10 spring school holiday activities that won’t cost a small fortune

The spring school holidays have practically arrived. So, it’s time to get ready for the age-old question: “what are we doing today?”

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While it can feel like the holidays require two weeks of bookings, outings and award-worthy crafts, children are often just as happy with a picnic, a treasure hunt or permission to cover the driveway in chalk.

Here are 10 easy ways to fill the school holidays without filling every minute or completely emptying your wallet.

1. Pack a choose-your-own-adventure picnic

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Hand over some of the planning by letting each child choose one thing for the picnic. It might be the location, a favourite snack or the game everyone has to play when you arrive.

Head to a park, garden or beach and keep the food simple. A slightly squashed sandwich eaten on a picnic rug is still a picnic.

You’ll need: Food, drinks, a picnic rug, hats and sunscreen.

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2. Go on a spring scavenger hunt

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Create a list of things to find outside, such as a yellow flower, a feather, something shaped like a heart or three different insects.

Children can tick off each item, draw it or take a photo. Congratulations, your usual walk around the neighbourhood is now an Official Mission.

You’ll need: A checklist, pencil and optional phone or camera.

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3. Plant something and hope for the best

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Give each child a small pot and let them choose herbs, flowers or vegetables to grow.

They can decorate the pot, plant the seedling and take responsibility for watering it. You may still end up doing most of the watering, but they will proudly accept full credit when something sprouts.

You’ll need: Seeds or seedlings, soil, a pot and water.

4. Build a backyard obstacle course

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Turn the backyard, living room or local park into an obstacle course using whatever you can find.

Jump over cushions, crawl beneath chairs, balance along a chalk line and race around buckets. Let the kids redesign the course, then challenge the adults to complete it without making any alarming knee noises.

You’ll need: Chalk, cushions, chairs, balls or other household objects.

5. Become tourists in your own neighbourhood

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Pick somewhere nearby that you have always meant to visit. Try a new playground, walking track, museum, library, market or garden.

Pack snacks, take photos and let the kids help navigate. It has all the excitement of a day trip with a much lower chance of hearing ‘Are we there yet?’ 47 times.

You’ll need: A local destination, snacks and a loose plan.

6. Make art out of nature

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Go for a walk and collect fallen leaves, flowers, twigs and interesting pieces of bark. Bring everything home and turn it into collages, leaf rubbings or painted prints.

Leave growing plants and wildlife alone. Nobody wants to explain why the nature activity ended with an angry magpie or someone’s prize roses going missing.

You’ll need: Paper, glue, crayons or paint and fallen natural materials.

7. Hold a family mini-Olympics

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Create events based on whatever you have at home. Try a sock toss, balloon race, hula-hoop challenge, crab walk or longest-standing-on-one-leg competition.

Add scorecards, team names and homemade medals. Expect at least one competitor to question the judging panel.

You’ll need: Household objects, paper and a healthy disregard for serious sporting rules.

8. Attempt a screen-free afternoon

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Put the devices away for a few hours and bring out the puzzles, books, LEGO, craft supplies or board games.

Let each child choose one activity for everyone to do together. Yes, this may mean playing the same game repeatedly. Stay strong.

You’ll need: Games, books, craft supplies and somewhere to hide the remote.

9. Run a family cooking challenge

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Choose something easy to make together, such as pizzas, tacos, fruit skewers or decorated biscuits.

Older children can read the recipe and measure ingredients. Younger children can mix, decorate and eat approximately half the ingredients before they reach the plate.

You’ll need: A simple recipe, ingredients and acceptance that flour travels.

10. Let the kids plan the day

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Give the children a budget, a timeframe and a few basic rules, then hand over the itinerary.

Their plans might involve pancakes for lunch, a playground visit and a living-room dance party. It may not be the day you would have planned, but that is half the fun.

You’ll need: A simple budget and the courage to surrender some control.

Wrapping up

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School holidays do not have to become a two-week marathon of bookings, colour-coded schedules and suspiciously expensive ‘family experiences’.

Choose a few activities that suit your family and leave plenty of room for slow mornings, repeat snacks and changing plans. Children often remember the simplest moments most, especially when their favourite grown-ups put down the to-do list and join in.

And if everyone makes it to the end of the holidays with most of their belongings and patience intact? Gold medal.