A Kinder Play Spring Break

Rewarded after a long play with Kinder Surprise

Spring break is coming soon, meaning vacations, staycations and quality family time.  Our kids are lucky enough to have 2 breaks from school, one just wrapped up for February and the other coming at Easter.  Organizing activities to keep the kids entertained while they are out of school is a necessity otherwise they tend to bug each other to the point of annoyance spiralling from there.  Coming up with ideas isn’t always easy with kids of this age, usually one wants to do something different from the rest so we compromise to ensure everyone has fun.  I’ve been lucky enough to be selected again to represent Kinder Surprise as a #KinderMom, an added bonus to our days of play.

6 in a truck equals tight quarters for the road trip

For this break we planned two parts.  We started our winter break off with a mini vacation; road trips and hotels can be interesting.  Spending time with the cousins at a family birthday party, a little shopping and a lot of swimming were only a few highlights of the fun weekend.  Travelling with kids can be tough at any ages.  To avoid any unwelcome headaches, I recommend being prepared with plenty of activities and snacks to keep your kids occupied during travel.

How we kept the kids busy on our road trip:

>> We made sure everyone was fed a good breakfast before starting out on the road and have a cooler packed full of healthy treats and drinks for the ride.  Hungry tummies means grouchy kids and if your kids are like mine, when they get “bored” they want to eat.

>> We made sure everyone visited the restroom directly before getting in the vehicle.  Having to stop for a potty break 20 minutes after you start on the road is slow going.

>> We packed toys, activity books and movies with a portable movie player for added entertainment.

>> We played games along the way such as I Spy and Name that (town, building, landmark, etc).

>> We made sure to encourage potty breaks when we stopped for fuel; this also encouraged everyone to stretch their legs.

Road trips can be cramped but there are many ways to have fun with your kids while traveling, play is a key factor in avoiding the question “Are we there yet?”.

PJ’s and computer, staycation is off to a relaxing start

On our arrival home, we were eager to spend a little time relaxing.  Miss Priss spent most of the first day in her PJ’s and enjoyed time playing computer games, watching movies and doodling in her sketchbook.

Too much time spent together means they purposely annoy each other; time to play!

When each of these two kiddos started to purposely go out of their way to annoy each other I knew it was time to organize some activities that the whole family could enjoy.  We headed to the local soccer field house with a friend of mine and her kids where we could enjoy public turf time.  The kids enjoyed a healthy game of soccer, races and free play where they could play until they were happily exhausted; even the littlest ones were in on the action.

Spring break doesn’t have to be filled with the rush of an away vacation; staycations are becoming more popular.  Check with your local parks and recreation or newspaper for activities families can enjoy, many of which are free or cost little to take part in.  Swimming, skating, a walk in the park or a visit to a hobby farm are only a handful of local ideas you can have fun doing with your family.  How are you spending spring break, a vacation or a staycation?  Do you have any activities planned for entertainment and play?

Check out the KINDER® Canada Facebook page for a look at the wonderful 2012 toy collection, take part in some fun conversation and have access to exclusive monthly contests through the My Kinder Moments application.  KINDER® Canada is giving away $500 towards the ultimate staycation!

Disclosure: I’m part of the Kinder® Mom program and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.