Boredom be gone: Spring break ideas for the kids

The kids are about to get their annual spring break week off from school. But for parents, it sometimes isn’t so much a break as it is a task: finding ways to keep the boredom blues at bay or coming up with fresh plans to maximize quality family time.

No worries: Plenty of options are available in the greater Modesto region to keep youngsters occupied and engaged next week. Some are free, some will cost a little cash; some are for the wee ones, some for older kids; some are planned just for spring break, and some are available almost any time.

The headquarters of the Modesto Junior College Great Valley Museum officially opens Saturday, just in time for spring breakers. The museum will offer three days of Spring into Science programs next week: April 7, Excellent Eggs; April 8, Fabulous Flowers; and April 9, Insect Investigation. The programs are at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. each day and cost $20 each, which includes same-day museum admission for the child and one adult. Call to register at (209) 575-6196. In addition, the museum offers free Al Chemist shows at noon April 7-10. See www.mjc.edu/instruction/sme/gvm/exhibits.php

There are several other museums across the region to visit with your children that feature ongoing or special exhibits. The Carnegie Arts Center in Turlock, the Mistlin Gallery and McHenry Museum in Modesto, and the Oakdale Cowboy Museum are just a few of them.

The month’s Second Saturday series at the McHenry Museum will offer a free presentation at 2 p.m. April 11 as Modesto Bee columnist Jeff Jardine shares stories about people and peril in World War II. The museum is at 1402 I St., Modesto, (209) 577-5366.

Columbia State Historic Park, 3 miles north of Sonora, has plenty of artifacts to see. Take the kids back to the 1850s with a stroll through the town’s Gold Rush-era business district, preserved with shops, restaurants and two hotels. And, yes, kids can even pan for gold.

The Stanislaus County Library offers a bevy of events and programs during spring break at its branches. In Modesto, spring break is Table Top Game Week, with an assortment of board games available to play during regular library hours, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. April 6-9 and 1 to 3 p.m. April 11. On April 8 at 3:30 p.m., the Modesto branch will hold a Lego Play event for ages 4-18. Youths will have the opportunity to build Lego displays for the library. Lego Play will be at 3 p.m. the same day at the Hughson branch and at 3:30 p.m. at the Patterson branch; and at 3:30 p.m. April 9 at the Oakdale branch.

Other library spring break week events include Spring into Science at 4 p.m. April 9 at the Turlock branch, where experiments will be conducted with Peeps candy and eggs, along with learning about birds and butterflies; a look at dinosaurs and prehistoric life at 4 p.m. April 7 at the Salida branch; and a Wii play day at 1 p.m. April 8 at the Keyes branch.

For a full schedule of the week’s many library events, see www.stanislauslibrary.org/tk_kids_events.shtml.

Also on the book spectrum, Barnes & Noble offers Saturday storytimes. On Saturday, 11 a.m. story time will be followed by crafts. On April 11, the book “I Wish You More” will be read, also at 11 a.m., at 3501 McHenry Ave. (209) 521-1118.

Or you can grab some lunch at La Mo Restaurant and then take your tyke into its cafe in Turlock, 310 E. Main St., for regular storytimes at 1:30 p.m. Wednesdays. (209) 632-6655.

Also in Turlock, the city’s Parks, Recreation and Facilities Department offers a Spring Break Camp for kindergartners through sixth-graders. The program runs 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. and includes daily crafts, activities and interactive educational games. The fee is $93 for full days, $71 for half-days; registration closes Thursday. (209) 668-5594.

You can help your younger children get a jump on their math skills at a California State University, Stanislaus, Math Camp from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. April 6-10. The interactive, hands-on learning experience with games and puzzles is for ages 2 to 5 and costs $50. (209) 667-3780 or www.csustan.edu/math/grants-programs.

If you want your kids to get some exercise while fighting boredom, Modesto Youth Soccer Association-Ajax has a camp from 9 a.m. to noon April 7-9 for ages 6-12. Cost is $100 if registered before camp begins, $125 day of camp. (209) 236-1800.

Spring break also offers an early-bird chance to get the kids ready for summer swim season with lessons. The Modesto Parks, Recreation and Neighborhoods Department offers classes at Sonoma Elementary, (209) 577-5344. Other swim lesson options are available through Modesto Junior College’s Community Education Department, (209) 575-6063, and Aquatic Dreams, a business in Modesto, (209) 577-3483.

California State University, Stanislaus, will have an All-Sports Camp Spring Break from April 6-10, with more than 16 sports and activities including soccer, basketball, track and field, badminton, Frisbee, golf, futsal (a downsized, usually indoor version of soccer), hockey, flag football, softball, baseball, team handball, capture the flag, dodge ball and other activities. Camp is for boys and girls ages 5-13. Half-day camp, 9 a.m. to noon, is $85; full day, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., is $150. www.warriorathleticscamps.com.

Speaking of exercise, local businesses have ways to get the kids moving, including:

▪ Stonehenge Indoor Climbing gym in Modesto, which offers climbing and classes for kids age 11 and older and “bouldering” for all ages. Open 6 to 10 p.m. weekdays, 2 to 8 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. 500 Ninth St. www.climbstonehenge.com.

▪ Rockin’ Jump is a fairly new business in McHenry Village that’s filled with trampolines just waiting to be pounced on. High-flying events are offered daily. (209) 391-0270.

▪ Gymstars offers camps and classes all year for all ages in gymnastics, as well as open play time opportunities. 5170 Pentecost Drive, Modesto. (209) 549-1919.

In addition, the region has businesses offering arcades, batting cages, bowling, paintball, miniature golf, laser tag and more.

And don’t discount the simple things, such as a good old-fashioned picnic in any one of the region’s many parks, a bike ride along the Virginia Corridor in Modesto or a trip to Micke Grove Zoo in Lodi.

One final thought: If your work-age teenager is biding time before summer, why not have him or her hit the streets in search of that first job? Heck, that not only will keep them productive during spring break, but ensure a fruitful – and financially independent – summer vacation, as well.

This story was originally published March 30, 2015 at 12:07 PM with the headline "Boredom be gone: Spring break ideas for the kids."