29 Fun Activities to Do Outdoors With Your Kids This Spring
Are you looking forward to spring, but don’t know what to do with your kids? If so, then this list of outdoor kids spring activities should help!
This post contains affiliate links, meaning that I’ll earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you) if you make a purchase using these links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. See my disclosure page to learn more.
Every year around December my kids start to get super excited for the arrival of snow, which is guaranteed to happen since we live in Maine. They love the snow…for the first couple of months anyways! By February all of us are done with the snow, ice, and freezing cold temperatures! That’s when we start dreaming about spring and how nice it will be to enjoy the warmer, sunny days again.
So if you are like us, and can’t wait to get outside for some springtime fun, then this list of 29 fun and cheap (or free!) outdoor kids spring activities is just for you!
1. Have a tea party – You can invite friends or family, or even have a tea party with your child’s favorite stuffed animals.
2. Fly Kites – Use store-bought kites or try and make your own, turning it into a fun STEAM activity.
3. Play Disc-Golf – Find a local place and try a game of disc-golf. If there isn’t one nearby, you can always make your own at home using frisbees and laundry baskets or even hula hoops. Playing a game of mini-golf would also be a good (and fun!) alternative.
4. Playing Frisbee – And since we are talking about disc-golf, you could always just grab your favorite frisbee (or flying ring) and throw it back and forth to each other.
5. Go on a Scavenger Hunt – My kids have always loved scavenger hunts! They can be as simple or as complex as you want. It can ranging from lists of specific things to find to clues leading them from one place to another. Here are some fun outdoor scavenger hunts to play.
6. Pick Up Trash – This is a great activity to do when celebrating Earth Day. Give your kids some gloves and trash bags and see how much garbage they can pick up from around the neighborhood. It’s an activity that’s good for them and for the environment!
Grab these Earth Day (or anytime of the year!) printables as well as access to my FREE resource library!
7. Go for a Bike Ride – Grab your helmets and go for a bike ride together.
8. Blow Bubbles – Whether they are store-bought bubbles, or homemade, everyone loves bubbles! You can even try making giant bubbles with this kit. Add to the fun by seeing what items you have around your home that you could use to blow bubbles with.
9. Visit a Farm – See if there are any farms in your area that give tours or are open to the public. They may even have different events throughout the year, so it’s worth checking out if your kids like farms or animals.
10. Plant Something – I don’t have a green thumb at all, but when the weather warms up my kids and I like to plant a few flowers in their flower pots. You can do something as simple as that, or you can try your hand at planting a garden.
11. Go Bird Watching – See how many birds you can spot. Or how many different kinds of birds you find on a bird watching walk. You could even have your kids take pictures, draw, or write what they find. You can then learn more about those birds when you get home.
12. Make Your Own Bird Feeder – After you are done looking for different birds on a bird watching walk, try making feeders to attract them to your backyard!
13. Try Geocaching – This is a great way to get outside and practice map skills (using a GPS. To learn more about what geocaching is and how to get started see geocaching.com or this article on geocaching by REI.
14. Jump in Puddles – What kid can resist a big puddle?! Have them put on some old shoes or rainboots and jump in as many puddles as they want!
15. Make Mud Pies – Where I live, spring means mud and for my kids, this means making mud pies! Adding old pots, pans, and utensils to the mud pie area only adds to the fun and creativity!
16. Watch the Clouds – Go outside and see what your child thinks each cloud looks like. You could also learn more about the different types of clouds and try naming the ones you see.
Get this fun cloud viewer printable and head outside to see what clouds you can find. Plus, you’ll also get access to my entire FREE resource library!
17. Read Outside – Find a comfy, cozy spot and take your books outside for reading time. Everyone can read their own book, or you can read aloud to them.
18. Paint Rocks – Look outside for smooth rocks (or you could buy river rocks) and let your child paint them whatever they’d like. You can also buy a rock painting kit if that’s easier (there’s even glow in the dark kits too!)!
19. Press Flowers – Have your child pick some of their favorite flowers and use a flower press to preserve them. This activity does require some patience, but is still a fun springtime project. Here is a good article with helpful information and instructions on how to make your own flower press.
20. Go on a Bug Hunt – Similar to a bird watching walk, except you are looking down at the ground instead of up to the sky! Count how many bugs you find. Or see how many different types of insects you can spot.
21. Have a Picnic – Take your meal outside and have a picnic lunch (or breakfast or dinner!). You can find a new place to visit or just stay in your own backyard and have your picnic there.
22. Find a New Playground or Park – Instead of going to the same places as always, search for one that you have never been to before. You can search on Goggle for nearby places, or try Playground Buddy – an app that helps you find playgrounds. And if you’re trying to find new state parks to visit, check out State Parks.com. Who knows, some of these places may become new family favorites!
You May Also Like…
23. Use Sidewalk Chalk – Grab some pieces of sidewalk chalk and let your child’s imagination run wild! Of course sidewalk chalk works great on pavement, but you can also use it to decorate bricks, stones, twigs, or rocks. And the best part is, it all washes off with just water!
24. Skip Stones – Head to your local lake, pond, or river and practice skipping flat rocks across the water.
25. Make an Obstacle Course – This is fun when done inside, but making an outdoor obstacle course is equally exciting!
26. Look for Animal Tracks – Search for different animal tracks and see which ones you can identify. Here’s a cute book about finding different animal tracks.
27. Spring Nature Hunt – Spend time outdoors looking for different signs of spring. See if you can find items like a bird’s nest, worms, a purple flower, a feather, or something yellow.
You can get this spring scavenger hunt for FREE when you sign up below! You’ll also get access to my entire free resource library full of fun, easy-to-use printables.
28. Look for Four Leaf Clovers – Take your time and see if you can spot any hard-to-find four leaf clovers.
29. Find a New Trail – Try out a walking or hiking trail that you have never been on before. If you need some new ideas check out Hiking Project or AllTrails for maps and lists of trails near you.
Now, when warmer weather arrives, you’ll be ready to get outside and enjoy the springtime sun and fresh air with these 29 fun ideas! Which one do you think your family would enjoy the most?