With COVID-19 concerns still looming, March break for children and youth has been postponed in some regions. In Ontario, students will have to hold out until the second week of April for the annual reprieve. But no matter when kids take their spring break this year, one thing remains the same: children will have to play it safe to limit the spread of COVID-19.
Due to the ongoing pandemic, families are encouraged to restrict travel and stay at home this year. That means more parents will be looking for fun “staycation” ideas to keep their kids engaged and active.
Looking for creative spring break ideas? Try these indoor and outdoor activities to create a staycation your kids will always remember.
Before you get started, get organized!
Your first task is to develop a daily spring break schedule with your children. You can use a whiteboard or print out a daily calendar template. Let your kids choose the activities they would like to do during a specific timeslot.
You can also generate an “I am so bored” list ahead of time. This list should contain what each child thinks they can do to fight off their restlessness – just in case they feel bored at any point in the week. Tape this list to your refrigerator or another prominent spot in your home. It will serve as a helpful resource for kids to find relief and discover their next fun activity.
Lego Challenges
Building with Lego blocks can help kids to develop problem-solving and fine motor skills. It will also help younger children to identify shapes and colours. Consider setting a timer and giving your kids a specific item to build in the allotted time. Siblings can either work together or compete for a small prize.
If you run out of ideas, you can also download Lego challenge cards online or create your own. Each card contains a prompt to create a specific object using Lego blocks. These prompts can range from “create a Lego pizza” to “build a Lego car with your eyes closed.” Your kids will enjoy the surprise element of this spring break activity, and they will exercise their creativity skills.
Online Virtual Tours
Indulge your child’s artistic side with a virtual tour of a famous museum online. With the help of websites like travelandleisure.com, you can tour interesting locations around the world, such as the British Museum, or the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.
You can also encourage your children to explore other wonders of the world online, such as the Eiffel Tower or the Great Wall of China. This educational spring break activity will inspire children and youth to discover the world around them – beyond their own backyard.
Rainbow Tie-Dye Projects
If you have older kids in middle school and high school, encourage them to try unique tie-dye projects, ranging from T-shirts to tote bags. You can show your children how to design a basic rainbow pattern themselves or use a tie-dye kit from the craft store.
Tie-dye projects can also extend to beach towels, headbands or braided necklaces. Let your kids mix the colors, apply the dye and show off their colourful creations. This activity will also give them a keepsake to remember their spring break this year.
Geocaching
Participating in a geocaching adventure is a great way to increase your child’s physical activity. Geocaching is an outdoor recreational activity in which participants use Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers to hike and find containers, or “geocaches.”
Each geocache includes a log for explorers to sign and date, proving that they found the item. After the log is signed, the cache is placed back in its original location.
Geocaching allows your children get out and enjoy nature during the spring break, and it also teaches them how to navigate to geographic locations. Participants also reap the physical benefits gained from hiking and climbing to find these hidden treasures.
Try cooking together
Spring break is the perfect time to have some fun with your kids in the kitchen. Pull some of your cookbooks off the shelf and pick a few recipes that you can create together.
Your kids will learn about nutrition, food, fractions and how to properly measure ingredients. Plan meals together and let them do simple tasks, like greasing pans or adding ingredients to a mixing bowl. Cooking together also creates a great opportunity to share your own childhood memories surrounding a particular dish.
Ready to Have Some Fun?
Sit down with your kids and develop your spring break “fun list” as a family. Download a geocache and enjoy the adventure. Cook a couple of meals with your kids and share the memories connected to your favourite recipes.
For more advice on healthy activities for children, check out the other blog posts on our website!