13 Kid-Friendly Spring Break Ideas

13 Kid-Friendly Spring Break Ideas

Things To Do With Kids In Memphis

Shelby County Schools Spring Break is March 11-15, 2024. If you're looking for spring break ideas for kids, or just things to do with the kids this year—here are a few ideas!

1. Take a Memphis civil rights history tour (FREE)
family of four in front of Upstanders civil rights mural
The Traveling Child
"Upstanders" Mural by Nelson Guitierrez and Cedar Nordbye.

If the kids are old enough, book a tour with A Tour of Possibilities to learn about Black history in Memphis. You could also do a self-guided tour of civil rights sites like these: 

2. Walk the Wolf River Greenway (FREE) 

Take the kids somewhere they haven't been to explore the outdoors this Spring Break—the Wolf River Greenway has multiple sections all over town, including Mud Island, Epping Way, Kennedy Park, and Walnut Grove. Check out the list and get a map here

3. Have a DIY Adventure at Children's Museum of Memphis ($16 per person)

The Children’s Museum of Memphis is always a good spot to take the kiddos. CMOM offers fun activities daily in addition to their play areas. On March 16th they're hosting a DIY Adventure to break up spring break. Artisanal businesses, like the Metal Museum, will be on hand to introduce kids to the world of pewter casting, rug making, pottery, making bars of soap, and more. Or go any day to check out their latest exhibit How People Make Things which is based on Mister Rogers' factory tours. 

4. Spring Break Camp At Memphis Zoo ($245/member, $275/non-members)

A spring break experience a child is guaranteed to remember. Memphis Zoo offers a camp from March 11-15 from 9am-3pm each day. Zoo Camp offers exploration into the fascinating world of zoo residents with tours, animal meet and greets, and hands-on exploration.  Details here.

kid and dad playing at tree house at botanic garden
Ariel Cobbert
5. Go Outside And Play (free)

There's nothing like a good old fashioned day at the playground to burn some energy and (hopefully) soak up the sun. Even if you need a jacket, it’s worth it to get moving. Try one of these: 

6. Let Kids Burn Off All That Energy At NINJA 901 ($200/Week, $40/day)

We get it. The kids are going to have a lot of energy and wiggles to burn being out of school. The Memphis Sports and Events Center is providing a week-long Spring break camp centered around the new state-of-the-art NINJA 901 Adventure Course. With more than 40 obstacles, kids are guaranteed a good time. They'll also get to play a variety of sports and games while participating in themed activities and crafts. Details here.

ninja obstacle course
Credit: Memphis Sports & Events Center

7. Spring break with MoSH's Dino Discovery Camp! ($275/Camp, $75/day) 

The Museum of Science and History has multiple activities during Spring Break in Memphis this year! Check out their latest exhibits: SUE: The T. rex Experience and Everyday People: Snapshots of the Black Experience.

Looking for a camp opportunity? Ring in spring at MoSH's Dino Discovery camp. Kids will journey back in time and explore the mysteries of the world from fossil excavation to thrilling dino encounters. Don’t miss out on this chance to stomp, boom, and learn! This experience features daily lab experiences, our special exhibit, Sue the T.rex, and programming in the Giant Screen Theater and Planetarium. Details here.

8. Go on a Kid-Friendly Food Crawl (prices vary)

Most food and pub crawls are for grown-ups, but what about a kid-friendly food crawl at several local restaurants?  Here are a few that kids will love:

9. Visit the Dixon Gallery & Gardens (free!)

Did you know that the Dixon Gallery & Gardens is still free?! Take the whole family to peruse the gardens, walk through the pathways, see the flowers—tulips may be blooming soon—and the sculptures. Take the bucks you saved on admission and grab some lunch, coffee, or a treat from the cafe. Check out their kid and teen friendly programming here.

The Dixon also offers a Nature Camp for grades 1-5 for spring break. Little ones will get a fun sun-filled week of activities, experiments, games, and more. $175 for non-members, $150 for Dixon members. Details here.

Dixon Garden with tulips
Alex Shansky
10. Find a museum or attraction you haven't been to. (prices vary)

Spend a few afternoons at some of these charming kid-friendly Memphis attractions.

  • The Fire Museum downtown is especially great for younger kids.
  • The Lichterman Nature Center in East Memphis features trails and a wildlife center
  • The C.H. Nash Museum at Chucalissa gives a glimpse into the area's original Native American inhabitants and is adjacent to lots of picnic-friendly places.
  • The Memphis Zoo is pretty packed during Spring Break, but I wanted to mention it here as a perfect Memphis family fun idea in general!
11. Do something adventurous with the kids. (prices vary)

For kids looking for adrenaline pumping adventure this spring break.

12. Learn something new with a class or workshop. (prices vary)

Just because it's spring break doesn't mean the learning has to stop! 

13. Take a trip to a local bookstore or the library.

Memphis has quite a few. Check out the guide to local Memphis bookstores here. Most are near great local restaurants (Novel even has a cafe inside) so plan to get some lunch afterwards!

A Few Other Ideas. I'm Just Going To List Them.

What's the best Spring Break you (or your kids) ever had in Memphis? Tell me in the comments.

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER
Don’t miss out on all the Memphis goodness!

About the Author

Hello! I'm Jalyn Souchek, the Director of Content for I Love Memphis Blog! I love calling the 901 home. When I'm not running the blog you can find me cheering on the Grizzlies, at a concert, exploring a new restaurant or kicking back at one of our breweries. I hope you'll love experiencing Memphis with me.

Build your perfect Memphis meal:

I love to eat so if I were to have only one meal left.. I’m going all out. I’d start with an app of Gumbo Fries from Blue City Cafe or Bayou Fries from Chef Tam, wings from Good Fortune or Central’s (honey gold and Jamaican Jerk), potato salad from Fat Larry’s, side of bbq spaghetti from Bar-B-Q Shop, and fried okra from Soul Fish. All paired with a Beale Street Brewing Space Age Sippin’.

Your most memorable Memphis moment:

College GameDay on Beale Street. That was an electric and perfect morning. I was still working in news then and was able to take it in up close and on the stage at some points. The fun and joy of everyone down there that morning is unbeatable.

Comments Make Us Happy

3
Leave a Comment
The content of this field is kept private and will not be shown publicly.
Dorothy Chancey
I didn't see this on your blog, but the National Ornamental Metal Museum on Channel 3 Drive is a great place to take a family. You can pay a small fee to go into the museum proper and see the latest exhibits of metalworking, or you can stroll over to the blacksmith in the adjacent building and watch the smith at work. Ask questions. The answers are interesting and informative. Bring a picnic lunch, because the courtyard between the blacksmith shop and the museum is full of metal sculptures and places to sit and eat lunch. Or go across the street to the park and see where Hernando De Soto discovered the Mississippi River. There is a mound there that is of unknown origin but may have been built by the Native Americans. Also, look at the buildings next to the museum property. They are the remains of the Great Yellowfever Epidemic hospital. Who knew there was so much to see in such a small area?!
March 9, 2016 7:13pm
Melody
I really appreciate this site! Thank you for sharing ideas to help parents make this Spring Break fun in the local area.
March 10, 2016 8:27am
Michael Todd

You can also ride go-karts at Incredible Pizza Co.  or ride the only indoor roller coaster in Memphis. Make incredible memories at Incredible Pizza during Spring Break. 

March 14, 2022 9:08pm