Spring Break is 2 whole weeks!! We have 2 children and so we have a few options (the estimated cost is beside each option):

• Take vacation time and take a vacation ($5,000)
• Take vacation and plan a ‘staycation’ ($300)
• Find Spring Break camps ($1,000)
• A combination of the above (??)

We opted for the combination option and our combination plan looks something like this:

• We’ve teamed up with another family and each family is taking 2 days per week (I work .8 so switched my days and we each took a vacation day).
• 1 day per week the kids are going to camp.
• They participated in a soccer camp for a couple mornings (drop in).

On my days with the 4 kids we’ve gone to the aquarium (thank you grandparents for the pass!), park tour on scooters, Granville Island tour on scooters and UBC Endowment Lands via transit. With a few treats thrown in at about $10 per day we’re all having fun and not breaking our budget – plus we’re still working most of our regular hours! 

This worked out to be the best option for us because we’re planning a big trip later in the year and need to save our vacation time. With childcare over school holidays being an ‘extra’ to their regular before and after school care, it can really throw the budget not to mention that it can be a little routine if it’s the same childcare and friends as the rest of the school year. 

How do you do it?