By: Courtney Kowalczyk, M.Ed.
The weather is warming up here in Michigan, and it is hard to believe that spring break is right around the corner. Spring time can be a season of change for many children, and it is important to try and maintain some consistency and routine. Whether you are going away for spring break or staying home, here are a few fun ideas to help you and your family maintain consistency as well as to enjoy the time off.
- Set up an indoor treasure hunt. We all know that the weather during the spring season can be somewhat unpredictable, which means that you may find yourselves stuck indoors whether you are at home or on vacation. Wherever you are, you and your family can have a great time with an indoor treasure hunt. Each family member can take turns hiding their own personal items, and giving clues to the other family members about where the “treasures” are hiding.
- Camp out! Whether you sleep on the floor in your living room or outside in a tent, camping out can be fun for everyone. You can set up your own campsite indoors or outside with a tent, sleeping bags, and snacks. As a family, you could sit around a real or pretend fire and take turns telling stories to one another. You can even make smores over a fire or in the microwave.
- Do some spring cleaning! We all could take a day or two to get ourselves and our households organized and thoroughly cleaned. Here are several spring cleaning ideas that may help you and your family get organized: clean the refrigerator, organize the junk drawer, put away winter gear and bring out the spring clothes, wash your window coverings, dust your ceiling fans, change the batteries in your smoke detector, dust your light fixtures, clean out your flower beds, organize your garage, and rake your yard.
- Write your family story. Each year, families grow, change, and make new discoveries. Spring break is a great time to either start or continue writing your family story. You can do this by keeping a photo album with pictures and comments to which each member contributes, or you can use many of the new photo book computer programs that are available online. It is so neat to look back at previous years to see how family members have grown or changed, as well as to see the fun adventures that your family had together.
Besides planning fun activities to do together, it is also important to keep in mind the importance of consistency and routine during this vacation time. Even though you are on vacation, it will be helpful to try and keep similar wake, sleep, and meal time routines. You may also want to consider planning only one or two activities for you and your family to do each day. If you try to pack too many things in, spring break can become stressful for everyone instead of restful.
By using the activities and ideas listed above, you and your family can make plans together to enjoy the spring break vacation!
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