Has spring break ever snuck up on you? Don’t get me wrong, I’m itching for time off by March or early April. It’s not like I forget about it, but sometimes I am so preoccupied that I fail to come up with any spring break ideas. Then the kids sit at home and stare at screens for the week.
It’s wonderful to have a break from the school schedule as the weather begins to warm up—so many fun things to do outside! Maybe your family is taking advantage of the break to take a vacation or you’re looking for fun things to do closer to home. We’ve put together a list of 30 spring break ideas for every type of family and kid, from working parents, to the art lover, to the outdoor adventurer. And since so many of these activities can be found in your hometown (or your own back yard!), you can have fun on a dime.
Memory Making Spring Break Ideas
1. Create your family tree. 
Use our free Family Tree printable to help your kids connect the dots between family members.
2. Rent an RV.
You know you’ve always wanted to drive something that has a steering wheel with a 24-inch diameter.
3. Find the weird but wonderful.
Most families have some kind of oddball attraction within driving distance. Look for a niche museum or farm, or a “world’s oldest” or “world’s largest” tourist attraction.
4. Recreate your favorite spring break.
Is your best memory of when you learned how to ski? Or was it when you stayed low-key and had an Audrey Hepburn movie marathon with your mom? Realize what made it so great and try to recreate it for your kids.
5. Have a No-Rules Night.
To do No-Rules Night well, you really need to be able to recover the next day, making spring break prime No-Rules Night territory. Here’s what it’s all about.
6. Serve together.
According to research shared by Feeding America, “volunteering during adolescence has been linked to some major positive effects such as improved grades, reduced drug usage, and increased self-esteem.” You’ll have the time, so go make a difference.
Ideas for the Adventurous Family
7. Try (mostly) primitive camping.
If you are usually the glamping type, try roughing it with just the essentials. Cook over the fire at night and bring our printable Camping Scavenger Hunt for fun during the day.
8. Go on a culinary adventure.
Swing by that restaurant you keep saying you want to try (even if the menu’s in a different language).
9. Get sporty.
Try a sport you’ve never tackled! Pickleball, frisbee golf, a driving range… Whatever you try, remember that you’re not supposed to be good at it. Just have fun cheering one another on.
10. Go for an outdoor adrenaline rush.
Get fresh air moving through your lungs, and feel your heart race. Go rafting, or try a high ropes course. The whole family will bond over the natural high.
11. Switch places for the day.
This one is in labeled adventurous mainly for the parents. Let the kids decide the meals for the day, swap bedrooms, and give them control of the remote. Good luck getting them to pay the bills.
12. Have a No-El day.
Nope, it’s not Christmas. No-El is a no electronics day. Your kids might complain, but by the end of the day, they’ll thank you because disconnecting from tech means they’ll connect more with you and their siblings.
Spring Break Ideas for Working Parents
13. Open your “I’m Bored” jar.
Do you work from home and need your kids to entertain themselves? Try our “I’m Bored” Jar. Some of the ideas are fun—a nature hunt or creating an obstacle course; others will make your children think a bit more.
14. Read a book together.
Have a nightly book club meeting with themed snacks.
15. Schedule friend time.Â
This is the time to lean on other moms who offer to include your kiddos. Let your kids hang at friends’ houses while you’re at work, and offer to take their friends out for a fun activity over the weekend.
16. Host a weekend movie night in the back yard.
Grab a sheet and project a kid-friendly movie in your back yard. Invite friends and neighbors and make it a potluck dessert night for extra sugary fun!
17. Have a picnic dinner.
Spring is the perfect time for a picnic, but it’s hard when you have to be at work. Grab sub sandwiches on the way home and throw a blanket on the ground for a cool dinner outside.
18. Sign up for camp.
Check your local churches or YMCA for spring break camp opportunities. Your kids might discover a new skill (or a new friend) before heading back to school.
19. Get it on camera.
Do your kids love pretending they’re YouTube or TikTok stars? Turn it into family fun when you get home from work by recording a cooking show, learning choreography, or making a movie. Or try our free printable Selfie Scavenger Hunt and let them snap photos of their beautiful faces.
Spring Break Ideas to Get Everyone Outside
20. Have some backyard fun.
Let everyone pick out one outdoor activity. Slip ’N Slide, a sprinkler, water balloons. Everyone has to participate, including Mom!
21. Become grill masters.
Summer might be grilling season, but spring is when the grills first get lit. See what foods you can take to the grill (veggies and pizza, whaaaat?!) and let the kids learn how to use one safely.
22. Tackle a project.
Have you wanted to plant a garden, put in a fountain, or paint the fence? Spring break is a good time to tackle it bit by bit and get the kids involved.
23. Catch a spring training game.Â
Seeing a baseball game with the kids is a fun and inexpensive spring break outing. Be sure to get hot dogs and Cracker Jacks!
24. Camp close to home.Â
By close we mean in the back yard. It’s like regular camping, but with your own bathroom only steps away.
25. Have a lemonade stand.
If it’s warm enough, let the kids squeeze some lemons, stir in some sugar and water, and post up at a table. Your little entrepreneurs will love making sales.
Ideas for the Family That Wants to Stay Inside
26. Try an indoor sport.
If it’s still too cold in your hometown or spring showers have spoiled vacation plans, try bowling, roller skating, or go-carts.
27. Go on a mall scavenger hunt.
iMOM’s free printable Mall Scavenger Hunt is a great spring break idea for two families to do together. Just make sure you put a chaperone with each group and stop for Auntie Anne’s pretzels when you’re done!
28. Closet Clean Out
Expect a groan from everyone. It’s gonna happen. But offer a fun incentive for when the project is finished. A new outfit, dinner at a family favorite restaurant, or a trip to the zoo.
29. Get your family in touch with its cultural side.
Local community theater organizations offer live entertainment for less than the big shows, and many art and history museums offer family rates or allow younger children in free! You’ll be amazed at the types of conversations you’ll have with your children after they see something culturally enriching and interesting.
30. Camp in the living room.Â
Did the weather forecast ruin your camping plans? Grab your sleeping bags, pillows, and s’mores and head to the living room. Here are some fun ways to make indoor camping your family’s new favorite activity.
What’s your best spring break memory?
