The flowers are blooming, the sun is shining, and the air is fresh and crisp.
But as parents, we often find ourselves wondering how to keep our kids entertained during the spring months. (Especially during spring break!)
That’s why I’ve put together a list of simple spring activities for kids that your whole family will enjoy.
After all, with so much energy to burn, it can be challenging to find activities that are both fun and engaging.
I’ve been a camp counselor, teacher, and parent for over 20 years, and I can personally vouch for each one of these activities.
From outdoor activities and adventures to creative spring crafts, there’s something for everyone on this list.
So let’s get started and make the most of this beautiful season!
Without further ado, here are 25 of the best spring activities that you can do with your kids at home. And they’re all free!
Bonus?
There are no extra supplies required.
Note: These spring ideas are just one section of our epic list of
100 Fun Things To Do At Home With Kids >>
There are some affiliate links in this article.
1. Bubble Art
Got bubbles? Put a drop of food coloring in them, and watch them turn colors!
This delightful activity involves blowing colorful bubbles onto a canvas or piece of paper to create a stunning and unique masterpiece.
Not only does bubble art foster your child’s creativity and imagination, but it also teaches them about the scientific properties of bubbles and the colorful world of art.
To get started, mix some vibrant paint with dish soap and water to create a magical bubble solution. Choose spring colors like light purple, blue, green, and pink.
Then, use a straw or bubble wand to blow bubbles onto the paper or canvas, watching in amazement as they burst into a burst of hues and shades.
Each bubble pop creates a playful explosion of color, creating a beautiful and whimsical design that will be a delight to hang on the wall or fridge. It’s one of the most creative ways we can think of to create art!
Kids of all ages will love these delightful activity.
So grab some colorful paint, mix up a batch of bubbly fun, and let your child’s creativity soar with bubble art.
2. Release a Butterly
Want to give your kids an up-close and personal experience with nature in your own backyard?
Consider using a butterfly kit that starts with a caterpillar and ends up with your family releasing a beautiful butterfly into the wild!
This activity is a fantastic way to teach children about the fascinating butterfly life cycle and witness it firsthand.
This butterfly kit includes a pop-up, reusable mesh habitat perfect for butterfly viewing, a feeding dropper, and complete instructions.
The coupon to order the caterpillars is inside the box & you can order them online.
The caterpillar will eventually form a chrysalis and emerge as a butterfly, giving children the opportunity to observe the entire transformation process up close.
Once the butterfly has emerged, you can release it back into the wild and watch as it spreads its wings and takes flight!
Not only is this a magical experience for children, but it also promotes their curiosity, empathy, and respect for the natural world.
3. Make Mud Pies
Looking for a fun and engaging way to encourage your child’s creativity and connection to nature? Try making “mud pies” with natural materials!
This delightful activity involves using mud, sticks, stones, and other natural objects of different colors to create beautiful and imaginative works of art.
To get started, grab an old pie pan, and fill it with dirt and mud.
Then gather natural materials such as leaves, flowers, and twigs.
Then, let your child’s imagination run wild as they sculpt and shape the mud and objects into unique and imaginative designs.
When they’re done, they can proudly display their creations or return them to nature. Making mud pies is lots of fun for kids of all ages.
4. Adopt A Tree
As the snow melts and warmer weather moves in, it’s the perfect time to get outside with the family and appreciate nature.
Announce to your little ones that today you’re going to add a new member to the family. You’ll be adopting a tree!
Head to the back yard or a local park, and choose a tree that you family will adopt and observe over a long period of time.
By choosing a tree to observe and care for over an extended period, you and your children can witness the gradual changes that occur over time, from the emergence of buds and leaves in the spring, to the growth and flourishing of the tree in the summer, and the beautiful autumn colors before it rests in the winter. This activity not only fosters a deeper appreciation for the natural world, but also teaches children about patience, observation, and responsibility.
Check in on your Family Tree every so often to see how it’s doing. Take pictures of it every visit to see how it’s changed. Draw its portrait and hang it on your refrigerator. Write a poem about it. Start a log book. Give it a name and talk about it lovingly.
It’s a family member, after all!
5. Window Sketching
Are your kids always looking for new ways to express their creativity? Look no further than your windows!
Window sketching with dry erase markers is a fun and easy way to let your children’s imaginations run wild while also adding a splash of color to your home. Not only is this activity a great way to keep kids entertained on rainy days, but it also encourages them to think outside the box and experiment with different shapes, colors, and designs.
Plus, since dry erase markers wipe off easily, you can change up your window art as often as you like.
So grab some markers, and let your windows become a canvas for your children’s masterpieces.
6. Hopscotch
Hopscotch is a fun spring activity to play with friends and stay active, and it has entertained generations of children.
Here are the steps to play hopscotch with sidewalk chalk:
- Find a suitable location: Choose a flat and smooth surface such as a sidewalk or driveway where you can draw the hopscotch grid.
- Draw the hopscotch grid: Using sidewalk chalk, draw the hopscotch grid on the ground. The hopscotch pattern consists of a series of squares or rectangles, numbered from 1 to 10.
- Decide who goes first: Use a coin toss or any other random method to decide who goes first.
- Throw the marker: The first player throws a small object, such as a rock or a bean bag, onto the hopscotch grid.
- Hop through the grid: The player then hops through the grid, starting with square 1 and avoiding the square where the marker landed. If the player steps on a line, misses a square, or falls, their turn is over.
- Pick up the marker: When the player reaches the end of the grid, they turn around and hop back, stopping on square 2. They then pick up the marker while standing on square 2.
- Repeat the process: The player throws the marker onto the next square, and the game continues with the next player taking their turn.
- Complete the game: The game continues until all players have had a turn, or until a player completes the entire hopscotch grid without making any mistakes.
- Win the game: The player who completes the hopscotch grid without making any mistakes wins the game.
Hopscotch is a fun and easy game to play with sidewalk chalk. Review the official hopscotch rules before playing.
There are also some creative hopscotch variations you can try to make things more challenging and interesting.
Here are 25 Fun Sidewalk Chalk Activities your kids will love >>
6. Leaf Counting
Spring is the perfect time to explore the outdoors with your little ones, and leaf counting is a great way to do just that.
Start by collecting leaves of different shapes and sizes, then encourage your child to count them and group them based on their similarities and differences.
This activity not only teaches children about counting, grouping, and pattern recognition, but it also promotes their observation skills and appreciation for the natural world.
7. Mud Paint
Look for spring art activities? You don’t need to put together complicated sensory bins or detailed projects.
instead, you can paint with mud!
Grab some containers you don’t care much about, some plain paper, and a handful of old paintbrushes. You may want to wear old clothes, too.
Outside, scoop a healthy amount of dirt into each container, and then add a small amount of water and good amount of food coloring.
If you don’t have food coloring, this will be just as fun with plain old mud.
(Some recipes call for dish soap to help prevent stains in clothes, but it’s also optional.)
You’re ready to mud paint! You can decorate rocks, sticks, or even a canvas.
Not only is mud painting a great way to foster your child’s creativity and sensory play, but it also teaches them about natural materials and the world around them.
8. Signs Of Spring
After a long winter, it’s the perfect time to get outside for a spring scavenger hunt!
Have a chat about the signs of spring that are happening outside at this very moment.
There are birds singing, frogs hopping around, spring flowers blooming, buds on the trees, worms in the dirt, and nests way up high.
Head out for a walk and see which signs of spring you can spot with your own two eyes.
Snap some photos to send to a friend or relative.
Customize it:
Need binoculars? If you have two small toilet paper rolls, tie them together to make a pair of binoculars to take on your walk.
Bring Your Stuffy: Would your child like to take their favorite stuffed animal on a stroller walk to show them all the signs of spring? That stuffy probably needs some fresh air, after all.
Find The Rainbow: Try to find an item for every color of the rainbow.
9. Spring Jigsaw Puzzle
Do a puzzle with a springy scene!
If you don’t have one lying around, your little ones can find new ones on ABCMouse.com, like this Robin’s Egg jigsaw puzzle. Try it free >>
ABC Mouse has so many fun activities for young children!
10. Magic Paper Towel Tree
It’s magic!
Fold one piece of paper towel in half so that it looks like a book.
On the inside of the book, draw a tree trunk and branches, with colorful leaves and fruit. You can add sunshine, blue sky, and anything you fancy!
Now, fold your paper towel book so that you can’t see your drawing anymore.
Drop it into a bowl of water, and watch how your colorful drawing magically appears!
11. Here Is A Nest
Teach your child this springy poem:
Here is a nest for the robin (make a nest with your hands)
Here is a hive for the bees (Ball up your fist)
Here is a hole for the bunny (make a hole with your hands)
And a house for you and me. (Point your fingers together in the shape of a roof)
Throughout your week you can recite this poem and talk about habitats. What other habitats can you spot on your walks and time spent outside? You can even add to the poem yourself. (Here is dirt for the worm, here is a hole for the squirrel, etc.)
12. Sunny Sit Spot
On the next sunny day, go searching for the perfect sunny spot with your kids.
A sunny sit spot is a designated outdoor area where you can sit and observe the natural surroundings, typically in a sunny location.
It’s a place where you can take a break from the hustle and bustle of daily life and simply relax and take in the sights, sounds, and smells of nature.
A sunny sit spot can be a great way to connect with the natural world, reduce stress, and promote mindfulness.
By spending time in your sunny sit spot regularly, you can also observe changes in the natural world over time and deepen your appreciation for the beauty of nature.
13. Dirt Writing
Find the perfect writing stick. One that’s sturdy with a fairly pointy tip, and just the right length.
Then, find some dirt to write in!
Write the alphabet. Write your name. Write the word “Spring”. Write a sweet message to a loved one. Just write! Chat about what sounds the letters make, and if a letter is upper case or lower case. Follow your child’s lead!
Alternative: Is it feeling like more of a math day? Write all the numbers you can. Solve simple equations. Draw shapes. Make patterns with the shapes. The possibilties are endless. We can’t wait to see which direction your child takes it.
14. Themed Story Time
Pull out your favorite spring-themed book and snuggle up for story time.
Need some new titles? ABCmouse.com has a huge library of books, like this “Some Bunny Loves Me” story from National Geographic. Try it free >>
15. Cloud Meditation
Remember when you were a child, how mesmerizing clouds could be?
You could stare at them for a long time, finding new shapes and animals, watching them form and dissipate.
Lie down with your kids with a good view of the clouds. You can make some observations with them.
Are they fluffy or thin? Are they moving? What color are they? What shapes do they make?
Or, you can just be silent and watch them together.
16. Shadow Tracing
This fun idea involves tracing the shadows of everyday objects using chalk, pencils, or markers.
Not only is shadow tracing a great way to get kids excited about art and drawing, but it’s also a wonderful way to teach them about the concepts of light and shadow, as well as shapes and proportions.
To get started, simply find a sunny spot and some objects with interesting shapes, such as leaves, toys, or even your child’s own body. Place the object on a flat surface and trace its shadow onto the ground using your chosen drawing tool.
Then, let your child’s imagination take over and color in the traced shapes as they wish. It’s so much fun!
17. Tackle Your To-Do List
Whether it’s spring cleaning or a little yard, we’re sure you have loads of things you’d like to get done on your to-do list. Invite your child into your world to work alongside you.
Sure, it will slow you down a bit, but it’s one of the best ways for them to learn. Outside, you’re sure to find worms and bugs that will mesmerize them. Inside, they can help fold, sweep, and wipe things down. They’ll be naturally curious about what you’re doing and why. And, if they lose interest and scamper off to play, just keep right on going!
Got a gardener on your hands? If one of your older children seems enamored with the garden, hand them their first Garden Journal (pictured here), and ask them to write down their observations every so often as the garden changes. Tell them it will help you get to know the garden better.
18. Spring Hide & Seek
Ask your child what they think is hiding in your yard, neighborhood, or favorite park. Then invite them to go find out!
Turn over logs, sticks, rock, bark, and leaves. What can they find?
Then, pretend you are little potato bugs and play your own game of Spring Hide & Seek.
Later, draw some pictures or write a list of what you found.
19. Water Painting
Water painting is a simple and fun activity that’s perfect for spring!
All you need is a bucket of water and a paintbrush, and you’re ready to create beautiful works of art on sidewalks, driveways, or any other surface that can be painted with water.
Not only is water painting a great way to keep kids entertained, but it also promotes their creativity and imagination.
Plus, since the “paint” is just water, there’s no mess to clean up afterwards! To get started, simply dip the paintbrush in the water and start painting.
Watch as the water leaves a temporary mark on the surface, then fades away as it dries.
20. Spring Poetry Read Aloud
Crack open any poetry books you have in the house, or search for a spring poem online. Read them aloud to your kids. You can even try to memorize them little by little, and send a video to your loved ones.
No poetry books lying around? ABCMouse.com has some spring poetry read-alouds for your kids to listen to. Try it free >>
21. Leaf & Bark Rubbings
This activity involves placing a leaf underneath a piece of paper and rubbing a crayon or pencil over the paper to create a textured impression of the leaf.
Not only is this activity a great way to teach children about the different shapes and textures of leaves, but it also promotes their creativity and fine motor skills.
To get started, simply collect some leaves of different shapes and sizes and place them underneath a sheet of paper.
Then, use a crayon or pencil to gently rub over the paper, being careful not to move the leaf underneath.
The result is a beautiful and unique textured impression of the leaf! Y
ou can also take your paper outside and do this on a tree trunk.
22. Alphabet Rocks
Invite your child to head outside for some fresh air. Begin collecting some rocks and pebbles. If rocks are not aplenty near you, find some sticks, leaves, acorns, or other natural materials.
Start making letters out of the materials, and invite your child to do the same. You can practice saying the sound that each letter makes. Can you spell your name? Your favorite animal? A message to a loved one?
You can also take a sharpie and write one letter on each rock. What words can your child spell?
23. Play Catch (With A Spin)
Ask your child if they’d like to go play catch. Find an open space, and practice playing catch. Try throwing underarm, overarm, sideways, under your legs, and any other way you can think of.
Then, try throwing items besides a traditional ball. Can you spare an oval-shaped egg? What would it be like to throw and catch a wet sponge? A coin? A square pillow?
24. Family Roots
Ask your child if they ever realized that your family is like one large tree. Everyone is connected by roots and branches.
Begin asking your child who is in your family, and writing down their names or titles (mom, dad, etc.).
See if your child can take the lead writing the names, or the first letter of each name. You can decorate each slip of paper if you want to get creative.
Then, grab some tape and find an open wall in your home. Tape up each name and show your child how they are connected. Use paper to create the parts of your tree (roots, trunk, branches, twigs, and leaves).
25. Spring Coloring
Do you have coloring books lyings around? Some of them probably have some beautiful spring scenes in them for your child to work on.
If not, ABCMouse.com has some interactive coloring pages. Try it free >>
26. I Spy Spring Edition
What better way to get your kids excited about spring than by playing a fun and engaging game of spring-themed I Spy?
This activity involves finding and identifying objects that are commonly found in nature during the spring season, such as flowers, birds, and insects.
Not only is it a great way to get kids excited about the changing seasons, but it also promotes their observation and critical thinking skills.
To get started, take a walk outside with your child and look for objects that are unique to spring.
Then, take turns saying “I spy with my little eye something that is [color/shape/object]” and see who can guess the correct object first.
This activity can be played anywhere, from the backyard to a nearby park, making it a versatile and fun way to enjoy the great outdoors with your little ones.
27. Strike A Pose
Tell your kids that you’re going to turn into a tree, tall and steady.
Show them the Yoga Tree Pose, bringing one foot to the inner thigh, and palms together at your chest or above your head. It takes balance!
Invite your child to try. The steadier your roots grow through your feet, the taller you can stand and stretch your branches and blossoms up towards the sky.
We hope you loved this list of spring activities, and that your springtime is filled with beautiful family memories.