Spring break is quickly approaching and if you’re guilty like me and haven’t made any plans, don’t panic! Here is an easy list of things to do with your kiddos big or small in the Maryland area or at home. We are so fortunate to have access to some amazing day trips here in Maryland that won't set you back a small fortune.
Local gardens. Brookside Gardens is an amazing local and destination spot to visit. There is so much to do for all ages. My husband took the older girls one rainy weekend and they still had a blast running in their rainboots and rain coats. There are so many distinct areas, Aquatic Garden, Azalea Garden, Butterfly Garden, Children’s Garden, Rose Garden, Japanese Style Garden, Trial Garden, Rain Garden, and the Woodland Walk, you could get lost in there all day!
Indoor water park. We have all heard of Great Wolf Lodge and their amazon indoor water park, but that place can be pricey. Did you know North Arundel Aquatic Center has an indoor play space? The water features include a 134 foot water slide, splashdown area, water buckets, preschool water slide, vortex area and poolside spa for adults. Children must be fully potty trained, no swim diapers. They do have a limit on capacity and timed entry so make sure you book online and get there on time.
Visit the zoo. We have 2 here in Maryland! The Maryland Zoo is amazing and has some different animals compared to the National Zoo but does cost $20-24. The National Zoo is technically in D.C. but easy enough to get to from MD. Plus it is free, but does cost to park or metro there. But they just opened the new bird house!
Nature walk. You could easily do this near your own house but Annmarie Sculpture Gardens was amazing! They had an adorable little walking path through the woods with fairy houses and a “follow the chalk path”. There is so
much more to do here. Check out the full blog here.
Plant something. Where we live our last frost date is April 10 so hopefully we will be able to get a head start on our summer garden over spring break!
Visit a farm. Spring is the time for all the babies! A quick search on google can help you find a local farm but we love Clark's Elioak Farm in Ellicott City.
Visit a farmers market. Don’t just go to the farmers market, make it a game! See who can find the most different types of something, like tomatoes! See who can find the most variety of tomatoes and then when you get home have a taste test of all the varieties.
Kid friendly winery or brewery. Pretty self explanatory but make sure you find one that's really kid friendly. We love Lone Oak Farm Brewing because it has a large playground for kids to enjoy while I sip a variety of beverages. Waredeca also has some awesome lemonade shandy and they offer pony rides, or at least they did before Covid so double check on this one.
Visit the beach. You don’t have to go all the way to Ocean City to visit a beach. Just over the Bay Bridge you can visit Sandy Point State Park and enjoy the beautiful beach and bay.
Take a drive for ice cream. Kick off the season and check out an ice cream shop along the Marylands Ice Cream Guide or take a trip to South Mountain Creamery in Middletown where you can enjoy ice cream and the cows that made it, you can even feed a calf while there!
Easter related adventure. With the cost of eggs here are some alternatives to dying hard boiled eggs. Dye egg shells that you have saved over the past few months by poking a small hole in one end and a little bigger one on the other and blowing the yolk out. You can easily rinse them out with water and let them dry while you collect them for a few days. Alternatively you can buy dyeable plastic eggs from Target. Be sure to check out Martins Monsters on Instagram for the latest local events.
Check out a museum. We recently visited the Maryland Science Center in Baltimore and my kids had a blast! But there are so many more museums in DC to check out if your kids are a little older. Find one that has something they are interested in, some of our favorites are the Natural History Museum, National Children’s museum, National Building museum has a whole exhibit where kids can play and build, and National Air and Space Museum.
Spring Cleaning. Spring break always makes me think of warmer weather so now is a great time to go through your linen closet and check on those pool towels. While you are cleaning out those bulky ones, consider investing in these much lighter weight quick drying towels. Are some ready to be donated and recycled? Have you managed to accumulate 5x more than your family needs? While you are there check out the sheets and bath towels too. I take the time over spring break to also go through our toys with the kids. My goal this year is to donate one toy for every year old the child is. How is it possible that we have so many toys?!
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