Spring Break Staycation Activities For DFW Kids

Whether it be getting outside, getting crafty or making some delicious treats, Erin Shields knows exactly what your kids need. Here are the best spring break staycation activities for kids in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

Erin Shields
Texas Discovery Gardens
3601 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Dallas, TX 75210
(214) 428-7476
www.texasdiscoverygardens.orgErin Shields is the Education Manager at the Texas Discovery Gardens at Fair Park. She has a bachelor's of science in Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences from Texas A&M University. She often shares with students her fascination with the abundant wildlife in suburban and urban landscapes. Her dedication to constantly improving the EarthKeepers children's life sciences educational program in gardening, butterflies and sustainability has been proven by her expansion of the program to include Pre-K students through high school seniors.

Get OutsideWhile on a nature walk with your kids, up your ante from the usual "Eye Spy!" Hunt for the colors of the rainbow in outdoor elements during a "Rainbow Hunt" - a red cardinal, the yellow sun, an orange milkweed flower. See if your little one can make it all the way through the rainbow; then add in all the "extra" colors (pink, brown, black, grey).  You can start doing this as soon as your child begins learning their colors. For older children, limit where they can find their items. Keeping their search to flowers makes for a good start. Green items are the trickiest!

Take A Closer LookIt's amazing the amount of insects & other creepy crawlies living in your local green space! You can go on bug safaris in your own backyard with just a few household items.  Have any old plastic film containers or empty plastic pill containers? Rinse them out, and they make great bug holders. Be sure to poke some holes if you plan on the critters living in there for a while. Transition spaces are an easy place to start. Children can sit on the concrete as they use an old popsicle stick to see who is living at the edge of the grass.

Hungry? Try A Solar-powered SnackMy favorite is the post-pizza party "pizza box solar oven." Line the bottom of a recently used pizza box with black construction paper. Line the top and sides with aluminum foil (shiny side facing out). This will "trap" the sunlight inside your solar oven. You can make S'mores too by layering chocolate and marshmallows on top of graham crackers. Prop the box open with a pencil, and face it toward the sun.  In 15 minutes, you should have yummy, melted S'mores!Related: Best Martial Arts Classes For Kids In DFW

Get CraftyChildren love arts & crafts. Re-use empty paper towel rolls to make "bird-noculars". Cut the roll in half and attach the two rolls together.  Add a yarn strap, and your kid can decorate the outside. While these bird-noculars don't enhance vision, they do allow children to focus on birds or other wildlife! Real "birders" always have their binoculars with them whenever they go outside, and they keep a list of what they've seen. Two great hints that can apply to pint-sized birders, too!

Leaves & LiteracyAs you go on a nature walk, collect nature items. Leaves, seeds, seed pods, nuts and rocks all make for great collections. I give my students a zip-top bag so they can do all the collecting on their own. When you get back, see what kind of collages you can make with your findings. Try to put the leaves together to look like a person or an animal. You can glue it down on paper, or leave it loose so you can keep on creating! For inspiration, read Lois Ehlert's "Leaf Man." Can you make a leaf turkey?

Bonus Activity – Water ArtAnother fun idea, if the weather complies, is to create water art. You can dip paintbrushes in plain water and draw designs on the sidewalk. Have fun experimenting with what spaces dry faster - sunny or shady spots? And the best part - no clean up necessary!Related: Best Kids Art Classes In DFW