My kids were particularly unhappy when I entered the kitchen that morning – one cried while standing at my feet, one complained about her extensive boredom at 7am, and one kicked in my belly reminding me that I needed to chop my spring veggies andscramble them in an omelet before my stomach imploded. I wanted to tell them all that, “Mommy needed just FIVE minutes!” but I remembered this instead…
You see, I love spring. And, I especially love springtimewith my kids. But there are moments when I can’t be 100% focused on entertaining the kids,enjoying the chirping birds and buzzing bees. Sometimes, Momma needs to make an omelet without being distracted.
So, I drummed up thisSpring Bucket List of Activities for Kids not only to inspire myself to get outside during the spring, but to getmy kids inspired with somefun activities when we really need them…
If you’ve ever found yourself needing a list of inspiration to do with the kids because:
- You’re kids are complaining of boredom again.
- You desperately need to get something done and the kids need to do something too.
- Or, you want to have fun thisspring with your kids…
This list is for you!
Check out the end of the post for 3 ways to use this list so that you don’t forget about it.
- Collect wildflowers.
- Make mud pies.
- Build an outdoor swing. (or buy one)
- Crush herbs to smell. (sage is amazing)
- Fly a kite.
- Plantseeds.
- Paint a pot.
- Make a leaf man.
- Balance on slack rope.
- Jump on a trampoline.
- Make flower bombs.
- Build a fort.
- Make a stick wand.
- Watch baby chicks hatch. (or see them at your local feed/supply store)
- Visit the pet store to search for babies.
- Hang a hummingbird feeder.
- Make a bird feeder.
- String flowers on a necklace.
- Smash flower pedals.
- Make a spring sun catcher.
- Splash in puddles.
- Take pics of Spring. (hand the camera over to the kids!)
- Buy small journals to draw and write aboutSpring life.
- Put out a rain gauge.
- Find flower exhibits (like the tulip exhibit).
- Or, find where the wildflowers grow like crazy in the Spring (our local mountain range has one mountain that is ONLY covered in the Spring).
- Find a butterfly exhibit.
- Go feed the ducks.
- Go all day long BAREFOOT! (write about it in your journals – see #23)
- Pick berries.
- Go for a picnic.
- Grill on the BBQ.
- Visit the Farmer’s Market.
- Roast S’mores.
- Play with chalk.
- Go camping.
- Skip rocks.
- Make your own game.
- Visit the museum.
- Plan a bike ride. (bonus: let kids pick the route)
- Go to a petting zoo.
- Find a local fair.
- Make berry pie.
- Bob for apples.
- Spit watermelon seeds.
- Date your kids without leaving the house.
- Make bug sun catchers.
- Play glow in the dark games.
- Make spring coloredplay dough.
- Let kids plan the day – what activities do they love during spring?!
How to Remember to Use this List
If you’re worried about forgetting this list (like I have done), here’s 3 ways to keep it close at hand:
- Print it and let kids circle their favorite ideas.
- Write each idea on popsicle sticks that kids can pull from a jar.
- Make an old-school paper chain with each idea written on a strip of paper. Cut a strip off and do the idea.
If you want to get even fancier, try these easy ways to extend the activities and make your kids experiences more meaningful:
- Ask questions – what do they notice about spring? What do they want to do this time of year?
- Write it down – write down their answers or jot down which activity was a big hit in your house.
- Explain the importance – while my kids love to garden, they aren’t always patient while waiting for things to grow. Spring is a great time to talk about time and patience with kids. Talk about howimportant it is to wait, to care for, and to watch things grow in the spring. It reminds me (and hopefully my kids), that not everything is the same year round. You can’t pick berries off the bush in Winter. You can’t BBQ when it’s snowing outside (well, maybe you can??). You can’t plant and expect things to grow when it’s not the right time of year.Everything has a time, and spring brings lots of new life! It’s such a great time to celebrate that with your kids!
I hope you get to take advantage of Springtime this year, but more importantly, I hope you get to make that omelet in peace.
Most of the time.
