President’s Day is on Monday and with it comes a brief reprieve from schedules and schoolwork. Most kids have a long weekend this weekend and our kids are no exception. In addition to having Monday off they also have off Friday and a short day on Thursday. It means we have a long stretch of time to fill without a schedule (yay!) and a lot of cold weather, too (boo!). It can be a recipe for boredom and frustration for everyone if we just try to stick at home and do our own things.
Instead of pulling my hair out in frustration we make a plan to have some fun alongside our downtime. It makes for a nice balance and even if things don’t go as planned at least we didn’t sit at home all weekend long. So while I made my own plans I’ve collected ideas for you and your family for those days off school, too.
25 Cheap Family Activities for President’s Day Weekend
Put on your thinking cap {educational ideas}
Learn about Black History month.
Black history month is a nationally recognized month is an annual celebration of the rich history of black and African-Americans. It’s a way to honor and learn more about the great achievements of black Americans. Here are just a few ways you can learn more:
1. Visit a museum that has Black History Month exhibits or a museum focused on black History.
2. Watch a documentary that focuses on the civil rights movement. There are many great movies and documentaries to watch. PBS offers an abundance of programming for Black History Month (local listings vary), and you can find a variety of documentaries and films on Netflix.
3. Use a homeschool curriculum for a lesson outside of school. Amiyrah’s curriculum is a great place to start.
4. Look for age-appropriate activities online to help teach kids from preschool to high school. Time for Kids has some printables and engaging online articles and more.
Learn about the U.S. Presidents
There’s no better time to talk about the history of America and learn about our presidents.
5. Why not walk where the President(s) did/do? You may live nearby a Presidential birthplace or close enough for a day trip to DC or Philadelphia where you can easily to find museums, parks, libraries, and more to visit.
6. Try to memorize all the US Presidents in order. I remember memorizing it in school but had trouble when one of my kids challenged me the other day.
7. Visit the website dedicated to helping kids learn about the Presidents. Here you’ll find research material, places to visit, and more.
8. Read a biography about one or more of the Presidents. There are a wide range of books available from simple books for 1st graders to in-depth biographies for teens and adults.
I like to move it {wear the kids out ideas}
Visit Local Attractions
It’s the perfect time to visit a local museum or attraction. While they’re sure to be packed with other kids on school break it’s a great way to spend the day.
9. Visit a local garden. While it may seem odd most gardens have indoor areas or have gorgeous views even in the winter months.
Longwood Gardens is a local garden we love to visit. They’ll be hosting an OrKID day on February 16th that includes; Very Vanilla Discovery Station, Who Lives in the Rainforest Exploration, story reading with puppets and finger plays, Orchid Sorting Game, and Conservatory Seek and Find.
10. Go to a museum. You can find all kinds of activities at museums from hands-on kids museums that are all about kids to art or cultural museums that have activities for kids.
Franklin Institute is hosting an exhibit by LEGO builder and artist Nathan Sawaya. It includes a variety works of art interpreted in LEGO for in an exhibit titled, Art of the Brick. Read more about the exhibit here.
Get Active
Burning off some energy is the name of the game here. Look for free or low-cost and keep the ids going until they’re ready to drop.
11. Visit a climbing gym.
12. Go for a hike (with weather appropriate gear of course).
13. Go geocaching. Read all about this fun outdoor scavenger hunt here.
14. Go swimming or visit the gym. If you’re not a member look into day pass prices.
15. Skate- you can go roller skating or ice skating.
16. Visit an indoor bounce house. These are a great way for kids to literally bounce off their energy.
17. Go to an indoor play space. This can be pricey, but if you pack your own food and stick to only the included activities you can save a small fortune.
There’s no place like home. {things to do at home}
Get Cooking (or Baking)
Cooking and baking are great activities for when it’s cold outside. Having little helpers may mean it takes twice as long, but the memories will be priceless and eating the results doesn’t hurt either!
18. Look for free local cooking classes at places like Sur La Table or Williams Sonoma.
19. Find a special recipe, go shopping for ingredients, and get busy cooking or baking. A great cookbook for kids who are preschoolers is Pretend Soup 
20. Bake bread. Kids love to make bread and it’s a great thing to eat, give to a friend or neighbor, and eat. 😉
21. Look on Yummly for recipes to make.
Get crafty with it {craft ideas}
Crafting can keep kids busy for hours and hours. Just try not to worry about the glitter you’ll still be finding weeks later!
22. Look at all our fun and frugal craft ideas. You can make LEGO friendship bracelets, owl paper rolls, and more. Check out all our craft ideas for inspiration and ideas!
23. Visit a local craft shop and stock up-especially in the clearance aisle!
24. Go to a paint your own pottery place. It’s great fun and you’ll get a nice keepsake out of it.
Give back {volunteer ideas}
Why not spend some time volunteering this weekend? It’s a great use of your ‘extra’ time and is incredibly rewarding. Look for local animal nonprofits, children’s charities, food banks and more that accept family volunteers. If you can’t find a nonprofit to volunteer at consider all your other options. You could:
- visit a nursing home,
- volunteering at your school,
- check in on local friends and neighbors who are senior citizens,
- lend a hand to new parents,
- or run errands or clean for someone dealing with illness.
What are your plans for President’s Day weekend?
Kelly
