Spring break facts for kids
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Spring break is a special holiday time for students in early spring. It usually happens around the Easter holidays. This tradition started in the 1930s in the United States, but similar breaks have been around in Europe since the late 1800s. Now, many countries around the world have a spring break.
During this time, many students travel to warm places like Miami Beach, Florida, Daytona Beach, Florida, Panama City Beach, Florida, Gulf Shores, Alabama, and Cancún, Mexico. They often gather for fun activities and celebrations.
Depending on where you are, this holiday might be called different names, such as Easter vacation, Easter holiday, spring vacation, mid-term break, study week, reading week, or March break.
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History of Spring Break
In the mid-1930s, a swimming coach from Colgate University had an idea. He took his swim team to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, for early training in a new Olympic-sized pool. Other college swim coaches liked this idea, and soon, many swim teams started going to Florida each spring.
Over time, this tradition grew beyond just swimmers. Now, spring break is a common academic holiday in many Western countries. The exact dates for the break can be different depending on the state or region.
Spring Break Around the World
Spring break dates and traditions vary greatly across different parts of the world.
Asia
Japan
In Japan, spring break marks the end of the school year. It usually starts in late March and finishes on April 7, when the new school year begins.
Hong Kong
Hong Kong follows a tradition similar to the United Kingdom, with an Easter break that usually lasts about one and a half weeks.
Iran
In Iran, spring break begins with Nowruz, which is the Persian New Year, and ends on Sizdah Bedar. All students in Iran have the same spring break dates.
Kuwait
In Kuwait, spring break happens between the two school semesters, usually in December or January, sometimes lasting until early February. It is typically a two or three-week break. The exact date changes each year because it follows the Islamic calendar. This is common in many Arab and Muslim countries.
South Korea
In South Korea, spring break lasts for about a week in early May, usually around Children's Day.
United Arab Emirates
In the United Arab Emirates, spring break is usually two or three weeks long. It takes place from late March to early or middle April. The exact dates can depend on the specific school or Emirate.
Europe
Czech Republic
In the Czech Republic, only students in primary and secondary schools have a spring break. This break is one week long. To prevent too many people from going to the same places, the dates are different for various parts of the country. The country is divided into six groups, and each group has its holiday at a different time, starting from early February to early March. Many Czech students use this time to go skiing in the mountains.
Georgia
Before 2017, spring break in Georgia was usually an Easter holiday, lasting from Thursday to Tuesday during the Holy Week. In 2017, a new rule gave students in preschools, elementary schools, high schools, and universities six days off in March, from March 8 to 15. This allows people to go on winter vacations or do other activities.
Germany
In Germany, universities often have a semester break of five to eight weeks around March. The Whitsun holidays, which are around late May or early June, are also considered a type of spring break.
Greece
In Greece, spring break happens during the Holy Week and the week after it.
Lithuania
In Lithuania, spring break is called "Easter holidays" or "spring holidays." It takes place one week before Easter and includes the day after Easter. All school students have this vacation. Younger primary school students get an extra week of holidays after Easter.
Portugal
In Portugal, spring break is mostly known as "Easter Holidays." All students across the country get two weeks off.
Russia
Before 1917, schools in Russia had an Easter Break. In the Soviet Union, spring break was always from March 24 to 31. Today, many schools in Russia still have a spring break, but the school decides the exact date, often in mid-April. Public holidays in May, like Labour Day and Victory Day, can also feel like a spring break.
Slovakia
Slovakia gives its elementary and secondary school students a week-long break in February and March. Instead of going to warm places, students in Slovakia often go skiing during this break. Like in the Czech Republic, the dates vary by region to avoid crowded destinations. There is also a shorter Easter break from Holy Thursday to the following Tuesday.
Spain
In Spain, there isn't a specific "spring break." Instead, the Holy Week is celebrated, and students usually have holidays during these days.
United Kingdom
The Easter break in the United Kingdom lasts from one to two and a half weeks for primary and secondary schools, depending on local rules. University students get two to four weeks off, all around the Easter period.
North America
Canada
Canadian provinces give elementary and secondary school students a one or two-week break in March. The timing changes from province to province. For example, New Brunswick and Quebec have their break in the first week of March, while Ontario, Nova Scotia, and British Columbia have theirs in the second or third week. The break in Alberta and Manitoba usually happens in the last week of March. For college and university students in Canada, this break is called 'reading week' or 'reading break,' and it usually happens in February, often around Family Day.
Jamaica
In Jamaica, spring break starts in the first week of Good Friday. The break can last from one to two weeks, often two. The start date depends on whether Easter falls in March or April.
Mexico
In Mexico, spring break takes place during the Holy Week and the week after it.
United States
In the United States, spring break for universities, colleges, and many K-12 schools can happen from March to April. The exact dates depend on school schedules and when Easter falls. Spring break is usually one or two weeks long. Some schools might have it for the last week of March, with separate days off for Easter.
Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras
In Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras, spring break takes place during Easter. Schools give students a whole week off, while staff usually get about three days.
South America
Colombia
In Colombia, spring break takes place in the first week of April, during the Holy Week, and sometimes extends into the second week.
Chile
In Chile, many schools and universities have holidays in mid-September. This lines up with the celebration of the Fiestas Patrias (national celebrations). Since Chile is in the Southern Hemisphere, spring begins around the end of this holiday week, making it similar to the spring break in the United States.
Spring Break Destinations and Activities
Many places around the world host large spring break celebrations. These often include fun events like music concerts, beach activities, and special offers for places to stay.
Pacific Ocean
The South Pacific region has its spring break during November. Some travel companies even rent out entire island resorts for these celebrations.
- Fiji
- Rarotonga (in the Cook Islands)
Europe
European party spots are becoming more popular for international spring break visitors. Travel agencies note that these places often have lower legal ages for certain activities, which attracts young travelers. Some companies offer special flights at lower prices for spring break.
- Novalja (Zrće Beach), Croatia
- Pouch, Germany
- Rugia (Binz/Prora) and Usedom islands (Kaiser Spa), Germany
- Mykonos, Greece
- Siófok (Lake Balaton), Hungary
- Rimini, Italy
- Ibiza, Spain
- Lloret de Mar, Spain
- Magaluf (Mallorca), Spain
- Salou, Spain
North America
Caribbean
- Montego Bay, Jamaica
- Nassau, Bahamas
- Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
Mexico
United States
In the US, many people take time off for spring break. Since it's near Easter, many families celebrate with Easter activities like egg hunts.
Panama City Beach, Florida
Starting in the late 1990s, Panama City Beach became a popular spring break spot. It attracted many students who used to go to Fort Lauderdale and Daytona Beach. From 2010 to 2016, about 300,000 students visited the area each year. Social media helped make this beach town a huge destination for students in March.
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Fort Lauderdale became famous for spring break when the Colgate University swim team started practicing there in 1934. In the 1950s, about 20,000 college students visited, and it was a calm holiday. Things changed after the book Where the Boys Are was published in 1960, which was quickly made into a movie. This made the number of students jump to over 50,000. By the early 1980s, Fort Lauderdale was attracting between 250,000 and 350,000 college students each year.
South Padre Island, Texas
In the early 1980s, South Padre Island in Texas became the first place outside Florida to attract many college students for spring break. Even though it's a small town with only a few thousand residents, South Padre Island has consistently welcomed between 80,000 and 120,000 spring breakers for the last 30 years.
Corporate Marketing
Big companies that sell products to young people, like Coca-Cola, Gillette, MTV, and even parts of the United States Armed Forces, often advertise at popular spring break locations. They want to reach young people during this fun time.
See also
In Spanish: Vacaciones de primavera para niños
