The kids are about ready to break free from the monotony of school for a week. This means two things…no packing lunches and we need to keep them busy for the week.
While I love having my kids home without the schedules we are normally bound to, I also can feel a little stressed out when I start to think of how we will spend the hours. This year, I’m channeling my inner 1st grade teacher and using those years of experience to remember what kids need during their week off school this spring.
I’ve put together a list of 7 ideas for you. Getting through all 7 might be a little challenging, so pick one or two and really make the most of the week off with your kids.
Pick a local museum and plan a visit. Museums are examples of informal learning environments. When kids are in school, they are in a formal setting. Let them learn in this new creative way.
This doesn’t have to be a civil war reenactment. Think outside of the box with inventive ways to introduce your children to history in a fun way. Knott’s Berry Farm, for example, lets kids pan for gold or experience a one room school house.
Maybe you live close to a Pretend City. But if you don’t plan a pretend play event for your kids. This can even be as simple as going to a thrift store and picking out a silly hat.
Kids need to connect with their friends outside of school. Spring break is the perfect time to make the play date at the park, beach or home. Let your children get out their energy and play with their friends longer than the 15 minute recess they have at school.
Another way you can introduce your kids to a school subject outside of the classroom is by doing a science experiment at home. We have 20 great ideas for Kitchen Science Experiments here.
In the past, I’ve had my kids document spring break by spending a little time at the end of each day. You can twist this idea by starting the day with any type of free writing. And if your child isn’t into writing, make it a free drawing time. In a world inundated with technology, spending some time writing or drawing is a great way to encourage creativity.
Before spring break starts, you can inspire kids to use all parts of their brain by starting a collection. This can be as simple as a rock collection or a complex as collecting pictures of certain objects on their phone. Collecting things helps our brain to search for and sort objects.
This list is certainly not exhaustive. But, hopefully it will get you thinking of some activities you can use to create memories with your kids. It will also serve as a way to keep their brains turned on while they are off school. And learning in a new way is always a good thing!