“I’m bored.”

“Stop….”

“He has my toy.”

“What are we going to do today?”

Spring break is just beginning, and if you’re like many parents, you’re already listening to your kids’ whines that can easily be solved by a well-planned…staycation.

Here’s a list of 10 free, or practically free, fun things to do during your spring break staycation:

• Take off from work one day during spring break to spend quality time as a family. Consider doing this annually, as you create a tradition that your child will remember as he or she grows up. Not only is this free, but it’s priceless.
• Share play dates with other parents. A parent takes a day of the week, plans a fun afternoon activity and lunch, i.e. scrapbooking, crafts…Then on another day, it’s another parent’s turn to host the play date.
• Start planning for summer early. Make use of technology during the break by Google searching summer camps and trips together.
• Go to the zoo on a free day.
• Spring break activities and events for kids of all ages are offered at the Haggard, Davis, Harrington and Schimelpfenig libraries in Plano. Visit www.plano.gov for more information.
• You can find daily camps, Spring “Break Out” days on the City of McKinney’s website. www.mckinneytexas.org
• Check your community’s website or newsletter for events planned for your community.
• Take a walk or bike ride in the park.
• Rent a dollar movie from Redbox and have a family movie night.
• Take a short drive to Frisco’s Safety Town that offers different life safety courses for elementary age kids.

And if all else fails, you can always enjoy a good book. And don’t settle for the excuse, “I read this book before” or, “I have to read at school.” Just as kids like watching the same Disney and Nick shows over and over again, and they love playing the same video games over and over again, they can read the same book more than once!

Sharon Kind is a licensed school counselor and freelance writer. A product of a military family, she is a mom of one daughter and resides in McKinney, Texas. Sharon Kind can be reached at schoolcounselormom@yahoo.com.