“Are we there yet?”
If your idea of a fun spring break does not include hearing that question on repeat, we’ve got you covered! Creating lasting spring break memories doesn’t have to include long car rides, expensive hotel stays, or elaborate planning. Especially right now, the extra precautions for just a simple outing can be exhausting.
With a little creativity, imagination, and some simple themes, you can provide your kids (and you!) a super fun spring break experience right from the comfort of your own home…whining excluded (or at least minimized hopefully…)
Living Room Campout
Who doesn’t love a campout? Especially when you can leverage the conveniences of your home (indoor plumbing and air conditioning most importantly). This spring break theme gives you all the fun of a family camping trip but brings the great outdoors, indoors.
Setup: Whether you move all the living room furniture and setup an outdoor tent indoors (totally possible…speaking from experience) or you make a tent from blankets and sturdy furniture, pick a place that is away from the TV, toys, etc. Involve the kids in picking out your “campground” and setting up camp. Even if you skip the tent and layout sleeping bags in a room where the kids don’t normally hangout, you still get the excitement of a unique sleep over (and less to clean up = parent win!).
Activities: Think technology free fun…go on a nature walk to a nearby park, construct a faux fire pit and tell stories around the campfire, play card games, look for shooting stars outside before bed.
Food Fun: Grill out! Hot dogs, corn on the cob, and of course s’mores!
Parent Plus: Leave your campsite set up the following day and let the kids play/nap/hang out in that room to keep spring break boredom at bay for an extra day.
Backyard Beach Day
We are lucky enough to live in a place where in March, it is totally possible to plan for a backyard beach day! What the desert lacks in large bodies of water, it more than makes up for in sunshine and warm temperatures so break out the swimsuits and sunscreen and bring the beach to your house.
Setup: Make a beach themed playlist. Setup towels in the back yard. Break out the kiddie pool for those souls brave enough to splash around.
Activities: Hide seashells in the backyard and provide each kiddo a bucket to go on a hunt. Kinetic sand is a great option for building sandcastles and can be purchased at most craft stores. Plan some designated time for beach reading – younger kids can select some beach themed books from the library in prep for beach day and older kids can get some school reading done (because a day at the beach…even a backyard one, makes homework on spring break more enjoyable)
Food Fun: Pack a picnic lunch for your day at the beach! Easy sandwiches, watermelon, chips. Maybe an ice cream cone surprise for an afternoon treat.
Parent Plus: Enjoy a little sunshine and catch up on some reading while the kids are searching for seashells.
Spa Retreat
Sometimes kids crave a little relaxation too. An at home spa day is a great way to cure the spring break crazies and encourage a little down time in a fun way.
Setup: Have the kids pick out their comfiest pajamas/robe/slippers to stay in for the day. Play calming music. Encourage everyone to talk in quiet voices.
Activities: Plan for a midday bubble bath – involve the kids in picking out a special scented bath bomb or a fun new bath toy. Pick a spa activity that all can participate in – painting nails, pre-nap massages, kid friendly facials (warm washcloth followed by their usual lotion). Conduct a yoga class or find some instruction online that you can do with the kids.
Food Fun: Add your kids’ favorite fruit to a pitcher of ice water, snack on fresh veggies and dip, make fruit skewers with the kids or do a ‘make your own’ yogurt bar (granola, dried fruits, coconut flakes)
Parent Plus: Grab a face mask, some cucumber slices and your favorite spa beverage and indulge in a few minutes of quiet while the kids “relax”.
So take one of these ideas or use your favorite vacation spot for inspiration to plan a fun “trip” at home. And don’t forget to document your adventure – tag us in your post so we can share in all the spring break fun. Happy travels!
This is so creative and inspiring. While we don’t have kids, I would totally do these things for staycation without kids.