We’re celebrating Spring Break at One Small Child this week! Many families take advantage of this vacation time to travel together. But we’re opting to stay in town this year. Let’s talk about some fun spring break staycation ideas for your family:

-Plan a themed movie night. With a little planning on your part, put together an activity and dinner (with dessert) based on a movie theme. For Cinderella, have a room cleaning contest and then serve their favorite pumpkin treat. etc. You could even let the kids pick the movie ahead of time.

-Check out the local museum or art gallery. Many art galleries even offer kids classes or workshops. Check into registration early.

-Do a project as a family. Let the kids choose from a few family projects like: plant the garden, clean out the garage together, fix the broken playhouse door, paint a room, etc. Working together on a project that benefits everyone will bring your family closer together.

-Build couch forts. Remember doing this as a kid? This is a great rainy day activity that gets kids up and moving. Why not join them? When mom and dad get into these activities, the kids enjoy them so much more.

-Have a family video game party. This may not be most parent’s first choice, but the point is that you’re spending time together doing something that your kids enjoy. Set a time limit and give it your all for that long.

-Visit the local zoo or aquarium. To make it extra special, look up some fun facts to share about a few of the animals before hand.

-Go to the matinee together. Enjoy an afternoon at the theatre with your little ones! Indulge in some popcorn and laugh with them at all the one-liners.

-Have a family game night. Drag out those board games that you hardly use and play one together. Put some finger foods out and make it a real treat!

-Plan a family walk or hike with a picnic lunch. Go to a favorite park spot, or explore a new one. Bring along a blanket, some pb+j’s and trail mix. You’re all set for a fun afternoon enjoying nature together.

-Enjoy a day at the local pool. What’s Spring Break without a little water fun, right? Stay in town and support the local pool or water park.

-Try something new together. Whether it’s baking a cake or riding a horse, let the kids experience something they’ve never tried before.

-Visit a local historic site. I recently heard of a family who lived in France that had never visited the Eiffel Tower. Crazy, right? How many historical sites are within driving distance for your family? Why not pack a lunch and take a day trip to visit one or two of them?

-Take a tour of a local business or factory. Have your kids seen how the local dairy farmers make cheese and ice cream? Many facilities offer public tours. This is a great way to keep their little minds working.

-Check out the community events calendar. Don’t forget to take a look at the local events during your spring break!

-Have an indoor campout/slumber party. If the weather where you are is anything like here, you may be stuck inside more than you’d like. Make the most of it with a slumber party in the family room. Drag out your sleeping bags. Set out all their stuffed wild animals. Turn off all the lights and tell ghost stories by flashlights. They’ll love it!

-Put on an indoor scavenger hunt. Make a simple list of ten items for each child to search for and find hidden in the house. The first one to gather all ten items is the winner!

Share with us! What other spring break staycation ideas do you have?