| A 10-MIN. READ

Spring break can be both exciting and daunting for parents—especially when it comes to coming up with ideas to keep little ones content. While we want to spend quality time with our little ones during their break from school, coming up for ideas during spring break can be daunting. Largely in part because we also have work + home commitments. Those can’t be put on hold despite our little ones wanting our undivided attention. Let’s be honest—the struggle to balance tasks + parenting can be real.

(And hey, even if you’re a stay-at-home or homeschool mom with littles at home every day, this is a great roundup of ideas to keep your family busy as the weather warms up—so stay with me!)

The Ultimate Ideas for Spring Break

I’ve put together a list of 50 fun + engaging ideas that you can enjoy with your kindergarten and preschool-aged children during their spring break. These are designed to keep your little ones entertained while also helping them learn and grow in the process.

From arts and crafts to outdoor adventures, these activities are perfect for kindergarten and preschool-aged children. Plus, they can be adapted to fit your family’s unique needs and interests.

So, whether you’re looking for a quick activity to keep your child occupied while you take a work call or a longer adventure to enjoy during your time off, there’s something on this list for everyone. With a little bit of planning and creativity, I know you’ll be able to make the most of your spring break with your little ones.

Ideas to Spark Creativity

There’s nothing more bonding than making time to be creative alongside one another. Here are a few ideas to fill those long days of spring break!

• Puppet Shows: Take time to make puppets attached to popsicle sticks or made out of wooden spoons or old socks. Let your child plan a simple show with a beginning, middle + end to develop planning + story-telling skills!
  
• Dramatic Play: Set up a whole play center that encourages dramatic play where your children can pretend being veterinarians, pirates, astronauts, etc.
  
• Have a Fashion Show: Let your child plan the show’s theme, spend time sketching out possible looks, let them style you, play some music + strut your stuff!
  
• Recycled or Nature Art: Gather materials from the recycling bin or backyard + let the kids turn them into something new!
  
• Playdough: We absolutely love to make our own playdough (this recipe from TinkerLab is THE BEST). Add in spring colors + pair with themed cookie cutters for endless creativity.

Activities for the Backyard

One of the biggest challenges of being a parent to a little one is figuring out how to keep up with all their energy—without burning yourself out. Here are some ideas that will get your kids outdoors + moving.

• Walk + Nature Scavenger Hunt: Create a scavenger hunt list of items that can be found in the backyard, such as a feather, a rock, or a flower. Give your child the list and a bag to collect their findings.
  
• Chalk Challenge Course: Challenge your child to complete the course as quickly as possible or with the fewest mistakes.
  
• Sports and Games: Play classic outdoor games like tag, soccer, hide and seek, or kickball with your child.
  
• Gardening: Involve your child in gardening activities like planting seeds, watering plants, and weeding. They can learn about plant growth and development while having fun outdoors.
  
• Wheel Around on Scooters + Bikes: Have your child strengthen their muscles + balance by getting active on their favorite wheeled equipment.
  

Remember to provide plenty of supervision and safety precautions while your child is playing outside. Encourage your child to explore and experiment, and don’t forget to have fun!

Keeping the Kids Active Indoors

If the weather isn’t playing nice, don’t worry. I have some tricks up my sleeve to help your littles burn off some energy indoors!

• Dryer-Ball Soccer: Theo + I used to spend hours playing this. Grab a wool dryer ball (any ball, really, as long as it is on the smaller/lighter side) and take it to a hallway where you have doors that can be your goals. Have fun passing the ball back + forth while you defend your doorway.
  
• Trashketball: Grab that small ball and an empty trashcan or basket. Take turns shooting the ball for points. If you have a little learner on your hands, you could ask a math question or have them read a word from a whiteboard—if they answer correctly, they get a point + get to take a shot for a bonus point.
  
• Dance Class: Search on YouTube for a kid’s dance class. Stella personally loves this one that’s choreographed to music from Descendants. If your kiddo doesn’t like dance, maybe try yoga from Cosmic Kids, which has many offerings from popular books + shows.
  
• Workout Circuit: We have so much fun making workout circuits in our basement. Sometimes I pick the moves, other times the kids do! You can incorporate moves like planks, sit ups, yoga poses + jumping jacks.
  
• TikTok Trend: Choose a dance trend or kid-friendly stunt to learn how to do together. It is sure to make everyone laugh + have fun while working toward a shared outcome!

Keeping Busy Around the House

Although it may be spring break, it’s likely you still need to get things done around the house. Here are some things on your to do list that you can invite your child to do alongside you.

Keep it optional + fun. We like to play our favorite music while we work + keep the conversation light + enjoyable.

• Wash the Dishes: Let your child put away silverware, stack plates or open up cabinets you need to get to.
  
• Make a Meal or Bake a Treat: Invite your child to plan with you, make a grocery list + get involved in the cooking!
  
• Reorganize the Play Space: It’s a good idea to keep your playspace in check with a quick reorganization every few months. Invite your child to help make labels for bins or decide where their toys should be stored. This will help so much when they help at clean-up times because they’ll know where things belong.
  
• Fold Laundry: Some kids love to help load the washer or dryer + to fold towels or match socks. You can even turn an old box into their own “washing machine” to play with while you fold.
  
• Switch Closets Over for Spring: This is the perfect time to prep your mudroom or landing space for the new season. Your child will feel so confident deciding what needs to get packed away, placing it in bins + pulling out all of their old rain gear from the past season!

Quick Ideas for Connection

Sometimes you know your child needs a little attention but you’re short on time. Here are 5 ideas you can do in 5 minutes or less with your child over spring break—

• Reading: Taking the time to sit down to read a picture book or the next chapter in a novel is a great way to take time to enjoy one another’s company with a definitive ending time.
  
• Rock, Paper, Scissors: This is such a quick way to have some fun, share some laughs + connect. If there are a few people home, you could even do a quick knock-out tournament where the winners face-off until only one person remains.
  
• Tic, Tac, Toe: Want the perfect, quick game that you could easily squeeze in between work calls? This is it.
  
• Dance Party: Let your kiddo pick the song or you set the mood by playing DJ + let it all out together with this quick jam sesh.
  
• Speedy Scavenger Hunt: Give your kids a list of things to find in the house, you could even be specific about color or quantity for older kiddos. Extra tip—work as a team to race against a timer to keep this one on track.

Encouraging Independent Play

Chances are, you aren’t going to be able to be at your child’s beck and call all throughout spring break. Here are some ideas to help your child play independently. These are great for the times you hop on work calls or get chores done around the house.

• Listen to Audiobooks: My kids absolutely love listening to books on their Yoto player. You could even record yourself reading your child’s favorite books. That way, they can follow along with the pictures as they listen in.
  
• Preferred Toys: One of my favorite independent-play hacks is to put your child’s favorite toys in close proximity to you. Keep a totable bin of these toys accessible. This allows them to play nearby while you check off those to do’s.
  
• Parent-Approved Apps: Look, none of us prefer our kids be on their devices, but they can have many benefits. So if your child is going to be on a tablet, here is a roundup of some of my favorite apps for kids.
  
• Drawing + Coloring: Whether you want to put out blank paper or print off some coloring sheets, this option is sure to be a winner. If you want ready-made options, check out this roundup of our favorite art resources.
  
• Building with Legos, Blocks, or MagnaTiles: This is invariably one of the top choices in our household. Sometimes I’ll set out picture books, colored silks or different figurines to inspire their building. If you’re looking for new building materials, I’ve got ‘em right here for ya!

Adventure Around Town

Cabin fever is real—especially if the weather is crummy. Here are some ways to get out of the house + have a little fun over spring break.

• Visit the Library: Check the library’s calendar for story times or special events. Even if there isn’t anything special happening, this is the place to pass the time + even pick up books, music + games to use as extra spring break ideas to use at home over the rest of spring break.
  
• Explore a Museum: We love a good children’s museum, but any will be great. See if your library even offers museum passes—they often do!
  
• Ride the Train or Bus: I remember we once rode a bus into town instead of walking + it was such a big hit. You don’t have to go far to make turn this activity into a successful spring break adventure!
  
• New Indoor Play Space: So many towns have the best places to let the kids run around + burn off some extra energy. Search Google + Instagram for indoor playgrounds, ninja warrior courses or trampoline parks—you’re sure to find one option!
  
• New Playground or Nature Center: We are always looking for new playgrounds—it’s the perfect way to mix up playground boredom.

Learning at Home

Just because your child is on a break from school doesn’t mean the learning has to end. And trust me, learning at home can be fun—just look at all these great ideas…

• Simple Science Experiments: Since most kids are fascinated with how things work, setting up explorations that encourage your child to be curious is sure to be a success. I personally utilize resources from Playdough to Plato to simplify the process. Another great option is to check out KiwiCo for their STEM boxes that require zero planning or prep.
  
• Take a Class: Nowadays it’s so easy for you + your child to try new activities through learning programs—and there’s no better time than spring break to give it a try!
  
  We personally love Outschool in our home for its convenience + quality of online programming. Click here to save $20 off your first class !
  
  And if you’re in the Denver or Bay areas, you can’t beat the in-home classes from Grasshopper. Be sure to use code ERIN747101 to save $20 off your first Grasshopper experience!

• Break out the Board Games, Card Games, or Puzzles: Nothing passes time like a good game sesh. If you’re looking to update your library, be sure to check out these round ups of our fave games and puzzles!
  
• Set Up a Bird-Watching Station: This is so much fun for the kids—especially this time of year when there are many birds migrating! You can learn more about our bird-watching setup right here.
  
• Music Time: Learn to play a new instrument, research other instruments around the world or enjoy music together to practice singing + rhythm.

Ongoing Thematic Projects

Sometimes it’s nice to have an on-going activity that carries through spring break. Here are some ideas to get you started—

• Collaborative Art: Make a family project like a giant mural or Lego sculpture.
  
• Plan a Family Play: Practice roles, build scenery + act out a familiar fairytale or folktale.
  
• Create a Museum Exhibit: Study a topic of interest through books + videos + create a special display. Invite family or neighbors to come over + check it out!
  
• Learn to Play a New Sport or Game: You could even host a family tournament.
  
• Explore the New Season: Read through books about spring, track changes in nature with simple observation journals + by planting seeds.

Invitations to Play

In case you’re new to invitations to play, these are super simple ideas. I love that they don’t have much structure + encourage your child to explore. They’re great for filling time together or to encourage independent play. I often set up an invitation + leave it out for a week at a time.

• Sensory Play: Set up a sensory bin with different materials like rice, beans, or sand, and provide your child with tools like scoops, cups, and spoons to play with. This can be a fun and calming activity that promotes exploration and creativity.
  
• Building Challenge: Set out building supplies (blocks, legos, toothpicks/clay) + invite your child to build a skyscraper or a structure to hold their favorite stuffed animal.
  
• Color Scavenger Hunt: Make a treasure map with different colored dots long the way. Have your child hunt for an object in the house that matches each color along the way to the ‘treasure’ on the map!
  
• Creation Station: Assemble a collection of art supplies —tissue paper, markers, beads, pipe cleaners—in a matching spring palette. Then, let your child create anything they’d like!
  
• Spring Fever: Gather resources for a spring play world. Including artificial turf, small plants or flowers, forest or farm animal figurines, etc. that your child can use to create a fun, spring scene.

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Download the Free Checklist

Although it can be challenging to figure out what you’re going to do with a full week at home with the kids, it has its silver lining. Using just a few of these ideas this week will give you quality time together that leads to connection in ways that you can’t always achieve on busy days away from home.

And hey, you may even find that these ideas for spring break even help you feel more relaxed + recharged. Play is just as important for us as adults as it is for kids!

If you want to make the most of this guide, be sure to grab the printable checklist I made to keep planning easy. Just pop your info in the form below + I’ll email you a PDF guide that will set you up for spring break success in no time at all!

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