Fun Family Activities for Spring and Summer

Spring is a special time of the year. The days become longer, and a hint or warmth is in the air, inviting us outside to enjoy the sun. Celebrate the spring and upcoming summer months with fun outdoor activities. Whether you live in the north, south, east, or west, springtime brings with it new and exciting learning opportunities for kids.

Luckily, many spring and summer activities for kids double as meaningful learning opportunities, sure to inspire exploration and discovery. If you’re looking for more family fun activity ideas to freshen up your springtime routine, keep reading, but don’t forget to get outdoors to soak up the season as soon as you can! 

1. Plant a garden

Whether it’s flowers, fresh herbs, or fruits and veggies, your child will love helping you plant a garden, and watching it grow! Kids are endlessly curious about the world around them, and they’ll love learning about plants and flowers, and the process it takes to take care of them.

Use this as a teachable moment to discuss planting and growing in a garden, and when they see their success bloom (or fruit!) they’ll be proud of their hard work. 

2. Make your own homemade bubbles

Why buy bubbles at the store, when you can make them at home, and teach your child about making rewarding items by hand? Food and bakery aren’t the only things kids can make from a recipe.

A bucket, dish soap, water, and a bit of corn starch and glycerin are the only items needed for DIY bubbles, and depending on the wand you use (homemade or from another container), your bubbles can get really big! Kids will love the experience of making the bubbles, and experimenting with their creation afterwards! 

3. Go camping or hiking

Even if you’re not able to take a vacation just yet, plan a special camping or hiking weekend with your little ones. Depending on your location, camping or hiking might work out better for your family, but either will teach kids valuable lessons about nature. Even if you’re trapped in a large suburb or city, if nothing else is available, kids also love camping in the back yard! Teach your child about living amongst nature, and they will cherish the memories of time spent together, while learning about the world around them!

Need more fun family outdoor activities? Check out fun family engagement tips creating quality time with kids. 

4. Painting rocks

Here’s a perfect activity that will get your kids outside, while also giving them a chance to express their creative side. On a nice sunny day, go out to your local park or walking trail and help your child pick his or her favorite stones to take home to paint.

Take a basket to pick out your stones, and when ready bring them home for painting. Promote your child’s creativity by helping with designs, and when the rocks are dry, use them as a paper weight, or turn small stones into decorative magnets for the fridge! 

5. Build a bird feeder 

Bird feeders can be made out of virtually any container, like milk jugs or cartons, plastic cups, mesh produce bags, or by hanging pine cones. Once you and your child decides on the design and location of the birdfeeder, make sure to stop by the store to pick up a bag of bird seed.

Together, build the bird feeder and hang it outside and check outside often to see what kind of birds enjoy your creation! For a learning bonus, help your child keep a bird book, identifying the types of birds he or she sees, whether they’re enjoying the feeder, or are just in your area!

6. Create a nature scavenger hunt

Building from the above tip, there’s no better way to spend a day camping or hiking than by creating your very own nature scavenger hunt. Leave on a hike with a list of items for your kids to find will make for an exciting afternoon of family fun day activities. 

Games that require them to find specific plants or animals local to your area will help them learn about nature, and have fun in the process! Even if you can’t dedicate an entire weekend, take a daylong hike out to your area local metro park or reserve for a fun-filled scavenger hunt. 

Plan B: if it rains

Don’t forget—rainy days happen quite a bit during the spring, and when it does, log online to find indoor activities to keep your little one busy. Online resources, like printable coloring pages or fingerplay songs with fancy characters your kids will surely adore will keep them busy and learning until it’s time to get back to the great outdoors! Check out what videos are out on our YouTube channel this week!