25 Fun Ways to Keep Kids Entertained During Spring Break

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Pley. All opinions, as always, are 100% my own.

“I’m Bored!” – Two dreaded words no parent wants to hear! And even though there is absolutely nothing at all (that I can think of) that is boring about being a kid (Oh to be young again!), all children seem to utter, yell, whine or scream this ear-piercing phrase from time to time. Once it starts, there seems to be no stopping it. The repetitive phrase will stalk you, haunt you, taunt you and practically bring you to your knees! Do you agree?

That is why with Spring break being just a few short weeks away, I am already in full planning mode. If you are anything like me, you are already thinking about ways to keep the kids busy, active and away from the TV as much as possible. I have found from prior experience that it is always best to compile a list of ideas and go into spring break week with a plan. I usually select a few ideas (plus a few extras in case the weather does not cooperate for outdoor themed activities), call a few of my mom friends to coordinate schedules and offer invites to stroll along and then it’s time to get busy filling up the calendar. Whatever you decide, don’t let your kids “boredom” get the best of you!

Usually I try not to tell the kids too much about what we are doing in advance in case any of the plans fall through. As we all know, life gets crazy and sometimes plans do not work out the way we would like. I have found out the hard way (even when my intentions were good) that there are few things worse than a crying, disappointed child. The element of surprise to our daily adventures is much more exciting of a reaction – and I look forward to those big smiles and cries of excitement when I finally tell them what we are up to each day.

Since I am pretty sure I am not alone when it comes to keeping the kids busy over spring break (and any other days they do not have school), I thought I would share my list I have created in hope of making spring break as much fun for me (and you) as it is for them!

Let’s get planning…

1. Pack a lunch and head to the park for a picnic and playtime.  Likely it won’t cost you a dime – and chances are your children may even meet up with a few friends – new or old – during your adventure.  To extend on this idea, you may want to select a few different parks to visit throughout the week and you will be sure to get in some fun and exercise on these planned adventures.

2. Check out your local library’s website for all of their kid and family-friendly events, crafts, entertainment, concerts and more.  Bonus – many of the library programs are often free or very low cost.  Some libraries also offer evening programs such as concerts, magicians and more!

3. Enjoy a day of gardening together.  Have the kids help clean up the garden and pick out new items to plant.  Perhaps you can also check out Pinterest or a favorite crafty blog for a fun garden ornament you can make together as a special touch. If you do not have access to a garden outdoors, consider potting some indoor plants or herbs.

4. Plan a Day Trip – If you live in the Greater Philadelphia area, HERE is a whole round up of ideas to get you started.

5. Visit a local museum, amusement park, aquarium or factory tour.  Living so close to Philadelphia, we are lucky to be blessed with an abundance of fun venues in the area – such as Please Touch Museum, Franklin Institute, Academy of Natural Sciences, Delaware Children’s Museum, Philadelphia Art Museum, The Garden State Discovery Museum, Adventure Aquarium, Diggerland, The Crayola Experience, Herr’s Factory Tour and The Turkey Hill Experience just to name a few.

Photo credit: Pley

6. Surprise the kids with a toy subscription service, such as Pley.  Who doesn’t love getting mail?  Imagine their surprise when the mailman arrives with a package for them – with fun memory-stimulating toys to build and play with – such as LEGOs or K’nex, Nerf and Robotics Toys, American Girl Doll accessories and so much more! Pley offers a range of plans starting as low as $9.99/month and all plans include free delivery. Talk about boredom busters –  Once they’ve finished playing with their toy, they can simply swap it out for a different toy. No more wasting money on toys that are left gathering dust on your shelves. How fun is that? Win-win for parents and kids!

7.  Have a tea or hot cocoa party. Get dressed up with the kids in your best attire – dig out pearls, necklaces, gloves, hats, bow ties and anything to make it extra fancy and exciting.  Make and serve tea sandwiches, tea or hot cocoa, fruit and mini desserts. This is a great opportunity to dig out that china that has been sitting in the china closet or in boxes you haven’t opened in ages!  Invite favorite dolls, teddy bears or superheroes to join you!

8.  Bad weather?  Don’t let a little rain or cold get you down!  Our local area is jam-packed with indoor fun venues.  HERE is a list of local Greater Philadelphia Area indoor places to consider.

9. Volunteer for the day.  This is a great way to teach kids about giving back and responsibility.  Local places that you can consider contacting for volunteer information are the local SPCA, if you are local to Delaware County PA, The Media Free Store is always looking for some extra hands, local soup kitchens or food banks, or perhaps check with your church to see if any local families are in need of any help.

10. Get creative with some cardboard boxes.  Gather some extra large boxes and turn them into tunnels, a mini town with stores, cars – let your imagination go wild.  Line them up, color or decorate with supplies you have on hand and when you are done, have some fun shopping the town, enjoying a “drive in” movie (complete with popcorn) in front of the TV or climbing through tunnels like a hamster!

11. Recruit other parents and guardians and their kids and schedule a Mini Olympics course.  Each family can devise a fun event.  Then bring your items to a local park or someone’s large yard and get physical!  Have fun with tire runs, tunnels, races, pole throws and more.

12. Pack up the kids and head to the beach!  Even if it’s a bit chilly, you can pack kites, balls, and buckets and shovels.  The kids can enjoy some beach time – and you may even get in some time to relax with your favorite book.  Pack a lunch, some chairs, a blanket and a few age appropriate books so that everyone can enjoy a little down time as well.

13. Have a Dance Party Playdate.  Download a playlist of songs, invite over some friends and dance the afternoon away.  This can easily turn into a potluck lunch if you like.  Order some pizza or other kid friendly food and have friends bring snacks, drinks and/or side dishes for everyone to enjoy. You can even make microphones from recycled items as a craft!

14. Go for a hike or walk.  Some great places local to Philadelphia/Delaware County to consider – Ridley Creek Park, Ringling Rocks Park (be sure to bring a hammer to “ring the rocks”), Wissahickon Trail, Valley Forge Park and John Heinz Wildlife Refuge.

15. Have a baking/cooking day. This is a great way to not only bake up a snack such as cookies or cupcakes, but you can also plan ahead by making muffins and freezing them or having a baking day where you make mini omelets, casseroles, soups or assemble ready to go crockpot meals to help make life easier in the weeks ahead.  Kids will have fun helping and it will allow for more family time and less meal prep in the coming week or weeks!  As for cupcakes, you could make them one day then have a cupcake decorating party the next!

16. Surprise the kids with some indoor swimming fun.  It may be too cool to swim outside this time of year but you could try checking the schedule for the local YMCA or visit a fun indoor waterpark such as Sahara Sam’s, CoCo Key Indoor Water Park, Lancaster Caribbean Indoor Water Park, Great Wolf Lodge or Kalahari Indoor Water Park.

17. Make it a Movie Day! Whether you pack up the kids and head to the local movie theater or stay at home in your PJs and watch a family movie (or movie marathon) while noshing on popcorn and movie size candy, you are sure to enjoy a few hours of warm, dry, snuggle-worthy indoor fun.

18. Write letters to Grandparents, friends, soldiers or someone special who does not live with you. Take time to help the kids write and decorate the letters.  When you are finished, address them and take a walk to the mailbox to drop them off.  Not only will the kids feel good about doing this, but it will also be a wonderful and very special surprise for the recipient.

19. Go Bowling – Call some friends and ask them to bring their kids along as well.  If you have enough people, make teams and have a bowling tournament! If you have little ones ask the bowling attendant for bumpers so that they can get in on the fun as well.

20. Play mad scientist! Have some fun with some at home science projects using items you probably already have on hand at home or that you can purchase for a minimal cost at the dollar store or a craft store.  Pinterest is a great place to go for project ideas.

21. Tie Dye Shirts together.  Put down a big tarp outside, grab a bucket, some dye, water and a few rubber bands and get creative.  Tie Dye T-shirts, bandanas, shorts or tank tops.  See who can make the most creative and colorful one.  They will be perfect to wear on your next outing together! They also make great gifts – and could be put away for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Graduation (think school colors) or a birthday!

22. Take the train into town for the day.  Not only will the kids enjoy the train ride, but you can also give them a walking tour of the city, stop for lunch or snacks and educate them on some new places. You could even make it a themed day – such as “A Taste of Philadelphia!” Visit the local landmarks and enjoy Philadelphia themed snacks along the way!  Give them each a camera so they can take pictures throughout the day.  Later you can create a photo album of your adventure together. Playing tourist for the day in your own town is sure to be a blast for everyone.

23.  Get crafty! Before the big day head over to Pinterest for some age appropriate craft ideas.  Plan ahead by purchasing supplies needed – or if you want to make it even easier on yourself, purchase some craft kits with all the necessities included.  Get crafty then use the craft to decorate the house, their bedroom or to wrap to give as a gift.

24. Build a Fort.  Depending on the weather, you can take this fun activity indoor or out.  Gather sheets, tarps, chairs, pillows and anything you can think of to build an awesome fort.  Give the kids some flashlights, some camper-friendly snacks and watch their imaginations go!

25. Kids’ Choice Day (Always my kids’ favorite!) – Sit down in advance and plan a reasonable day of adventure together.  Let your child make choices about everything from breakfast to dinner, what to wear, where to go (within reason, of course).  Turn off your cell phones and remove yourself fully from distractions for the whole day (or as much as possible) –  no cleaning, no Facebook, no unnecessary phone calls.  Do everything together – including cooking the meals and cleaning up.  At the end of the day, snuggle up together and discuss your day.  Hopefully this will include lots of laughter and new memories that you will both savor.  There really is nothing kids enjoy more than undivided attention from you.  Give them your heart – and they will give theirs right back!

Photo credit: Pley

Do you have a plan to keep your kids busy over spring break?  If so, please share it with us in the comments below.  I wish you all a week full of laughter, quality time and memories galore with you and your family!