The winter season was so long that it almost felt like it would never end.
Thankfully, spring is finally here and with it all the things we love about this season. Warmer temperatures, fresher air, more daylight hours - what’s not to love about spring? For parents and caregivers, spring presents numerous opportunities to engage your kids in fun activities.
Running out of ideas? This post highlights 9 fun spring activities for kids to indulge in. Let’s dig in:
Spring Children's Activities
Scavenger Hunt
With the temperatures finally warming up, your kids might be wanting to spend some time outdoors. Thus, one of the best outdoor activities is a scavenger hunt.
Treasure hunts are extremely versatile. You can choose any theme that matches your kids’ interests (art, food, sports) or turn it into a learning opportunity Here are a couple of scavenger hunt ideas:
- Alphabet Treasure Hunt - Ask kids to find items whose words start with the letter printed on the sheet. You can print the letters in advance
- Nature Exploration - You and your kids can find things found in nature.
- Photo Hunt - Your kids can take pictures of the items stated in the clues.
- Colored Objects Hunt - Your kids can find items that match the color stated in the clues.
Make a Birdhouse
Are your kids too young to take part in a scavenger hunt? Then a simpler activity like making a birdhouse or a bird feeder will do.
It doesn’t have to be anything sophisticated. In fact, you can use readily available materials. For instance, cardboard or carton can be used to make the house, and bamboo plates or craft sticks for the roof.
While you can make a few suggestions, allow your child to get creative. If they want to use your cake dowels to make the perch, let them! It’s a splendid opportunity for them to gain some problem-solving and engineering skills.
Backyard Picnic
Looking for a fun activity that will reinforce the bond you have with your kids? If you are, a picnic is exactly what you need.
You don’t even have to go to a fancy place if you don’t have the budget for it. Create a cozy setting in your backyard, prepare some snacks, and look for kid-friendly picnic games. Here are a few ideas for picnic games and activities:
- Wheelbarrow race
- Musical chairs
- Jenga
- Pass the water
- I spy
Set Up a Sandpit
The good old sandpit has served as a source of entertainment for many years. And while the conventional square-shaped box works well, you can look for something more fun and interactive.
The Large Wooden Sandbox by Aivituvin is my favorite. The 47” by 47” sandpit doesn’t take up a lot of space. And, it comes with pre-drilled holes for easy assembly. The best part, however, is the detachable canopy that protects your kids from the harsh UV rays.
Play with Playdough
If it’s a bit rainy outside, you’ll likely have to look for things that kids can do indoors. On such occasions, playing with playdough is a great idea.
Play-dough is pretty versatile. It can be used to make an array of items, from sea creatures to gardening tools and pretend kitchen equipment. For toddlers, stick to simple concepts that they’re familiar with like making shapes, numbers, or letters.
Go Camping
One of the best spring activities for families is camping. It encourages kids to unplug from technology and instead connect with Mother Nature. More importantly, it allows the little ones to learn basic survival skills.
Want your kids to have heaps of fun during the camping trip? Consider these activities:
- Hike designated trails
- Look for unique plant and animal species
- Take pictures
- Make some s’mores by the campfire and narrate scary stories
- Set up a hammock where they can swing
- Stargaze
Visit the Farmer’s Market
Visiting the farmer’s market is another activity that your entire family is sure to enjoy. You can introduce your kids to a wide range of foods. This, in turn, piques their interest and makes them more open to trying out new dishes once they get back home.
In fact, you can even engage your kids in the cooking process. Have them pick a healthy recipe and cook together using your farmer’s market finds.
Garden
Looking for an activity that will not only entertain the young ones but also provide a ton of perks? If so, then you might want to try gardening.
In fact, this is one of a handful of activities that stimulates all their senses at once. Through gardening, your toddler can learn to differentiate plants, smell various scents, listen to the sounds of critters, or the wind blowing, and more.
Another thing I love about gardening is that it suits kids of all ages. The little ones can water plants or simply play with soil while the older ones help to pull out weeds or plant new seedlings.
Fly Kites
Do you live near a park or have ample space in your backyard? If you answered yes to either of these, kite flying is a fantastic spring activity for your kids.
What I like about this activity is that it provides benefits on all fronts. Having your kids build the kites from scratch is a fun STEM activity in itself. And flying the kites is even more thrilling. That said, there are a few things you should keep in mind before engaging your kids in kite flying, namely:
- Check the wind - The wind should be just right; not too windy but not too calm either
- Look for a large, open space - The bigger the space the better. This way, your kids will have fun running around
- Be mindful of the surroundings - Ensure your kids aren’t flying the kites close to roads, airports, power lines, or other hazardous obstacles
Final Thoughts
There are hundreds of spring activities that kids would enjoy indulging in. This can make finding the right one a little bit difficult.
If you’re not sure which activity to choose, all you need to do is discuss the options with your child. If they’re passionate about cooking, then they’d probably enjoy a visit to the farmer’s market more than a hike.
If they’re not old enough to hold conversations, just pick an activity that piques their interest. For instance, if your toddler loves to play in the sand, then buying a sandbox will certainly be the highlight of their season.