Staying home in Northern Michigan this spring break? From Traverse City to East Jordan, we’ve come up with a day-by-day list of Northern Michigan spring break activities to keep kids busy the entire vacation! No one will be bored when there are moon rocks to see, swimming to be done and eggs to be found. Check out our list below for some ideas.

 

Friday, March 27: Check out some books

Start spring break out right and stock up on some great reads from your local library. The librarians are helpful and there are great books to be discovered in every town!

Saturday, March 28: Ride the TART

Pull the bike out of storage and strap on your helmet, because spring break is an awesome time to ride the TART trail! Decide the distance you want to journey (a few miles? All the way to Suttons Bay?), pack some snacks and water, then hit the trail!

Sunday, March 29: Space Day at the State!

Enjoy free movies all week at the State Theatre! The aspiring astronauts will love Space Day; it celebrates all space themed movies including E.T., Apollo 13, Gravity, Moon and Starship Troopers.

Monday, March 30: Enroll in Spring Break Mini Camp

Crooked Tree Arts Center in Petoskey offers several classes including printmaking, theater classes and art classes for students in kindergarten through eighth grade this week. Take a look at the schedule to enroll now!

Tuesday, March 31: Sail Away at Great Lakes Children Museum

Check out the Great Lakes Children’s Museum’s brand new permanent exhibit “Let’s Go Sailing” and try your hand at sailing on dry land.

Wednesday, April 1: Bowl Down Main Street

It’s April Fools Day and what better way to celebrate than bowling in the street? Head to Harbor Springs for their annual “Bowl Down Main Street” event and see who can bowl a strike. More information can be found here.

Thursday, April 2: Dye Eggs, Naturally!

Dip into the annual Easter tradition of dyeing eggs, but this year forgo the store bought dye for some natural alternatives. Learn about how you can use grape juice, lemons, carrots and more to make this Easter eggs-tra special.

Friday, April 3: Get up close with some Moon Rocks

This exhibit is only running until April 10, so see it now! Raven Hill Discovery Center in East Jordan has collaborated with NASA to bring some pieces of space to Northern lower Michigan. Moon rocks will be on display along with shuttle tiles from Atlantis and Endeavor.  There will be hands-on explorations of Newton’s Universal Law of Gravitation and his three Laws of Motion, a problem-solving activity called, “Lost on the Moon” and Spinoffs, a display of items originally designed for the space program and now widely used worldwide.

Saturday, April 4: Easter Egg Hunts

Several towns around Northern Michigan are hosting Easter egg hunts today including Benzonia, Cadillac, Charlevoix, East Jordan, Frankfort, Traverse City, Interlochen and Pentwater. Find one closest to you by checking out our list of 2015 Easter egg hunts in Northern Michigan.

Sunday, April 5: Go for a Hike

After a hearty Easter brunch, get outside and enjoy some fresh air and some one-on-one time with nature. Explore a trail at Sleeping Bear Dunes, trot up some hills at the Grand Traverse Commons or enjoy a laid back hike in the Traverse City area.

Monday, April 6: Swim at the YMCA

Have you checked out the new Grand Traverse Bay YMCA pool yet? Make the last day of spring break a splashy filled one. For a list of times peruse their schedule.

More Northern Michigan Kids

Learn how to Make a Worm Box!

Guide to Northern Michigan Summer Camps

Recipe: Grilled Cheese with Raclette & Lingonberry Jam

Photo(s) by Brian Confer