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

• I AM A MAN Plaza at Clayborn Temple
• MLK Reflection Park 
• Mason Temple
• National Civil Rights Museum (the plaza is open and outdoors)
• Six-Story Black History Mural

2. Be A Tourist In Your Hometown At The Peabody

Younger kids especially will get a kick out of the daily march of the Peabody ducks, daily at 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. (the 11 a.m. is usually a little less crowded). Read more about the duck march here. 

3. Take an in-person or virtual Theatre Class

Playhouse on the Square will host in-person and virtual theatre classes for students ages Pre-K through 12th grade this spring, March 27 - May 15. The class are eight weeks long, for and hour or so on Saturdays focusing on drama, dance, musical theater, and writing, kids of all ages can learn and have fun. There are also homeschool classes. Fees are $120 - $125 for the full class. Sign up here.

4. See The Dinos at the Museum of Science & History - Pink Palace

The interactive dinosaur exhibit is at the Pink Palace this spring, and don’t forget their CTI Giant Theater and Planetarium shows. More info.

5. Go Outside And Play

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: 

• Rainbow Lake Playground at Overton Park
• River Garden at Mississippi River Park
• Shelby Forest State Park
• Germantown Municipal Park

There’s a chance that the Woodland Discovery Park at Shelby Farms and the My Big Backyard area at the Botanic Gardens will reopen this spring, too.

6. Take a Day Trip to Discovery Park in Union City

Technically not in Memphis, but you're working with a little more time and budget, go to one of the craziest places I've ever been: the Discovery Park of Tennessee in Union City. It’s a two-and-a-half hour drive, but it’s worth it at least once. It’s part children’s museum, part history museum, part St. Louis City Museum, and part recreated historical village. I can’t really explain it in words.

7. Go on a Kid-Friendly Food Crawl

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:

• Belly Acres and Sweet Noshings in Overton Square
• A Schwab on Beale Street 
• Elwood's Shack on Summer Ave
• Ethiopian Restaurant in Cordova (for the adventurous types)
• Soul Fish Cafe
• Jerry's Sno Cones
• Huey's (bring a sharpie to sign the wall, try to shoot a toothpick in the ceiling!) 

8. Find a museum you haven't been to.

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 Children’s Museum of Memphis has a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles exhibit this spring. 
• 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.

9. Put the kids behind the wheel. 

Try the classic outdoor cart tracks at Golf & Games on Summer Avenue or take the older kids to the high-speed F1-inspired track at Autobahn Indoor Speedway.

 

A little Friday night speed at Autobahn Indoor Speedway. Video courtesy of @thefilmjerk. #speed #gocarts

A video posted by Holly Whitfield (@ilovememphisblog) on Dec 18, 2015 at 7:39pm PST

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

Memphis has quite a few! Check out the guide to local Memphis bookstores here.

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

• Ride the elevator at the Bass Pro Pyramid 
• Check out Main Event Entertainment or Dave & Buster’s during family friendly hours (bowling, arcade, laser tag, etc.) 
• Take a picture at an I Love Memphis mural 
• Ride the Greenline or the Wolf River Greenways.
• Sign up to volunteer and give back to Memphis.

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