5 Fun and Free Spring Activities for the Whole Family

After this long winter, your children are probably ready to enjoy the fresh air, embrace the longer days, and have some real outdoor fun! Here is a list of five exciting family activities to keep tucked away in your back pocket for the springtime.

  1. Play in the rain
    You know the saying, “April showers bring May flowers!” Get ready for the spring time sprinkles. When the raindrops start falling, instead of staying inside, have everyone grab their rain boots and rain jackets to go out and splash around! Jump in puddles, run through the wet grass, and make a dreary day lively and exciting for the whole family. Meredith Burton put together some additional rainy day ideas for how to make your own sunshine on a cloudy day.
  2. Take reading outside
    Reading can help children develop their language skills, their imagination, and their brain develops. Why not take this constructive activity outside where the children can soak up some Vitamin D and fresh air? Have everyone in the family grab their favorite book and embrace the nice weather. If you have a covered play set, you can turn the canopied platform into your children’s personal reading nook. Depending on the story, you could test out your acting skills and re-enact a storyline!
  3. Clean up your local parks
    Are there a few parks that your family loves to go to when the weather permits? Give back to the parks that have contributed to hours of enjoyment for your family by lending a helping hand. Get out your rubber gloves and trash bags and pick up what others have left behind to keep the park clean! Your children will learn the value of community service and be rewarded with playing at the park they love so dearly.
  4. Go for a hike
    Even if you live in a more suburban area, it’s easy to find hiking trails near your home. Hikes are a great way to get your legs moving and to see all that nature has to offer! You can also look into finding nature preserves around your town to visit, too. Take in the sights, sounds, and smells of the great outdoors. During the spring, your family is likely to come across blooming flowers and budding foliage.
  5. Turn the playset into a fun-center
    Keeping the playset attractive for children at any age is easy! On a nice day, suggest playing fun games like Capture the Flag, Simon Says, and Ghosts in a Graveyard by using the swing set as a prop for the games. Take it a step further and spruce up your playset with some accessories or create a pulley system for the kids to mess with. Something that has become more popular recently is turning your playset into a backyard ninja warrior course where the kids can compete to set a new record on! Creating some sort of obstacle course is not only fun but it can help to enhance your children’s gross motor skills as they swing on the monkey bars or climb the rock wall.