Six Spring Break Staycation Ideas

Spring break is upon us. Parents everywhere are starting to panic. How are you going to keep your children entertained without letting them sit in front of a television, computer, tablet or smartphone screen all week? Maybe a family trip is out of the question. It just takes a little creativity to provide your kids with a more stimulating experience during their time off from school. To jump-start your thinking, here are six spring break staycation ideas.

1. Indoor camp-out. The weather might be too cold to set up a tent outside, but you can still enjoy a family camping experience. Push back the furniture in your great room, family room, or other space that’s large enough. Pitch a tent and set up your camping gear. Lay down the rules: No use of electricity or electronics—which also means you can’t use the refrigerator, microwave, kitchen sink, or other conveniences that would not be found at an outdoor camp-out. Pack up coolers, camping dishes and utensils, and everything else you would take on a camping trip. Do your cooking outside on your grill or an open fire. Play old-fashioned board games, cards games, and charades. Share the challenge of unplugging from the modern world!
   
   
2. Scavenger hunt. Plan ahead and create a hunt that sends your family from room to room and through the yard, and write the clues for all the items they need to find. You can stretch it out by giving them tasks in each clue, like writing a rhyme or drawing a picture. The morning of the hunt, hide the clues (so there’s no advance hunting) and give each person or team their sheet. Need some help? Here are some tips and printable checklists.
   
   
3. Movie marathon. Choose a few great movies your family has never seen. They could be classic films (The Wizard of Oz, Mary Poppins, Charlotte’s Web, Homeward Bound, Anne of Green Gables, Swiss Family Robinson, How Green Was My Valley, The Princess Bride, The Ugly Dachshund) or more contemporary movies, like Field of Dreams, Babe, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (the 1971 version), The Secret of Roan Inish, 101 Dalmatians (the live version), E.T., The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, Hugo, Holes, October Sky, The Goonies, and Honey, I Shrunk the Kids.
   
   
4. Spend a day as a tourist. Make a list of nearby places that visitors like to see—from local attractions to restaurants and shops. Learn about local history and lore.
   
   
5. Make fun food or a family feast. Prepare snacks or an entire meal of things you’ve never made before. Search online for recipes and share your ideas with everyone in the household. Pick the ones you want to make and give everyone a task or a menu item to prepare. Young kids can be helpers and can also design placemats and place cards.
   
   
6. Surprise someone. Teach your kids about random acts of kindness. Choose a person who
   is deserving of a special surprise—a relative, a friend, a neighbor, or even the mail carrier. Ask your family members to nominate someone and then come up with ideas. Maybe you could bake cookies for kids in the hospital or residents in assisted living. Assemble a care package and ship it to a soldier overseas. Kindness is contagious!

You don’t need a lavish vacation over spring break. Make the most of this “break” by staying close to home and enjoying simple pleasures.

If you’re thinking about making a move, use spring break to explore Baker Residential’s homes and communities. We’re a homebuilder with single-family and townhome communities in the Carolinas and the Northeast. Our feature-rich, energy-efficient homes will inspire you to enjoy your staycation!