family fun Spring Break Bucket List

By Jennifer Halter

Spring has sprung and that means more opportunities for fun with your family. This month, we are celebrating Easter and local students (and teachers!) will be getting a much-needed spring break. While many families choose to travel during this time, others stay close to home, which can often lead to parents trying to figure out things to do to keep the kids busy. Here are a few awesome ideas to add to your Spring Break Bucket List!

Visit the Library

Visiting the library is a wonderful way to kick off spring break. It gives every member of the family an opportunity to find new books and movies to keep them busy while they are home. While there, be sure to check out their schedule of free events, upcoming book sales, and monthly contests.

Take a Day Trip

There’s no shortage of fun activities for your family in many parts of the state, and a lot of them can be accessed by taking a quick trip in the car. Make a plan for your destination, whether it be a museum in DC, exploring a downtown area of a different town, or even spending the day shopping in a new area. While there, check out a local restaurant that you haven’t tried before.

Spring Photo Shoot

With temperatures warming up, it’s a wonderful time to get outdoors and do a spring photo shoot. Get dressed up in your favorite springtime attire, whether it’s your Easter best, super casual and comfy, or even matching with the family. You can work with a professional photographer or choose to take your own photos. Be sure to grab those candid and behind-the-scenes shots as well — sometimes they are the best ones!

Stay in a Hotel

You may want a change of scenery but may not be able to travel for an extended period of time. This is the perfect opportunity to stay local! Find a nearby hotel or bed and breakfast, and plan a night away, while still being close to home. Look for places with indoor pools for built-in fun without the extra expense. To save more, look for a hotel that offers a complimentary breakfast option.

Plant a Garden

Spring means growth and renewal and seeing plants, trees and flowers come “back to life.” You can plant in your own backyard or in containers that can be indoors or outdoors. If you don’t have a green thumb, keep things simple by purchasing plants or flowers that are already in pots. Whichever way you do it, children will have fun taking care of them and watching them grow.

Picnic in the Park

Enjoy the new season by getting outdoors and heading to a local park. Pack a lunch and some outdoor toys and plan to spend the afternoon getting some fresh air and sunshine. If you have younger children, you may want to look for a park with an age-appropriate playground area. For older children, look for fun hiking trails or even places to go geocaching or fishing. Remember to pack the sunscreen and insect repellent.

Paint Rocks

Painting, hiding, and seeking rocks continues to be a great activity for children and adults of all ages. Host a rock painting play date or afternoon at home with the family to create something new for the season. Use your masterpieces to decorate your family garden, put on your patio, hide in a local park, or gift to a neighbor.

Visit a New Playground

As you get ready to enjoy the new season and warmer temperatures, now is the perfect time to check out a new playground or two. It’s always fun to explore, have different equipment to play on, and meet new friends.

Make a Summer Bucket List

Now is the time to start planning for summer, so make time to come together as a family and make your Summer Bucket List. Create a list of activity ideas each family member would like to do — camps they may want to attend, trips they want to take. Using this list, you can work on planning a budget and researching how to register for activities or the best places to stay, if you’re traveling. Set a goal to have a list of 5 activities for each child and 1-2 activities to do as a family. This will have everyone more excited to get through the last few months of school and get to summer break!

Jennifer Halter (jenniferh@macaronikid.com) is a contributing writer and the founder of Macaroni Kid in Woodbridge.