Parents usually have a slight dread for Spring Break. Working parents need to find childcare for the duration of the week. Stay-at-home parents have to manage double or triple the kids they do on a normal week. This can be especially taxing when you have small babies at home you are looking after as well. So with this in mind, I have compiled for you your ultimate survival guide to get you through the (long) week.
Schedule One Activity a Day
School-aged kids are used to being stimulated throughout the week with hands on activities that engage their minds and keep them active. If you think that hanging out at home for the duration of the week is going to be the peaceful staycation you are hoping for, you might be in for a rude awakening. At the same time you don’t want to drive yourself crazy over-scheduling the little munchkins either, or you will all be exhausted. Find a happy medium by choosing one activity each day that all family members will enjoy. You can even designate a day for each of your kids to choose what they would like to do! It can be as simple as heading to your local park with a picnic basket in hand, checking out a zoo or science centre near by, or scheduling a playdate with their close friends. It will give them something to look forward to each day that they are home.
Spring Camps
Many cities offer a wide range of Spring Camps that range between one hour up to half day programs, depending on your child’s age. Choose one in an area of passionate interest for your child. Examples include: Sports Camps such as soccer, biking, skiing, or general outdoor adventure programs, Dance Camps such as jazz, ballet, tap, or hip hop, and Science Camps usually held at your local science centre that allow you child to build structures and experiment with and observe chemical reactions. And there are many, many more.
Go Exploring
One of my son’s favourite activities to engage in is to head out on an an adventure, exploring the wonders of the outdoors. A fenced in backyard can be the perfect place to go exploring. Cut up various lengths of string for them to plot out different areas to observe. They can even take a ‘field journal’ with them to sketch any signs of insect, animal, or human activity. This can also be done at a park or any open field. Let them lead the way in how and what they would like to explore. It’s the perfect opportunity to engage their curiosity.
Take a Mini Road Trip
We are lucky that we live just over an hour away from the mountains, so it makes it easy to get away at a moment’s notice. Take a moment to think about a destination close(ish) to where you live and head out on the road. It’s honestly less about the destination and much more about the journey along the way. Stop along the way at a new roadside turnout and try a new restaurant you haven’t been to before. Pull over to take pictures of the wildlife (at a safe distance of course). Bird-watching can be especially fascinating for little ones.
What is your favourite thing to do during Spring Break? How are you planning to make it through the week? Leave a comment below with your thoughts.
XO The Good Enuf Mommy
Tiffany Austin is a mom, a wife, writer, and educator living in Canada. Tired of never feeling “good enough” as a new mom, she began a blog to encourage other moms to feel confident and empowered in their own decisions. Her blog, The Good Enuf Mommy, includes everything from helpful parenting advice to product recommendations aimed at making the lives of moms just a little bit easier.
