enough driveway. Otherwise, bring your bikes to a local park or bike trail and tire those kids out!
Eat ice cream
Well, this may seem like a no-brainer, but what if you took things up a notch this spring break with your kids and made your own ice cream?
If you already have a Kitchenaid mixer, the ice cream attachment is a handy option, or a separate appliance works too; Cuisinart makes a great one that’s highly rated! However, if you want to keep the kids occupied, you can opt for the Play and Freeze Ball!
Make DIY crafts
Build a fort
Blanket forts are a tried and true fun activity for kids of all ages; in fact, they’re really not something you have to plan for very much, they tend to happen organically when kids are playing.
But, if you want to inspire your kids during spring break, why not create a fort-building kit for them?
You can do this by providing pillows, blankets, cushions, sheets, and clothes pins and letting the kids have free reign of your living room or kitchen table.
Or, you could purchase a fort-building kit to help inspire them! The choice is yours, either way, they’re going to have a blast.
Have a picnic
Pack a lunch, grab your favorite treats, and head out to a nearby park or playground, even better if the area has a water feature or sprinkler set up!
If you’re looking for some delicious baked goods to take along, check out some of our favorite blueberry recipes; perfect for a tea party picnic in the park!
Visit the zoo
Zoos and aquariums have come a long way in recent years; many are doing the work to give back, In fact, a 2007 study indicates that education and conservation are a key part of the mission statements of zoos across the world.
One of our favorites is The Rainforest Adventures Discovery Zoo in Tennessee – an indoor zoo perfect for a rainy Smoky Mountains vacation day or one of those fun things to do on spring break!
Make a bird feeder
Write a thank you note
Thank-you notes are always in season, whether they’re to show appreciation for a birthday gift or a long-forgotten winter holidays gift, getting your child in the habit of writing thank-you notes is always a good idea.
Not only will they learn proper etiquette, but they will also be practicing their writing skills! So, grab some kid-friendly stationery and some fun pens or colored pencils, and let the creativity fly!
Note: I recently came across this Evan Moor Writing Real World Writing workbook featuring 24 lessons in real-world writing, including the mechanics of writing a thank-you note.
It’s geared toward grades 5 and 6, so if you’re looking for ways to incorporate writing activities that make sense in today’s world, I highly recommend it!
Go hiking
Hiking is truly one of our favorite things to do, especially when we go on vacation, but there are so many great spots for hiking close by and I have to often remind myself of that!
Hikes are a low-cost activity that gets everyone out in the fresh air, and if you’re looking for things to do on spring break at home, it’s perfect because you get to explore your home state!
We recently began exploring the South Carolina State Parks and are on a mission to visit all 47 state parks; The Ultimate Outsider program allows us to visit the state parks, get our Ultimate Outsider stamp in our guidebook and once we’ve visited each, claim our “free” t-shirt.
Many states have similar state park programs, so do your research and see what your area has to offer!
See the cherry blossoms
Ok, so this is a tricky one, depending on where you live. Obviously, if you’re in Japan or Washington, DC, you’re good. But, did you know there are some other great locations for seeing the spring cherry blossoms?
That’s right! San Francisco, Traverse City, Michigan, Portland, Oregon, The Dallas Aboratorium, Philadelphia, Boston, Brooklyn, Los Angeles, Newark, NJ, and Athens, Ohio all offer spectacular cherry blossom views at some point throughout the year!
But don’t worry if you can’t see them! Grab a book like National Geographic Kids, Cherry Blossoms Say Spring, and learn all about cherry blossoms!
Play a board game
When I tell you how obsessed we are with board games in our house… So much so, that we’ve implemented a weekly Gameschooling Homeschool Day because there’s just so much you can learn when you’re playing games.
Right now, a few of our favorites include:
Mastermind: The Strategy Game of Codemaker & Codebreaker
Catch a butterfly
Of course, you could run through a field chasing butterflies, but why not raise your own instead? In years past, we’ve purchased kits from Insect Lore and released butterflies, but you can easily create your own butterfly habitat with some leftover mesh screen, some tape, and a cardboard box!
I went to Lowe’s to purchase a bit of screen, but had to buy an entire roll; it was cheaper to purchase the two-toned version which didn’t impede our ability to see inside the habitat. One color would have been better, but this was totally fine.
I cut a door hole, taped the screen to the sides, and added in some nature, to ensure our new guests felt welcomed and cozy; I’m thinking they didn’t care one way or the other if I’m being honest.
Go to the library
This is of course probably on your spring break activities list for your kids, but don’t forget to sign up for any fun events or activities that your library is hosting. There’s always something new going on, so be sure to check in often so you and your kids don’t miss anything!
Do spring cleaning
Now this may not sound like the most fun option during spring break, but if you and your kids take some time out, now to clear out the clutter, that will be less chaos going into the summer months.
This also allows you to truly pare down before the next school year so you know what you still need to buy or what you need to fill in the gaps.
Play in the water
If it’s warm enough where you are, water play in the backyard is always a good idea! Our inflatable backyard waterslide lasted several seasons and provided countless hours of splish-splashy fun!
Make clay leaf prints
Crafts from nature are always the most treasured, and imprinting leaves onto clay is not only fun and easy, but makes for a great gift to give when painted and presented to friends and family.
Trying this fun craft with your kids after a springtime nature walk.
Do a science experiment
There’s no shortage of science experiment supplies around here, as we’re still slowly working our way through the Bookshark Level F Science Curriculum, but honestly, there are so many DIY science experiments and demos you can do at home. In fact, I’ve even written about them for Mom.com! (Did you know that I’m a freelance writer?) Yup!
Anyway, if you’re looking for things to do on spring break at home with your kids, science is always the right answer!
Check out our solar and lunar eclipse printables for older kids who are into the solar system, or if you’re having trouble explaining floating and sinking to early years kids, my sink/float printables should do the trick!
Bake doughnuts
There are so many great recipes out there, so no matter your diet or preferences, you’re bound to find a doughnut recipe that works for your family!
We bought the Wilton donut pans years ago and you’d be surprised just how easy it is to bake your own donuts at home; they come together quickly and can be made to your exact specifications! Here are our chocolate vegan donuts from a few years back!
Now, if you’d rather not bake actual donuts (which, I can’t imagine why you wouldn’t) you can always make these fun sock and felt donuts using supplies from the dollar store!
I made these years ago for my youngest; they’re simply just men’s black socks with the toe section cut off, rolled, then topped with cut felt for icing and decorated with puffy paint!
Play in the rain
Finally, if it happens to rain where you are, what better time to head out and play in the rain. If you’ll remember from the toddler days, Peppa Pig was always jumping up and down in muddy puddles, so head outdoors and get splish-splashy!
Click HERE for your Spring Bucket List
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