Spring Break has Sprung!

[Carmen S]

Spring Break means different things to different people. For those with tiny little guys, Spring Break is really no different than any other week. For those with preschoolers, it can be a stressful precursor to the dread of the end of the school year. For those parents with elementary and middle school students, Spring Break means a time to entertain the kids.

For those of us with college kids, well, we just dread Spring Break in general. :)

There are families that spend their Spring Break in foreign countries, hanging out on beaches and getting tans. My family and I don't have that luxury, and so we've spent a lot of time over the past several years developing fun plans for that vacation week. Here are some of our favorite activities

• Tourist in the City - One year, we played tourist in our city. We took a city map, circled the areas of the town that are tourist attractions - including the historic attractions - and devoted some time each day to getting to know our city from the ground up. I've lived in my city since I was five, and even I learned some new things.
  
• Arts and Crafts - I am not a fan of the arts and crafts, but one spring break was exceptionally cold and rainy. I made a list of all of the crafts that my kids had begged to do - you know, the ones I vowed I'd never do. Each day, we did a couple of them. We did fingerpaint with pudding, made our own sidewalk chalk,  tie dyed bedsheets, and even painted ceramic dishes at the local pottery store. 
• Warm Weather Bliss - Not appropriate for some parts of the USA, but if it's warm enough by you, water play can be an amazing amount of fun for kids used to being cooped up at school. If you aren't near a beach, lake or river, or it's just not warm enough, explore the idea of an overnight trip to an indoor water park. It can be a surprisingly inexpensive way to spend a day or two - and think of the memories your child will have!
• Cooking 101 - Do you have school age children? Have they learned to cook? Spring Break is a fantastic time to teach them the ins and outs of the kitchen. Teach them to make cookies and breads, enchiladas and pie crust. Teach your children to use measuring cups and tongs, how to boil an egg and baste a chicken. These are skills that are fading fast, and the memories you create are almost as great as the food you make!

What are some of your favorite, out of the box, ways to spend Spring Break?

[gacgbaker]

We ususally don't go anywhere for spring break, just enjoy the backyard, board games, and extra time together.  

[Meltopia529]

 We don't do anything. Everyday is like spring break to us. Ds is 16 months and not in school. I'm a SAHM.

[Audreesmommy757]

we just hang at home until its warm..then we head to the beach and spend our days there

[HeatherReneeMT]

I am always just glad for a few extra days with my kiddos home. ~Heather @ Love, Beauty, And Things That Make Me Smile

[LuvingRN]

We just do little things around town unless it's warm enough to hit the beach.  We'll go bowling, roller skating, play at the park, etc.

[lalasmama2007]

Since my dd isn't in school yet, there's no spring break for us.

[terri76]

 I work for spring break and usually take the friday off and have a long weekend before my ds returns to school. we go to the movies,beach,theme park whatever he wants to do really

[sweetlyblissful]

 We never do much.  Maybe go to the movies.

[Army_Mom_2_Boyz]

Just go to the park, or maybe something around town. Don't really go anywhere on vacation.

[Flaca43]

 We like picnics outside in the yard or at the parks. We also like to go to the museums or the pier. We play games and do paintings, we aren't difficult...pretty much do it all.