Spring Activities for Kids: Fun, Messy, and Guaranteed to Wear Them Out
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Spring is finally here! 🌸 The birds are chirping, the flowers are blooming, and the kids are bouncing off the walls with energy after a long winter indoors. As much as I love my little tornadoes of chaos, I also love finding activities that keep them busy (and hopefully tire them out just enough for an early bedtime).
Spring is the perfect season for outdoor play, messy crafts, and hands-on learning. Whether your child is a mud-puddle enthusiast, an artistic genius, or an adventurer at heart, I’ve got you covered with fun, warm, and slightly chaotic spring activities for kids.
Get ready for sunshine, laughter, and a few unexpected messes—because no good spring activity is complete without a little dirt. 😆
1. Gardening with Kids (a.k.a. Letting Them Dig Holes for an Hour) 🌱
Every spring, I have this Pinterest-perfect vision of gardening with my kids. We’ll plant flowers, they’ll learn responsibility, and our yard will look like a scene from a fairy tale. In reality? My toddler tries to eat the dirt, my preschooler waters everything—including the cat—and I just try to keep my plants alive.
How to Make Gardening Fun for Kids:
🌷 Give them their own tiny garden space (a small patch of dirt, a big pot, or even a shoebox with soil).
🌷 Let them plant easy-to-grow flowers or veggies like marigolds, sunflowers, or radishes.
🌷 Provide tiny gardening tools (because kids love anything their size).
🌷 Make it a game! See who can find the biggest worm (and then kindly relocate it to the garden).
💡 Mom Tip: If your child is super excited about watering the plants, maybe hide the hose… unless you’re okay with a spontaneous backyard flood. 🚿
2. Butterfly & Bug Hunt (a.k.a. “Mom, Can We Keep It?”) 🦋🐞
Spring means bugs are back, and for kids, that’s thrilling news. Whether your little one is obsessed with butterflies or convinced that every ant is their new pet, a bug hunt is a fantastic way to explore nature.
How to Do a Spring Bug Hunt:
🦋 Grab a magnifying glass and a bug jar (or just use a clear plastic cup with holes poked in the lid).
🐞 Go outside and search for bugs, butterflies, and tiny creatures in the grass, flowers, and trees.
📖 Use a bug book or an app to identify what they find.
📝 Start a bug journal where they can draw their discoveries.
3. DIY Sidewalk Chalk Art (and the Accidental Chalk Body Paint) 🎨
Sidewalk chalk is a classic—but why stop at just drawing flowers and hopscotch squares? Let’s take it to the next level!
Fun Chalk Activities:
🌈 Create a giant rainbow mural on the driveway.
🏃 Make a “chalk obstacle course” (e.g., “Jump three times,” “Spin in a circle,” “Hop like a bunny”).
🖼️ Trace each other’s outlines and decorate them (this is how I once ended up with a driveway full of “chalk zombies”).
🚗 Turn toy cars into chalk racers by coloring their wheels and rolling them.
💡 Warning: If your child accidentally turns their entire body into a chalk masterpiece, just remember—chalk washes off… eventually.
4. Spring Scavenger Hunt (Because Kids Love a Good Mission) 🔍
If you’ve ever given a child a “very important job,” you know how much they love a challenge. A spring scavenger hunt is perfect for keeping them engaged and active while exploring nature.
How to Set Up a Spring Scavenger Hunt:
✅ Make a list of spring-themed items (e.g., a yellow flower, a butterfly, a smooth rock, a bird’s nest).
✅ Give them a little basket or bag to collect small treasures.
✅ Offer a prize for completing the hunt (like extra playtime or a homemade treat).
💡 Pro Tip: If you’re too tired to organize a scavenger hunt, just yell, “Find me the biggest leaf you can!” and enjoy a moment of peace while they search. 😂
5. DIY Bird Feeders
Bird watching is relaxing… until you add kids and peanut butter into the mix. Making a DIY bird feeder is messy, fun, and guaranteed to attract every bird (and squirrel) in the neighborhood.
Easy DIY Bird Feeder:
🍎 Apple Feeder: Core an apple, cover it with peanut butter, roll it in birdseed, and hang it from a tree.
🥜 Pinecone Feeder: Spread peanut butter on a pinecone, roll it in birdseed, and tie it up with string.
🥯 Bagel Feeder: Smear peanut butter on a stale bagel, dip it in birdseed, and hang it like an edible wreath.
💡 Reality Check: No matter where you hang the feeder, a determined squirrel will find a way.
6. Water Play (Because Toddlers Are Basically Ducks) 💦
Springtime = mud puddles, rain boots, and toddlers who want to “wash everything.” Water play is messy but magical, and it keeps kids entertained for hours.
Simple & Fun Water Play Ideas:
🚰 Outdoor “car wash” for toy cars or bikes.
🐥 Floating rubber duck race in a kiddie pool.
🎨 Painting with water on a hot sidewalk (bonus: no cleanup!).
💦 Water balloon baseball (because regular baseball is too dry).
💡 Pro Tip: Always set ground rules. Otherwise, your kid will turn the garden hose on full blast… inside the house. 🚿
7. Picnic at the Park (or Backyard!) 🍎
Food always tastes better outside. Even the most basic PB&J feels fancy when you eat it on a blanket under the sun.
How to Make a Spring Picnic Special:
🍏 Pack colorful fruits and snacks (because kids are 200% more likely to eat things shaped like flowers).
🎵 Bring a Bluetooth speaker for fun music or storytime.
🎾 Throw in some outdoor games like frisbees, bubbles, or jump ropes.
💡 Reality Check: At least one child WILL spill their juice. Just accept it and pack extra napkins. 😆
Final Thoughts: Let Them Get Messy!
Spring is all about adventure, fresh air, and embracing the mess. Whether your child is covered in chalk, soaked in water, or carrying home a jar of bugs, just remember—this is the good stuff.
So grab some sunscreen, take a deep breath, and let them be wild and free. (And maybe invest in a really good stain remover.)
What’s your favorite spring activity for kids? Share in the comments! And remember—mud washes off, but memories last forever. 😉🌿
Vanessa Rooney – LDS Mum
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