Spring is here! I love how all the seasons provide a fun opportunity for kids to learn and explore. When I think of spring, the first things that come to mind are gardening, sunshine, flowers, butterflies, and playing outside. Spring is a time that we see so many changes around us. So this is the perfect time to have kids do fun hands-on-activities to better understand the season of spring. I’m a former teacher and I love finding ways to incorporate fun learning activities for my kids. So here are 5 ways to explore spring with your kids.
1. Spring Scavenger Hunt
A scavenger hunt is a great way to allow your kids to run around outside and also learn at the same time. I like to bring along a scavenger hunt checklist, a basket to collect everything, and a camera. I recently bought my daughter a Fujifilm Instax Mini Camera. I have her take pictures of everything she finds during the scavenger hunt. She loves taking the pictures and instantly getting them out the camera. HERE is a scavenger hunt checklist if you need some ideas!
2. Grow a Mini Garden
Having your little one help with growing a garden is a great learning activity. Don’t worry, you don’t have to have a green thumb to do this with your kids. Target Dollar Spot has simple flower and/or vegetable growing kits for kids. I love that it comes with everything you need. When my daughter grew her first plant she was so excited to watch it grow. This also helped my daughter with understanding responsibility. She knew that everyday she needed to water her plant and make sure the plant was getting enough sunlight.
3. Play Outside on a Rainy Day
Splashing in the rain is a simple and fun way to explore spring with your kids. The first time my daughter played outside on a rainy day, she had so much fun. I typically pick a day when it is light-rain and warm outside. I’ll have my kids put on rain-boots and a rain-coat. They have so much fun running around and splashing in the puddles. Afterwards, you can discuss the importance of rain during springtime as it helps with the grass, trees, flowers and plants to grow.
4. Read Books about Spring
You can stop by your local library and check out spring themed books. I love that most libraries have a kid’s book section. Most of the books on display during this time of year have a spring themed focus. Books about growing a garden, rainbows, and butterflies are some of my favorite topics for kids during springtime. You can also stop by your local bookstore and buy several spring themed books for your kids. I have bookshelves in my kids’ room and I like to have a book display focused on every season and/or holiday. The seasonal book display helps because my kids are more likely to want to read the books.
5. Spring Themed Sensory Bin
I love all the benefits of sensory bins for kids. It’s a really fun hands-on activity for kids to do inside. For a sensory bin all you need is a couple small bins, rice or beans, and spring themed toys. I like to go to Target Dollar Spot or Dollar Tree because they always have small seasonal toys that can easily fit into a sensory bin. HERE is an example of a spring themed sensory bin. Also, one of the benefits of sensory bins is that it helps with relaxation.
I hope you enjoyed this list of ways to explore spring with your kids. Remember that learning can be simple and fun for your kids. These are also great opportunities to create fun memories with your kids. If you’re looking for more spring focused activities for your kids check out 27 Spring Break Activities for Kids.
XO,
Ashley