10 spring break activities that will sprout happiness for the whole family

Spring break activities are all about fun quality time that the whole family will enjoy. Say goodbye to the chill of winter and welcome spring with creative ways to spend time together. A break from daily routines can leave more time for spontaneity and relaxation.

Plus, if you’re not checking unique getaways off your vacation bucket list then find new ways to keep active with spring break activities for kids. You don’t have to break the bank to keep the kiddos entertained on their break from school. Keep them active with nature walks or sprinkle in some relaxation time with a spa day. However you decide to ring in the season, it’s bound to be blooming with fun.

10 fun and frugal spring break activities

1. Plan a spa day

An at-home spa day means relaxation time for everybody. You can grab a variety of masks from the store or even mix up some pantry ingredients for an organic, homemade one. Pour epsom salt in individual plastic tubs and fill them with warm water for everyone to dip their feet in. After a good soak, wind strips of cotton between your toes and bring out your basket of nail polish for a pedicure.

2. Picnic at a local park

Warmer weather means there’s plenty of opportunity to take the kiddos outside. You can pack a no-fuss family lunch like tasty sandwiches and have the kids help in choosing ingredients for a kid’s charcuterie board. Look up a few local parks and check out the ones your family hasn’t explored yet for a local adventure.

3. Garden bowling

Nothing says spring family activities like outdoor bowling. Just save up your water/juice/soda bottles to use as pins. You can give them some weight by adding pebbles or marbles. Then, designate your “bowling ball” from your kid’s toys, something that has enough force to knock over your bottles but isn’t too heavy to roll, like a tennis ball. You can keep score and award the winner the honor of choosing a movie for your next family movie night.

4. Family book club

Go on a trip to the library or find a used bookstore that’s close by. Everyone picks out one book that the whole family reads together. Then, divvy up the days and come up with a schedule to make sure everyone’s book club choice is read and discussed.

5. Nature walk

Crisp blue skies and pent-up energy make a great combination for an adventurous nature walk. Let the kiddos choose whether they want to play a classic game of “I spy” along the way or challenge each other with our list of funny riddles and jokes. You can also instruct them to pick out a few leaves or flowers and bring them home for a fun drawing activity.

6. Water color flowers

You’ll need any variety of white flowers, food coloring and plastic cups for this fun science experiment. Fill your cups with water then place one flower in each cup. Make sure to give the stems a fresh cut beforehand. Let your child choose which color of food coloring they want to experiment with and then instruct them to drop a few drops into the water. Observe your flowers over the next few days to watch as they take on the color of the dye. Your child can even write down any changes they see. Before long you’ll have beautiful, newly colored flowers!

7. Fly a kite

Windy spring days mean it’s time to add a new activity for park days. Flying kites is a great way to entertain kiddos on any patch of grass, especially if the closest park to your house doesn’t include a swing set. You can pack a picnic and have lunch outside or keep it casual with just a few snacks and drinks.

8. Coffee filter butterflies

Give each child a pair of unused, flatted coffee filters and let them design their own colorful butterfly using colored markers. Once they’re done, add drops of water to their masterpiece. Enough to completely coat the filter and create a water color effect. Separate the two pieces and let them dry. When they’re both dry, fold each piece accordion style, going back and forth. Stack them on top of each other, grab a fuzzy pipe cleaner and wind it around the middle of both pieces. Round the ends of the pipe cleaner to create your butterfly’s antenna and gently fan out the paper to see the colorful wings.

9. Break out the puzzles

Not all spring days bring sunshine and clear skies. The best spring break kids activities for rainy days? Puzzles. You can make it competitive by splitting into teams, setting a timer and seeing who finishes first. You can work on puzzles that depict flowery spring days or even locations of places for your next family vacation.

10. Time capsule

Gather small trinkets from your spring break activities that will fit into the jar or box you’ve designated as your capsule. Little ones can write letters to their future selves about all of the things they enjoyed doing or what they’re looking forward to. They can also include drawings or printed photos. You might want to save this activity for your last epic day of adventure.

A version of this post was published February 25, 2023. It has been updated.