Cure the kids’ March break boredom

Find fun activities online for chilly days inside, or nice days outside

By Brenda R. Solman

It’s March break and the kids are bored. Entertaining them may seem like an impossible goal, but there are lots of simple activities that can keep your kids occupied until it’s time to return to school.

Explore the universe from your living room

If you have an aspiring astronomer in your family, the web has tons of resources. The best place to start is NASA’s web site. It has all the solar system information you could ever want, and it’s easy to navigate. Check out the kids’ section for games, activities and articles geared toward younger skywatchers. The Astronomy Picture of the Day also gives you a close-up look at some amazing space phenomena.

If you’re willing to brave the cold to observe the sky, check out Clear Sky Clock to find out when your area will have good viewing conditions, and visit Sky & Telescope for local astronomy club listings and interactive sky charts. Don’t forget to dress warmly!

Visit museums near and far without going anywhere

Museums can also provide hours of educational fun, and many are accessible online. Chances are you won’t be able to visit the Taj Mahal in India, the Tate Gallery in England or the Louvre in France this March break, but you can visit them all virtually.

Even if you plan to enter a real museum, visiting the web site first can enhance the experience (especially for children) by providing the opportunity to learn about the collections ahead of time. You can even make a game out of it. For example, the Royal Ontario Museum has its collections online. Click Families & Kids > Publications & Digital Media > ROM Images on the home page to access hundreds of images complete with descriptions, location discovered and more. See who can recognize the greatest number of pieces from the web site.

Teach your kids to love reading

If your kids enjoy reading, you’ve likely already noticed how well they can entertain themselves. If not, now’s a great time to get them into books. The best way to do that is to read with them. Try adding a story to their bedtime routine or set aside some time during the day to read together.

There are also some good web sites to help your kids have fun while reading. Children’s Storybooks Online features free stories for kids of all ages. Other sites such as UpToTen.com and Between the Lions feature interactive stories and reading games for young children. Older kids might enjoy Fun with Words, an educational site featuring anagrams, oxymorons, mnemonics, etymology, rebus puzzles and games such as hangman.

Make movie time family time

Watching movies together can be a fun way to spend time with your kids, but you want to be sure you’re comfortable with what they’re seeing. If you’re concerned about young kids being exposed to inappropriate material, you may not find the standard rating system informative enough.

Parent Previews is a great site featuring letter grades for language, violence, sexual content and substance use, as well as explanations of the grades and film synopses. The site is run by a father of four, so the content is geared toward parents. Other sites that can help you avoid movies you don’t want your kids watching include Movie Mom’s Reviews and Screen It!

Great crafts for everyone

Why not get creative and help your kids with some interesting and easy crafts? Playing Concentration is a great way for young children to learn to recognize patterns and for older kids to hone their memory skills. To make it even more appealing, follow these instructions for making a personalized version.

Spark your kids’ interest in geography or get them excited about an upcoming trip with map crafts, such as “place” mats, book covers and pin-the-airplane-on-the-map. Or build a bird feeder and let your kids learn about the birds in your neighbourhood by watching them in the backyard.

Photo: Mark Andersen/Getty Images