30 Things to do With the Kids on Spring Vacation
My kids are off school for the WHOLE week! It is Spring vacation here in our town and me and the kids have the next week to fill up with all the things! Staying home is NOT on my agenda unless it is a necessity! I plan on keeping us busy so long as the weather cooperates! Come on Spring!
If you are like me and having a stay-cation then you might find yourself wondering what to do with all the free time! I’m gonna give you a list of 30 things to chose from! Ready!?
- Take a walk! Explore your own neighborhood and walk around checking for signs of Spring! I love walks with the kids when the weather is good! We often get to chat with our neighbors and catch up on what we missed over the long winter. It is a great way to get the kids energy out and explore. Our cul de sac is about 1.5 miles round trip back to our front door so the kids get a good workout and so do I!
- Hit up the local parks and playground OR explore a new one! There is a beautiful playground and park in our town and there are tons of others we have yet to explore in neighboring towns! You can search the parks and recreation pages of other towns to get directions to playgrounds!
- Go to the movies! If the weather isn’t great go to an actual movie theater! We usually buy DVDs or watch Netflix and Amazon, but sometimes it is nice to have that full on movie theatre experience!
- Go to the library! My kids love the town library but we don’t get to go often with the school and activity schedule. My oldest gets the least library time of all with her full day school schedule. Plus, the library often has different activities on different days! Check your local library website!
- Go to the zoo! We have an annual zoo membership but haven’t been since October! My kids can’t wait to go back and I know we are headed there one day this week for sure!
- Have a play-date! Again, with the hustle and bustle of the school weeks extra time with friends isn’t usually an option! Have the moms and kids come over and PLAY!
- Mystic Aquarium is a beautiful place and it is great when the weather is not too hot yet!
- Try a new restaurant for dinner! Lots of restaurants have days when the kids eat free for dinner!
- Go to New York City! There is so much to do and the train ride in is fun for all! Walk around, go to a museum, check out a cool city playground, get lunch and head home before rush hour!
- Go to a local farm! We have some great farms nearby that let the kids get up close and personal with the animals!
- Have a picnic lunch!
- Bake cookies for a neighbor!
- Have a lazy day with pajamas! There is no where to be at any specific time so just let it be and enjoy a leisurely day at home!
- Essex Steam Train is an awesome way to take a trip back in time and ride in the vintage coach cars while overlooking farms, ponds, and boat yards.
- Stepping Stones Museum – fun and fascinating exhibits and outdoor spaces!
- The Dinosaur Place! We went just a few seasons ago and the kids had a blast seeing all the life-sized dinosaurs and live working volcano!
- Jordan’s IT Adventure Ropes Course, the largest such activity in the world. Enjoy an incredible adventure on two 60’ high ropes courses. Climb and zip and jump and walk amidst swinging beams, angled rope ladders, cargo nets, bridges, and planks. Watch 1000 water nozzles dance to lights, stereo sounds and music.
- Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk – Kids and parents can visit nose-to-nose with sharks, seals, river otters, wrinkly sea turtles, and stinging jellyfish.
- Bishop’s Orchard – Since 1871, Bishops Orchards has served the shoreline with fresh farm products. The farm market has grown to a simple, yet bustling market, handling fresh fruits and vegetables, a fully operating bakery, specialty foods and grocery. Open year-round, pick-your-own fun almost every month.
- Connecticut Science Center – Resources from near & far have come together to create a truly unique and powerful experience with lasting educational impact. 150 brand-new exhibits that include everything from race cars to rocket ships and brainwaves in your head to life on Mars. Build your own inventions using the hottest high tech tools!
- Legoland Westchester! Kids had a blast during our last visit and they are changing over the exhibits all the time so each time you go you will see something new!
- Bowling! Have you taken the kids bowling yet? So much fun!
- Go see a play! There are so many quaint playhouses and theaters and they often have kid-friendly performances!
- Start your garden! Go to the local nursery and let the kids chose from all the different fruits and veggies that you can grown in your seasonal climate. Get the tools, seed trays, soil, garden gloves and have the kids help get the garden started indoors. When the seeds start to grow everyone can watch on and take turns watering and get ready for the big day you transfer them to the outside.
- The Downtown Cabaret Theater – Professional Musical Theatre & Entertainment for Children and Adults in Bridgeport.
- Discovery Museum & Planetarium – Daily Planetarium shows (included with admission), interactive exhibits with fun challenges, and NASA space mission simulation experience.
- Sports Center of Connecticut – A unique family entertainment experience in Shelton with a driving range, mini golf, lazer tag, fun bowl, arcade, batting cages, and the only double-decker ice rink for hockey and public skating.
- Go shopping for summer clothes and shoes! I know it might be chilly out there, but the warm weather can literally “Spring” on us any day. Make sure the kids have clothes that fit. Go through the closest and have a fashion show to see what still fits and make a bag to donate those items that are good to pass along.
- Go on a nature hunt! Explore your back yard! Make a small checklist of items for the kids to look for and set them into the yard to hunt each item down. They can check them off as they go! Different bird species, different tree species, bugs, and rocks.
- Have fun! Forget the schedule and go at you own pace! We have nothing pressing this week and there are no lunches to pack or homework to be done! That is a RARE thing and we are going to enjoy every minute!
I hope you have a great Spring vacation whatever you decide to do! I am keeping my fingers and toes crossed for warm weather and ditching the coats! And, we will get some ice cream because our FAVORITE place is opening for the season! YUUUUMMM!
