Crafts & Fun

Nothing says spring like March break! If you haven’t thought of new things to do with your brood this year, don’t fret. We’ve got dozens of ideas, outings, crafts, activities and recipes you can do with your kids to keep them happy on their break.

What to do this season!
26 ways to enjoy the time off
Web-exclusive bonus:
10 more ways to get the most of your time together
Video:
Cookie Blossoms
Sweeten-up springtime with our new step-by-step cookie decorating video and learn to make adorable cookie bouquets your whole family will love.

Outdoor fun
• Backyard Olympics
Great ways to bring the Games to your home
• Winter wonderland
Birds, bugs and animal tracks: What to look for on outdoor hikes.
• Have a (snow) ball!
It may not be spring-like conditions in your neck of the woods over March Break. Check out fun ways to enjoy the end of winter.
• Getting your kids started on skis
Ways to get your kids out on the slopes with you.

Indoor fun
• Scavenger hunt ideas
Get fun hints from our list to prepare a great scavenger hunt for your brood
• Top 20 children’s websites
Wondering where your kids can go online for fun (and a little education)? Here are 20 of our favourite sites for tots to tweens
• Fun science projects
Got curious kids and a kitchen? Try these five easy experiments that look like magic and introduce cool scientific concepts
• 10 tips for successful sleepovers
A little planning can ensure everything goes smoothly — sleep optional
• Green thumb in training
Pint-sized container gardens offer little gardeners big-time fun
• Playdate guide
From where to go to what to do, our playdate guide has all the do's and don'ts for your next playtime adventure
• Sleepover survival guide
Everything you need to know about hosting a slumber party
• Puppet love
Whip up these cool characters and let the show begin.
• Homemade melody
Nine musical instruments for kids to shake, rattle and roll
• What do you see?
Take the kids to a gallery for an artsy afternoon.
• Meet the library
Big shelves of books and fun activities make the library a place to spend many happy hours
• The top 20 family games
Our best bets from preschoolers to teens.
• Game centre
Dozens of games for all ages that will keep the kids busy.

Get crafty
Painting primer
Paper ball blossoms
Tissue paper butterflies
The butterfly effect
Crumple craft flowers
Bloom time
For the birds
Pot o' gold
Putting around
Warm welcome
Spring fling Happy St. Patrick's Day
Homemade toys
Blossoms up!

Visiting
• Road Trip Activity Guide
Oodles of ideas to keep your kids entertained in the car
• Healthy family road trip
A two-day drive and no fast food. Impossible, you say? Find out how one family (almost) did it
• A skeptics guide to Disney
After years of naysaying, Today’s Parent deputy editor Jacqueline Kovacs and her husband reluctantly took their kids to Walt Disney World. Here’s what they learned
• Vacation daze
How to plan a happy family vacation
• Great vacation spots
A handful of fun places across Canada your kids will love

Recipes
Get the kids into the kitchen and try one of our great dishes. Visit Cooking with Kids for more yummy recipes.

Breakfast
Orange Pineapple Smoothie
Blueberry Oven Pancake
Crunchy French Toast Dippers
Apple Cream Cheese Melts
Breakfast In A Cookie
Banana Peanut Butter Bread
Vanilla Maple Tropical Fruit

Lunch
Leah's Famous Caterpillars and Cheese
One-Pot Tuna and Mac
Do-It-Yourself Submarine Factory
Banana Dog
Green Egg Salad
Baked Bean Wrap
Salmon Salad Roll-Up In A Whole Wheat Pita

Dinner
Turkey Barbeque
The Perfect Burger
Potato Chip Chicken Fingers
Real Honest-to-Badness French Fries
Fishless Sticks
Do-It-Yourself Pizza Factory
Squiggles with Ricotta and Roasted Red Pepper

Originally published in Todaysparent.com, March 2008