Photograph Credit: Flickr (Jessica Merz)
Are you anticipating spring break? We did! My son’s school has an earlier spring break than most schools in our area. Having the run of places while other children were in school was SO nice! As you prepare for your extra time with your school-age children, I will share how we spent our spring break without breaking the bank on the activities.
Monday: We ran errands all day, but I worked in fun stops along the way. For example: I spaced out the two grocery store trips. We visited one in the morning around 10:00 a.m. which is snack time. The free cookie program took care of the morning snack which is a very nice free option. The second grocery store was visited as the last stop on the way home. We also snagged a free cookie for the kids which held them over until dinner.
We ran our first batch of errands at stores close to home. We then made a stop at home for lunch and to unload before heading out for the afternoon session. In addition to grocery shopping, I had 3 errands to accomplish at a local mall. After lunch, we went to the mall. After accomplishing our errands, I allowed the kids to play at the Kidgits Area, which is an in-door playground. They were climbing, sliding, crawling, and playing for over an hour. They had a great time, and I was able to accomplish a long list of errands.
Tuesday: With the errands completed, we spent the morning at our local library. I was hoping to catch our usual story time class, but the library took their spring break that same week. Though we did not have an official story time with songs and stories, the kids returned their books, chose new ones, and played in the kids area with the puzzles, toys, and computers. After our library visit, we went home for lunch and a restful afternoon.
Wednesday: I scheduled a play date at our house. Our neighbors came down to play for the morning. My kids enjoyed having other children come play with their toys in their house. I enjoyed the visit with my neighbor as our kids played well together. We then rested in the afternoon before heading to church for Kids 4 Truth.
Thursday: We played at home for the morning and allowed the baby to get her morning nap. After an early lunch, we headed for our local Bounce House with inflatables on which the kids jump. We had saved some passes that were given to us, and I brought snacks for them. This all-afternoon activity was a highlight for the week. With their energy exhausted, my kids slept really well that night. 🙂
Friday: After adjusting our schedule due to the baby’s long morning nap, we met up with our friends for the afternoon at the zoo. With our Family Plus Zoo Membership, our family and guests were granted free admission into the zoo. All seven kids enjoyed looking, laughing, and playing together while watching all the animals. At the conclusion of our visit, the kids enjoyed playing on the playground together. This activity was by far THE highlight of our spring break.
With a little advanced planning, I was able to schedule at least one special activity each day. Since all these activities were free, except the cost of gas, we were able to enjoy an activity-slammed week without breaking the bank.
What special activities did you or are you planning to do during spring break? I hope you have a great time with your family as you enjoy each other!