Staying home this spring break? According to a recent survey and psychology experts from the Journal of Happiness Studies, you may be making the right choice; Americans need eight vacation days total, and three of those days are spent de-stressing. On top of that, we need at least one more day to transition after a trip, according to Alexander Caillet, an organizational psychology consultant. “We tend to go from where we were to where we are overnight, and it’s a bit of a shock to the system,” Caillet told NBC News BETTER.
In short, spring break is not a long enough period of time for you to fully enjoy a trip away. (Repeat that to yourself every time you start feeling a little jelly toward your jetsetting friends, who are going to return home needing a vacation from their vacation.) So while others are off relaxing poolside or taking in gorgeous mountaintop views, just tell yourself that there’s probably a small human beside them who’s whining about being hot or cold or wanting to go home. And then pick out a few of these family spring break activities that you get to enjoy right in the comfort of your own home.
The great indoors: Indoor spring break activities
The world is your classroom: Outdoor education ideas
If you’re looking to build some educational outings into your spring break, try some of these ideas:
- Visit a nearby **kids’ museum**. Science, nature, art — whatever your child's interests are, chances are there's a museum nearby that would delight them for the day.
- Attend a spring musical at a local theater. (Many kid-friendly musicals are based on books and movies — read the book and watch the movie together first, and make the musical your grand finale!)
- Visit a U.S. National Park. The National Park Service hosts a variety of educational programs for kids. Explore a nearby park through the Junior Ranger Program, where kids can download activity booklets and earn a Junior Ranger badge. If you have a fourth grader at home, Every Kid Outdoors allows U.S. fourth graders and family members free access to parks.
Whatever you end up doing this spring break, keep in mind that your kids’ favorite part will be that they got to spend time with you. So resist the urge to check your phone (I’m preaching to myself here, too), keep it simple, and let yourself have some unproductive fun. These are the good ol' days you’re going to reminisce about one day.
