7 Ways to Celebrate Spring with Your Little Ones

Spring is here! When winter breathes its last breath, a collective sigh can be heard the world over as people pat themselves on the back for having survived the past three (or more!) months of cold, snow and clouds. What a relief to be able to be outside for an extended period of time! And as the days get longer, there’s more time to enjoy all that Mother Nature has brought out of hibernation.
If your children cannot spend another minute indoors, here are some fun springtime activities to get them out of the house. After all, summer will be here soon enough, and you’ll be looking for indoor respite from the heat and humidity!

Make a homemade bird feeder

Take an empty toilet paper roll, cover it in peanut butter, then roll it in bird seed. Voila! Hang it from a tree and keep track of the different birds that visit your feeder.

Take a nature walk

Spring is a great time for a nature walk, as everything is blooming, growing, and coming out of hibernation. Take along a nature scavenger hunt checklist to keep track of what you see along the way.

Learn how plants grow

This is an easy experiment to do with your kids. Put a dried lima bean in a plastic sandwich bag with a wet paper towel. Tape the bag to the window for sunlight. In a few days, you’ll see the roots develop and eventually a sprout will come out of the bean. To further explain the process to your kids, read From Seed to Plant by Gail Gibbons.

Plant some vegetables

Now that your kids understand how plants grow, it’s time to test their green thumb. This can be as big or as little as you’d like. Short on space? Herbs can easily be grown indoors in small pots. If you have space in the yard, plant vegetables that are hearty and easy to grow, so your kids don’t get frustrated. Tomatoes, lettuce and beans fall into this category.

Grow a butterfly

Your kids will love seeing the life cycle of a butterfly in action! Insect Lore sells a container of five or six caterpillars. Follow the enclosed easy directions to watch a caterpillar transform into a butterfly.

Dye Easter eggs

Spring brings the holiday of Easter, and if you celebrate, there are so many fun Easter-related activities you can do with kids! Dyeing eggs is a perennial favorite, and the process has evolved over the years. You can still buy the simple kit with colored tablets to dissolve in vinegar. How about using shaving cream and food coloring? You can find the directions here.

Have an Easter egg hunt

Once you’ve dyed those eggs, it’s time to hide them and let the kids find them. You can also buy plastic eggs at the dollar store and fill them with treasures for the kids to find — candy, money, crayons. Get your neighbors involved and have the hunt span across a few yards.
Spring won’t be here long, so make the most of it! Shed your winter coat and enjoy the season!