17 Spring Break Activities for Kids​ to Keep Little Minds Active in 2026

Spring break activities for kids are essential to keep growing minds busy. According to Healthy Children, a website run by the American Academy of Pediatrics, engaging in play activities helps children to thrive both in and out of school. But with so much time to fill, how do you keep kids entertained during spring break? What can you do on spring break with kids at home?

We’ve compiled this list of engaging spring break ideas that promise to keep boredom at bay. These spring break ideas are perfect for kids of all ages, whether you’re looking for educational activities or just plain fun. Even if it’s still cold where you live, spring break activities offer a glimpse of the carefree summer days to come and allow you to make lasting memories.

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• Hassle-Free Spring Break Activities for Kids​
• Fun Spring Break Activities​ for Kids of All Ages
• Fun Indoor Spring Break Activities​ for Kids
• Spring Break Activities FAQs

Hassle-Free Spring Break Activities for Kids​

1. Spring Art Classes

Spring art classes in Atlanta, Houston and Seattle are some of the best spring break activities for kids because they remove the stress of planning. You don’t have to purchase art supplies, either — simply show up and allow the instructors to take the lead. From painting a landscape filled with beautiful spring flowers to an epic splatter-paint party, kids will have all the encouragement they need to let their creativity run wild. Even if you don’t live near any of the above cities, you can still have an incredible experience with online art classes.

2. ABC Day

Spring break activities for kids should be creative, and ABC Day definitely fits the bill. It involves choosing one letter of the alphabet and planning your entire day around it — for example, if you pick the letter C, you could play cards, eat carrots and bake a cake. Kids love this one!

3. Sensory Bins

Sensory bins are one of the best spring break activities for kids because they’re educational and engaging. Kids learn to use their senses creatively while improving fine motor skills. To build a sensory bin, start with a base like kinetic sand, shredded paper/packing peanuts or a grain, such as rice or pasta (dyed for extra fun!). You could also use leaves for a nature theme. Next, add tools like scoops, funnels, tongs and tweezers, along with toy animals, people or vehicles.

Now, it’s time to play! Kids can practice scooping and transferring materials, picking up items with tongs or tweezers and sorting by color, shape or size. Feel free to get creative with themes; some ideas include seasons, beach and rainbow colors.

4. Visit a Local Museum

Sometimes, the best spring break activities for kids are ones you don’t have to plan yourself. Take the kiddos to a museum for an afternoon — preferably one with hands-on activities to keep them occupied. Museums sometimes offer spring break discounts, so make sure to do your research!

You may choose to visit an art museum, a science museum or a history museum. Children’s museums are the gold standard because they usually have exhibits on a wide variety of topics.

5. Volunteer

Use the extra time on your hands to give back to the community. For this spring break activity for kids, arrange to volunteer at a local animal shelter, food bank or other organization in your area. If you live near a beach, see if there’s a beach clean-up event planned during the week.

6. Spring Cleaning

Spring cleaning might not sound like the most fun spring break activity for kids, but it’s a great way teach them responsibility and life skills. If you have multiple children, give them each to a specific room of the house, assigning tasks such as dusting, vacuuming and sorting items into bins for keeping, donating and throwing away.

Fun Spring Break Activities​ for Kids of All Ages

7. Have a Picnic

If you live in a warm climate, take advantage of it with outdoor spring break activities. Pack a picnic lunch to take to a local park, find a nice spot and spread out a blanket on the grass. The grown-ups can grab Starbucks spring drinks to enjoy while the kids play.

8. Go to the Library

A trip to the library is one of the best spring break activities for kids who love to learn. That’s especially true if you have kids in different age groups, because there are books for toddlers and teens alike. Some libraries even offer story time for younger kiddos.

9. Take a Nature Walk

One of the challenges of choosing great spring break activities for kids is getting them away from screens. A nature walk is the antidote all those hours of games and scrolling. For a little extra stimulation, give them magnifying glasses to examine bugs and plants up close, or turn the walk into a scavenger hunt where they have to collect certain items, like pinecones or a particular kind of leaf.

10. Plant a Garden

Encourage your kids to develop a green thumb early by starting a garden. Whether you plant flowers, vegetables or fruit trees, this spring break activity for kids is a great way to get them outside and active.

11. Paint Rocks

Once you’ve planted your garden, you need to make it look inviting, and painted rocks are a classic décor idea. This is one of the best spring break activities for kids if you’re looking to put their imaginations into overdrive.

12. Do a Science Experiment

Looking for fun spring break activities for kids? A DIY science experiment is the perfect fit. From the tried-and-true baking soda volcano to building a Rube Goldberg machine, there are tons of options to choose from.

Fun Indoor Spring Break Activities​ for Kids

13. Board Game Tournament

If you need free spring break activities for kids, throw it back to the good old days with a board game tournament. Get out all the board games in your house and play them one by one, perhaps even awarding prizes to the winners. Adults will love this one, too, for the nostalgia factor. To add a creative element to this fun spring break activity for students and kids, create your very own DIY board game together!

14. Make Ice Cream in a Bag

You probably remember this edible science project from grade school. It’s one of the easiest spring break activities for kids because you don’t even need an ice cream maker! Simply add ice and rock salt to a large freezer bag, then place a smaller bag filled with cream, sugar and vanilla inside of it. Shake the mixture up, wait 5-10 minutes and there you have it: homemade ice cream.

15. Movie Night

You can’t go wrong with a family movie night. Create an epic blanket fort (complete with pillows and snacks), and have a marathon of some of your favorite kid-friendly flicks. Or, if you’re lucky enough to have a warm spring break, take the movie night outdoors. Set up a projector, hang string lights or light tiki torches and lay out a bunch of different snacks.

Spread out a blanket on the grass and enjoy the magical ambiance you’ve created. Another fun spring break activity for kids of all ages is to make the movie yourself. As a family, write a script, choose costumes and film your movie, then sit down to watch the “premiere.” The kids will love showing it to their friends and teachers!

16. Arts and Crafts

Choose spring break activities for kids that celebrate the season! A few great spring craft ideas are guaranteed to keep them busy for hours. Plus, you’ll end up with some new home décor to display when they’re all finished. From a cupcake liner wreath to pressed flower suncatchers, the options are endless.

17. Bake Something

Baking isn’t just a creative hobby; it’s actually a very precise science. Kids will learn about measurements, conversions, chemical reactions and more while making a delicious treat. This is a prime example of spring break activities for kids that combine fun and learning. You could even turn it into a “bake-off” competition and give the kids a time limit to make and decorate their dessert of choice (of course, supervising and helping them with tasks like taking the baking pans in and out of the oven).

Spring Break Activities FAQs

What Are Some Fun Games To Play for Spring Break?

The best spring break activities for kids depend on where you live, as the weather varies dramatically this time of year. Northern states are often still buried under feet of snow in March, while the South is basking in the sunshine. If you’re lucky enough to have a warm spring break, outdoor games like cornhole and hopscotch never disappoint. These are also great free spring break activities if you’re looking to save some cash!

If it’s still cold where you live, don’t worry; there are lots of fun indoor spring break activities for kids that will keep them entertained all week. These include board games, arts and crafts, baking, sensory bins and more.

What Are Unique Spring Break Activities?

There are plenty of fun spring break activities that don’t involve planning a big trip. That doesn’t mean you have to just sit around the house, either! Backyard camping is always a hit. Set up a tent, make it cozy with pillows and sleeping bags, and spend the night stargazing, telling scary stories and making s’mores (if residential campfires are permitted in your area).

Or start learning a new skill as a family, whether it's a language or something like coding. A scavenger hunt is another fun idea. Scavenger hunts are among the best free spring break activities because they’re a great way to repurpose household objects. Print out checklists for the kids to mark off as they go, and prepare for a wholesome (if slightly chaotic) good time.

If you want to get out of the house while staying local, spend a day exploring parts of your own city you don’t frequent very often. A day trip to a neighboring city or town is another great spring break activity for kids.

Now that you have plenty of fun options to keep boredom at bay, all that’s missing is some spring jokes. Hop to it and enjoy these spring break activities for kids that will lead to everlasting memories.

For even more fun activities to try, check out other experiences happening on Classpop!