1.Thrill rides

Theme parks around the region open their 2008 seasons on Easter weekend, and most of them will be open on a limited schedule during spring vacation.

• Busch Gardens: Williamsburg, (800) 343-7946, bushgardens.com
• Kings Dominion: Doswell (north of Richmond), (804) 876-5561, kingsdominion.com
• Dollywood: Pigeon Forge, Tenn., (865) 428-9488, dollywood.com
• Carowinds: Charlotte, N.C., (800) 888-4386, carowinds.com

2. Spring cleaning

Find yourself drowning in unread books and unused toys? Perhaps a little uncluttering should be on the list. While spring cleaning doesn’t sound as exciting as a day at a theme park, you could turn it into a fulfilling family project with a little strategy and creativity. Perhaps tackle one room per day, with small rewards attached to each accomplishment? Maybe hold a yard sale at the end of the week, with any profit used to turn the basement into a family game room? More helpful ideas and a detailed plan of action can be found in books including “It’s All Too Much: An Easy Plan for Living a Richer Life with Less Stuff,” a new paperback by Peter Walsh, a celeb organizer from TLC’s “Clean Sweep” television show.

3. Get creative

Turn the house into an art studio for a week — set up easels; gather up lots of paint, clay and other craft materials; and let their imaginations run wild. Check out art books from the library for inspiration (and a dose of art history). Display all of the finished work in a “gallery” and host a viewing party for their friends at the end of the week.

Or try the Art Museum of Western Virginia’s printmaking series, aimed at ages 8 through 12. Students will learn about traditional forms of printmaking, see examples of historic works and try it out themselves. Offered 1:30 to 3 p.m. March 24 through 28. Cost is $125 for nonmembers.

There’s also a drop-in program for ages 4 through 10 the same week. From 10 to 11:30 a.m. March 25 through 28, kids and their parents can use various materials (paper, chalk, paint and more) for take-home crafts. The program is free with museum admission ($3 per person).

Call Bambi Boyle at 857-4392 or e-mail bboyle@artmuseumroanoke.org to register for either program.

4. Day camp

If staying home during spring vacation isn’t an option for your kids, you might consider enrolling them in day camps. The parks and recreation departments of Roanoke and Roanoke County both offer programs.

Roanoke: For $10 per day, students ages 6 through 12 can attend Out of School Fun Days at the Preston and Eureka recreation centers. Hours are 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. March 24 through 28. Call 853-5360 for more information.

Roanoke County: Details are still getting worked out, but the county program for students in kindergarten through fifth grade will feature one off-site trip per day. Hours are 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. March 24 through 28 and the cost is $125. Call 857-5036 to register.

5. Just for teens

Roanoke County Parks, Recreation & Tourism will offer Ultimate Spring Break Camp, a new program for teens March 24 through 29. Highlights include trips to Kings Dominion and Thunder Valley, bowling, and a digital photography class at the O. Winston Link Museum. The $190 fee includes most lunches and snacks and a Saturday night lock-in at the Brambleton Teen Center. The photography class is also open to teens not attending the day camp (March 27; $10). Register by March 17 by calling 772-7529 or visiting roanokecountyparks.com.

6. College scouting

For teens thinking about college, spring vacation might be a good time to check out campuses to find the best fit. Schools in this region offer tours and special open houses during this time, including Virginia Tech; the University of Virginia; Hollins University (March 21, 24 and 25), Roanoke College (March 20 and 27); and Radford University (March 21). More information is available on their Web sites.

7. National treasures

If your kids were excited about the movie “National Treasure: Book of Secrets,” they’d probably get a kick out of the Trails to Treasure Tour in Washington, D.C., which ties historic sites and museums (most of them free) to the film. You can download a map at www.washington.org.

Also worth noting: The 42nd Annual Smithsonian Kite Festival is March 29 on the National Mall. Admission is free. Go to kitefestival.org or call (202) 633-3030 for more information.

No matter what you do in Washington, the visitors guide at washingtonpost.com (look under City Guide) is a helpful resource for trip planning.

8. Book it

Bookworms will be flocking to Charlottesville on March 26 through 30 for the 14th annual Virginia Festival of the Book, which will feature 200 book and author events covering a wide range of topics from crime and religion to race and history.

While most events are geared for teens and older, a StoryFest on March 29 will feature children’s authors, including Paul DuBois Jacobs and Jennifer Swender (“NASCAR ABCs”), and a book swap. Keep checking vabook.org for updates.

Older kids might like the March 27 fiction program featuring author Homer Hickam, whose book “Rocket Boys” inspired the movie “October Sky.” There’s also a March 28 program by author Renee Schultz (“The Mother-Daughter Project: How Mothers and Daughters Can Band Together, Beat the Odds and Thrive Through Adolescence”) and a March 29 talk by comic book creators Peter David and Colleen Doran.

A few programs may interest teachers looking for inspiration on spring break: Three authors discuss education on March 26: Chris Mercogliano (“In Defense of Childhood: Protecting Kids’ Inner Wildness”), Abigail Norfleet James (“Teaching the Male Brain: How Boys Think, Feel and Learn in School”) and Elinor Miller (who writes about creating her own school in “A Banner Experience”). Greg Mortenson (“Three Cups of Tea: One Man’s Mission to Promote Peace .. One School at a Time”) will speak about his work building schools in Afghanistan and Pakistan on March 27.

Events will be held at various locations and most are free. Call (434) 924-6890 or visit vabook.org for the entire schedule.

9. Adventures in Neverland

Take a break from your grown-up routine and head to Abingdon to see the play about the boy who never grew up — “Peter Pan” — at the historic Barter Theatre, which offers shows throughout the week. Call (276) 628-3991 or visit bartertheatre.com for showtimes and prices.

If the weather cooperates, try biking the scenic Virginia Creeper Trail, a 35-mile trail (and former rail line) stretching from Abingdon to Whitetop, Virginia’s second-highest mountain. Here’s a tip: Consider driving to the trail’s midway point, Damascus, in order to take a shuttle up to Whitetop. You and the kids might like coasting on the gentle 17-mile ride back down. Bike rental information and maps are available at vacreepertrail.com.

10. Spring training

Does your student athlete want to work on her muscle power? The Edge Sports Performance Center in Roanoke will offer an “Introduction to Sports Performance: Speed, Strength, Power” program from 9 a.m. to noon March 24 through 27. Athletes from all sports will work on various techniques, including Olympic-style weightlifting and plyometrics (jump training), while using equipment including medicine balls and bungees. The coed program is open to ages 10 to 18 and costs $99. Register before March 17 by calling 265-8585 or by visiting theedgesp.com.