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Spring is the time for renewal and regrowth! That’s true for the natural world, but I know I personally feel the need for a bit of a refresh after the long winter months as well. One of my favorite things to do at the approach of the new season is come up with a bucket list of spring activities!
There are so many great things that springtime provides the opportunity for, so I won’t waste your time with a long intro. Here are all of our absolute favorite spring activities that we get excited to do every year!
1. Have a picnic.
A classic in any season, but it’s especially nice to get out and feel the warmth on your skin again after a cold winter. I especially like to pop up a blanket near a flowering bush or trees for an extra pretty view.
Some of our favorite easy spring picnic options include hard boiled eggs or egg salad sandwiches, fruit salad, strawberry muffins, and celery + carrot sticks for munching. We tend to do a lot of picnics in the backyard. All you have to do is prepare lunch like normal, put it on a tray, and carry it outside! Read here for more spring picnic ideas!
2. Fly a kite.
This is one of the simplest spring activities! Just head out to an open area with your kite on a blustery day and you’re all set. We like to head to a state park nearby to fly it on the beach. We’ve also noticed that it’s usually windier down on the water anyway, so it makes a great spot!
3. Go outside in the rain or splash in puddles.
Going outside in the rain is such a great sensory experience, which makes it super fun and memorable! I can still vividly recall several experiences I’ve had outside during a downpour, whether it was a hike, a run, or playing outside with my son. And what kid doesn’t enjoy stomping in puddles?
4. Plant a tree.
This is the perfect activity for springtime and a great way to celebrate Earth Day! And if you don’t have space of your own to plant a tree, there are always projects you can volunteer for! While we were living in an apartment in the city, we “adopted” an empty lot of land through the local land bank and planted a trees and bushes on it. It’s fun to drive past years later and see how much they’ve grown!
5. Volunteer for an Earth Day clean-up.
This is another great option for spring activities. Each year when the snow melts, it leaves behind a ton of debris and garbage that accumulated during the winter. It would be a great time to head out around the neighborhood to fill up some garbage bags! It’s also a great way to show kids how to take personal responsibility for the environment around them.
6. Go rock/shell hunting at the beach.
It might be too cold to play in the water this early in the spring, but the beach is still a great place to go! We love wading at the water’s edge and searching for rocks and shells. Kids seem to be immune to cold water anyway and will still probably end up soaking wet by the end of the day.
7. Dig for earthworms.
Before we plant our garden every year, my little guy has fun digging in the dirt for earthworms! He’ll give them names and put them in his own bucket for a little while to create a “worm farm”.
8. Go on a wildflower hike.
I love seeing the first blooms opening up after a long sleep! One great way to witness the first flowers of spring is to go on a wildflower hike! Pick a trail that you already know or google “wildflower hikes near me”. You may even find some guided hikes in your area!
9. Create a mud kitchen.
Spring is a muddy time, so we might as well embrace it! That’s why some of the best spring activities involve mud. And let’s be honest; it’s hard to keep kids out of it anyway. A mud kitchen is a great way to encourage hours of independent outdoor play!
Check out the one we set up last year or learn how to build your own!
10. Make mud pies.
Even if you don’t have a mud kitchen, your kids can still easily make mud pies! All you need is some dirt, water, and an assortment of old pots, pans, and utensils for your kids to bring outside! Use flowers, seeds, berries, leaves, and whatever else your kids can find outside for garnish!
11. Go on a signs of spring hike.
This is something we like to do each year when the weather starts to warm up. Head out on a favorite trail or even in your backyard and keep an eye out for green buds and sprouts, animal activity, and bird nests filled with eggs!
12. Attend a flower festival.
A good number of my favorite spring activities involve flowers. Our home state of Michigan is especially well known for its tulips and cherry blossoms! Find out what flowers grow around you and add it to your bucket list of spring activities!
13. Visit a national park.
To be honest, this belongs on the list for every season because it’s always a great time to visit a National Park!
14. Celebrate May Day.
I recently learned about some of the traditions of May Day and immediately added it to our personal bucket list of spring activities! There are so many fun things, like making a May Pole or leaving a basket of flowers on someone’s front porch! Check out some more fun ways to celebrate May Day here!
15. Do a dandelion craft.
Another trademark of spring is dandelions! Whether you love or hate this tenacious little flower, it’s coming around regardless. Personally, I choose to embrace them. They provide some of the first food for the bees, which is super important!
There are also so many fun things we can do with them! Here are some ideas to get you started.
16. Draw with sidewalk chalk.
Another super easy way to get outside in the spring!
17. Forage for spruce tips.
If you’re into wildcrafting even the slightest little bit, harvesting spruce tips in the spring is great activity! Grab your handy dandy tree field guide and head out to look for the new green growth on the tips of spruce branches. Afterwards, there’s a ton of fun things you can make with them, including homemade syrup, tea, and even ice cream!
18. Visit a farm.
Spring is the perfect time to visit a farm with all the adorable new baby animals! Google “petting farms near me” to see what’s in your area.
19. Go fishing.
Fishing is another classic activity for any time of year!
20. Visit a botanical garden.
One of our favorite spring activities is to visit a botanical garden. There’s so much to see with all the new spring blooms and they often have a children’s garden or play area available. We often find we could spend the entire day here!
21. Go strawberry picking.
What kid (or adult, for that matter) doesn’t enjoy fresh berries? Just see if you can leave the place without their clothes and face all stained red 😂.
22. Make a daisy chain.
Do you remember weaving together flowers to make a crown for yourself as a kid? Suddenly you become an otherworldly fairy creature with just one simple adornment. If you’re a little rusty on how to make one, here’s a quick reminder.
23. Paint a picture outside.
The outdoors provide some of the best inspiration for sketching or painting! And anytime I can bring an indoor activity out, especially a messy one like painting, it seems like a win to me. Bring some materials outside and unleash the little artists!
24. Go on a rainbow scavenger hunt.
This is one of our favorite spring activities that we do every year! It’s so fun to collect all the different colors that we can from nature and create our own rainbows with them! If you haven’t already received this free printable from signing up for my newsletter, grab it here before you go!
25. Make a bird nest.
While the birds are outside building their nests, why not lay out some materials for your kids to create one as well? We used:
Feel free to get creative and use whatever you have laying around the house! You can even have the kids forage for materials in the yard just like the birds actually do!
26. Make pressed flower lanterns.
I’m all about anything flower related when it comes to spring activities, and these pressed flower lanterns are absolutely gorgeous! They’re also really fun to make. My little guy loved getting his hands messy with the paper mache! Here’s how to make them.
27. Make mud faces.
In case your kids get tired of making mud pies (unlikely) or want a new option, these mud faces are super fun! My little guy had a blast with them last spring! We literally spent at least three hours doing this one day, and we definitely plan to do them again this year! Check it out here.
28. Decorate a walking stick.
Time to get that walking stick ready for all your spring adventures! If your kids are anything like mine, they’ll pick up a stick on their own anyway. Why not bring it home and let them decorate it for something extra special? Here’s what we did with ours.
29. Create a fairy garden.
Building a fairy garden is one of the spring activities we love doing to welcome the new season! It’s fun for little imaginations to create a wee little world and then have fun playing with it after! Here’s how we made our own fairy garden!
Time to head out there and enjoy spring! Hopefully you found some spring activities on this list to entertain and delight everyone in the family while making wonderful memories together!
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