You don’t have to engage in ALL the crazy-cool happenings going on around town to have a wonderful, meaningful time with your family this season. Perhaps you prefer a more laid-back approach. Maybe you don’t have a partner to help you corral a couple of rowdy kids through a sea of other families. You could be low on cash, low on energy, or both. Or even more, maybe your idea of fun is just a slower paced, quieter time connecting with your child.
Have no fear. The ideas below require very little planning, are easy to pull off, and can be just as delightful as a star-studded Spring Break extravaganza.
Take bike rides in the neighborhood. This needn't be an all-day adventure with a deluxe sack lunch and bottled water. Just put on your safety gear, grab a snack from the pantry, and GO. Bike until you’re tired, then return home for tall cups of Kool-Aid and warm showers.
Ride the The Woodlands Trolley. Don't bother looking at the schedule ahead of time. Just show up at a trolley stop in the middle of the day, and know that the next trolley will be there within about 10 to 15 minutes. Take a round-trip and enjoy looking out the window. Then get off, and you’re done.
Visit the Downtown Aquarium. This venue might be busier than you have in mind, but it’s an adventure that allows you to take your time. Don’t rush the kids if they want to spend extra time going through the indoor exhibit portion. The impatient people behind you can go around. Spend as much time as you'd like, and finish up outside on the carousel.
Do Dutch braids. OK, so this one is for the girls, but a simple indulgent activity is sitting down in front of the mirror and getting two lovely Dutch braids or French braids in your hair. If you don’t know how to braid your child’s hair, find a YouTube video and practice a couple of times first. Put pretty barrettes on the ends. Then snap a few photos.
Visit the park. Play time at the park is good for any other time, why not Spring Break too? Swings, slides, merry-go-rounds, kicking a ball on the lawn... how is this not the ultimate fun? Bring along a kite to fly if you wish.
Play in the spraygrounds. Water playgrounds provide fun opportunities for spending time outside! The six spraygrounds managed by The Woodlands Township will be open daily during Spring Break, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Spend time at the library reading new books. Go home with a few borrowed ones, and spend each day of Spring Break on a reading adventure.
Have poetry tea time. It’s simple to do. Make tea, put together a simple tray of snacks, and read poems from the poetry books you already have at home. If you don’t have any, pull up children’s poems from a website, and print them out. Take turns reading and enjoying lighthearted poems.
Bubbles in the backyard. Kids of all ages (and grown-ups too) enjoy playing with bubbles. There is no need to invest in an automatic bubble machine that churns out thousands of bubbles in three seconds. The old fashioned, blow-it-yourself wands you get at Walmart will do just fine. Time in the backyard can include bubble play, hula hoops, jumping rope, and creating art with sidewalk chalk.
Take a ride for ice cream. Decide on an ice cream shop that you’d like to visit, and pile the kids up for a ride to get ice cream sundaes or banana splits. You can do Marble Slab or Dairy Queen right here in the Woodlands, travel to Old Town Spring for a decadent cool dessert at Pops, or something else. If you prefer a lighter sweet treat, try out Buzzles on FM 2920. We love their shaved ice, and you can get toppings and add-ins.
Make a cake together. From scratch, or a simple box cake will suffice. The smell of the cake in the oven while you guys go on about your daily activities in the house is such an indulgence. When it’s finished, frost the cake together and add on decorations of your choice. Serve cake with cold milk while you play fun songs on Alexa. My girls have always enjoyed the tunes of Elizabeth Mitchell.
Plant herbs in the garden. If everyone’s up for getting their hands dirty, Spring Break is the perfect time to start an herb garden, even if it's just a simple mason jar arrangement.
Refresh the children's bedrooms. Spend time with the kids getting rid of old clothes and shoes, rearranging the furniture, decluttering, and organizing their toys and bookcases. If the budget allows, go out and shop for another lovely item or two to add to the rooms. A new rug?
Assemble a jigsaw puzzle. If you begin a puzzle with hundreds or thousands of pieces at the beginning of the break, with everyone (even guests who might stop by) working on the puzzle little by little throughout the week, you'll likely be finished by week's end! Puzzles are fun and relaxing, and they can help improve your mood and overall emotional health. Plus, when you're finished, you'll have a family group project to be proud of!
