The kids are home for spring break. Fun for them, frustrating for you. Here are some ideas for activities that you can do together to make the week go by faster.
1. 2012 State Park Offerings
The closest state park offering something fun is Pinnacle Mountain State Park. They're offering a mini-day camp for your kids ($15). It's from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on March 21. 501-868-5806. Lake Degray, Plantation Agriculture Museum and Lake Catherine is offering fun family programs. Just a visit to a state park would be fun for any kid!2. Public Library Offerings
Many of the libraries have things going on throughout the week. The Oley E. Rooker on Otter Creek has a week long program that seems fun. Kids come in everyday and work on a project to present at the end of the week. The other libraries have everything from experiments to movies.3. Heifer Village & Ranch or Clinton Library
Heifer Village is having fun activities all week for spring break. The village teaches kids about global hunger and what Heifer International does in a fun, hands-on way. Spring break week, they'll have arts and crafts, exhibit hunts and more.Heifer has a ranch in Perryville Arkansas that is lots of fun for younger kids. Tours of the ranch are available on weekdays and Saturdays.
The Clinton Library has many interesting exhibits about the Clinton's and the White House.
4. The Jump Zone and the Wonder Place
The Jump Zone (9250 Commerce Cove in North Little Rock, 501-932-0970) inflatable indoor playground has extended hours during spring break. The Wonder Place (10301 N Rodney Parham Rd in Little Rock, 501-225-4050) indoor playground is having a woodland theme during spring break.5. Go Camping
Camping is a fun and inexpensive way to pass Spring Break. Arkansas has over 40 state parks and most of the parks have camping facilities available. Pack some smores and ghost stories for younger kids and the kayak and bikes for your outdoorsy teens. You might even try to float the Buffalo if spring break is warm enough. Some Arkansas parks have rental facility available if you don't have a kayak.
6. Explore Blanchard Springs Caverns
Listed by guidebooks as one of the most beautiful caverns in America, Blanchard Springs is a fun day trip. There are two separate trails, but the easier trail is open in the spring. Blanchard Springs is located in the Ozark National Forests near Mountain View Arkansas.7. Dig For Diamonds At Crater of Diamonds State Park
Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism
You may only find a quartz, but some kids will have fun anyway. Kids of all ages will have fun getting messy in the dirt. Crater of Diamonds is the world's only diamond mine where the general public can mine for diamonds and actually keep what they find. The park is in Murfreesboro, which is about a 2 hours drive from Little Rock.
8. Hike Pinnacle Mountain
On pretty days, I see families hiking up Pinnacle all the time. The west trail is the less steep incline with marked paths. It's best for children. It's free to climb the mountain and free to have a picnic in the area. There are picnic tables set up and you can lounge by Lake Maumelle and enjoy the scenery.9. Visit the Little Rock Zoo or the Memphis Zoo
If you just have an afternoon or even a lunch hour off, you can still take your kids on an adventure. Take them on a mini-safari at the Little Rock Zoo. You can ride the carousel, have lunch at Cafe Africa and see lots of animals, and it only takes a few hours.If you have more time, Memphis Zoo has a new Dinosaurs! exhibit with life-sized animatronic dinosaurs. I've heard it's great. If your kids love dinos, you have to take them for a day trip.
10. Visit the Museum of Discovery
Little Rock Convention and Visitors Bureau
If you've never been to the Museum of Discovery (MOD), you should take a visit. It's full of fun, hands-on exhibits that encourage kids to think, play and learn. Newly remodeled, it's located in the River Market on President Clinton Avenue.
