Spring Break 2024 is right around the corner, so now’s the time to start brainstorming how to keep your kids occupied, engaged, and (shhh, don’t tell them) even learning. But if that seems like a tall order, we’ve got you covered. We’ve rounded up our favorite spring break ideas for families to help ensure your kids stay happy (and busy!) during their time off from school.
This year, there is no Disneyland trip or visit to Grandma and Grandpa’s house planned, which means your family’s having a stay-at-home spring break! And yes, that also means you’ll need a lot of kids’ spring break activities on hand. But before you start worrying about how you’ll keep a household full of kids entertained all week, check out our guide to the best 2024 spring break ideas for families for some inspiration.
From planning at-home scavenger hunts to enrolling your kiddos in online classes, take a look at our top family spring break ideas and advice to help ensure your crew enjoys their time off from school.
Mix it up. When it comes to selecting kids’ spring break activities, it can be tricky to keep everyone happy. That’s why we recommend choosing a variety of activities. If you’ve got kids that span a wide range of ages, maybe have one parent do something with the older ones while the other takes the younger kids elsewhere. For instance, half of the clan might go to a local playground while the older family members go roller skating.
Keep tasks short and less expensive. If you’re planning a stay-at-home spring break this year, we suggest having a long list of short and sweet activities. For instance, one spring break activity might involve watching a 10-minute on-demand video, while another might involve a 45-minute language course. This way, your kids can do these activities as they please without losing interest or getting bored along the way.
Don’t take on too much. A full week at home with your kids might seem like a long time, but you might be surprised at how fast it goes by. Remember, your children are still expected to juggle their daily chores and homework, and they’ll probably want to see their friends, too, so don’t feel pressured to make elaborate plans that will take up a big chunk of their time. Instead, shoot for shorter activities that offer more flexibility.
Ask for their input. Who said you have to come up with all the family spring break ideas on your own? Not us! Ask your kids and spouse for suggestions, and then make a loose itinerary that includes input from everyone. That might mean carving out some time to hit the basketball hoops one afternoon and gathering to watch a baking tutorial together another day. The more excited your kids are to partake in the activities, the easier it’ll be to keep everyone interested and engaged.
The Best Spring Break Ideas for Families Looking to Stay at Home in 2024
Just because you’re not traveling this spring break doesn’t mean your kids can’t have fun at home. Add these spring break ideas to your list for some family fun without even leaving town:
- Pack a picnic and head to your local park, where you and your kids can play some lawn games, marvel at the blooming flowers, look for critters, and enjoy those springtime temperatures.
- Play scientists for the day and tune into some science-centric on-demand videos, with topics covering everything from the human body to the solar system!
- Organize a scavenger hunt for your little ones to encourage them to engage with the world around them, from the playroom to the backyard.
- Learn a language together! Whether you want your kids to eventually become bilingual or simply learn a few words in a different language, this week is the perfect time to join a language class to spark their interest in other cultures.
- Co-write a silly family story together. Start by writing a few sentences on a piece of paper and then passing it on to each family member to add their own lines. You can do this activity once or keep it going every day!
- Plan a trip to a museum and spend some time wandering the exhibits. Whether it’s an art, science, or history museum, your kids are sure to learn a thing or two along the way.
- Introduce your children to the wonderful world of STEM with coding and program classes, where they can learn to build robots and create codes for computer games.
- Get your kiddos out of the house for a bit when you sign them up for a spring break camp like one that focuses on soccer skills or art lessons. They’ll love making friends while picking up new skills.
- Check out one of your neighborhood’s free classes and workshops at local establishments like Lowe’s, Micheals, and The Home Depot.
- Find a volunteer opportunity for your entire family to join and help instill the importance of giving back to the community.
- Fly a kite or teach kids another low-tech activity you loved as a child.
- Choose one bookshelf and read all of the picture books on it.
- Research authentic cuisine from a foreign country, then prepare some of the dishes as a family.
- Bake cookies and take them to neighbors.
- Make homemade cards and deliver them to a nursing home.
- Go through a drive-thru and pay for the car behind you.
- Try a new-to-you restaurant or cafe.
- Park the car on the main street of a nearby town and take a walk to discover hidden gems.
- Stay at a hotel in your own town. Choose one with a pool if you don’t have one at home, and ask the concierge for local activities to try.
- Have a family slumber party, complete with pizza, games, and movies at night—and chocolate chip pancakes in the morning.
- Invite grandparents over for a meal made by the kids.
- Deep-clean closets and dressers in prep for a family garage sale.
- Host a neighborhood ice cream social.
- Go to a state or national park.
- Plant seeds for a garden — veggies, herbs, and/or flowers.
- Visit a zoo or aquarium.
- Play mini golf.
- Create a music video for a favorite song and upload it to YouTube.
- See what special programs the local ski resorts and other tourist spots are offering during break time.
- Take a class as a family, in art or cooking or something else you all enjoy.