Spring Break is when families get to spend some quality time together, but vacation can sometimes come with a high price tag. A lot of common Spring Break activities, like a visit to an amusement park or a skiing trip, are very expensive. Fortunately, there are a lot of ways to have fun with your family during Spring Break without breaking the bank. Here are four easy ways that you can enjoy the sights, sounds and activities of the season without spending a whole lot of dough.

1. Keep your Travel Plans Local - There are probably a dozen different local attractions that you and your family haven’t explored. Staying in your town or traveling no more than an hour away is a great way to save one on gas and other travel related expenses. Taking a day trip means that you can pack sack lunches and keep your other expenses to a minimum. There are probably plenty of activities within driving distance of your hometown, or even within the city itself. Most towns have museums, parks and other destinations that are worth exploring or re-discovering. Pretend you’re a tourist to your area and hit all of the local attractions. It can be fun to introduce your children to places you visited when you first moved to the area, or have always wanted to visit but never have.

2. Spend a Day in the Garden - There’s no better time than this vacation to get the kids outside for a work day in the yard. You can spend a day or two working outside as a family. Have the children select special flowers they want to plant, or create a vegetable garden together that you can enjoy all year long. Other inexpensive outdoor activities can include building a birdhouse or making personalized paving stones. You’ll be able to appreciate and admire the work you and your kids do for months to come. Make sure to reward your children with a special treat after the family work day.

3. At-Home Crafts Camp - Kids of all ages love making crafts and fortunately craft supplies aren’t all that expensive. You can get ideas from websites or books from the library and then purchase your supplies at a dollar store or discount store. With a little planning, you could provide your kids with five to ten projects that will last them all week. At the end of the week, have them display their creations in an art show.

4. Organize a Rotating Group Activity - This idea works best when you have a group of local friends with children the same age as yours. You can all split the week up and each plan a low-cost activity per day. One parent can organize a craft day, another can do a garden day and another host a make your own pizza party. The possibilities are only limited by your creativity and your budget.

With these simple ideas, you and your family can have an enjoyable, and low-cost, Spring Break that won’t break the bank and leave you with cherished family memories for years to come.  In the end, isn’t that what is most important?