March Break: At home and around town
Here are ten no-cost ideas for spending time as a family or for engaging the kids in some independent play during March Break this year - if you try any of them, we'd love to hear how it goes! Tag @childreach.centre on Instagram to share.
A fort or campout space can create a cozy escape and play space during March Break.
Ask your kids. Maybe there is something they have been really looking forward to - big or small. Check in with them daily, too, because maybe that outing you had planned would be best saved for another day, and today the kids would rather stay home and build a small world.
Rest. Watch a show, read a book, take naps together, stay in pyjamas all day. Seriously, if you can, just take some time for everyone to rest.
Living room camping - take some time to build an amazing fort at the beginning of the week, and make it a place to camp out. Create a picnic spot, read stories, play games, have a “camp out” and tell stories by flashlight.
Play question games - this can be done no matter what your week looks like - staying home, driving to childcare, having a meal. Find questions for kids online - If you could be an animal for a day, which animal would you be? If you could change one thing about your school, what would it be? Would you rather play in the snow or play in the sand?
Visit the London Public Library - the library has programs happening all week! Check out events near you on their calendar, or just visit to read some stories. If you’re all out during the day, maybe borrow a few stories and read a new one each weeknight at bedtime.
Find some art! This city has public art everywhere. Take a walk or a drive and see what you can find. See if you can find one piece each person in your family really likes. There are huge murals, carved tree trunks, painted electric boxes, sculptures, and more.
Make some art! While you’re out, try creating some transient art for others to enjoy. Use natural materials you find on a walk, and talk about how you can make patterns or a sculpture. (Explore transient art by artist Andy Goldsworthy here.) Talk about how this art will be here for a while but not forever because the pieces will move around, break down, or get taken away by the wind or animals.
Get active and have fun. Set up an obstacle course, play Twister or Hide n’ Seek, Go for a walk and play I Spy, play Simon Says, or try active moves dice.
Make a family playlist and have a dance party. Everyone present gets to add songs. Play the list on shuffle so everyone gets a chance at dancing to their favourite songs.
Sensory play for the whole family. Take some time to enjoy the sensory activities everyone in your family loves most or needs most. Maybe that’s time outside, or time curled up in soft blankets watching a movie. Maybe you’re making play dough, blowing bubbles, or cooking something that smells delicious.
A visit to the library could yield a new favourite story.
Whatever your family chooses to do this March Break, whether the kids are at home, in childcare, or at camp, we hope that you get some time together, some fun, and some rest.