15 creative and fun spring activities for kids

Spring is a time of growth, sunshine, and opportunities for new experiences. For parents, it’s also a great time to encourage kids to get back outside and start exploring. 

But spring also comes with a fair amount of rain in many areas of the country. Ideally, you’ll want to have both indoor and outdoor activity ideas lined up. 

This guide will go over 15 great ideas for spring activities for kids, ranging from art projects to outdoor adventures!

7 spring activities for kids to get outside

After a long winter, many of us are used to hanging out indoors. Spring is a great time to venture back into the great outdoors. Here are some outdoor spring activities for kids to get you started.

1. Plant a garden

Get your hands dirty while teaching kids about nature, plants, and growing their own food! A garden doesn’t need to be a major undertaking: All you need is a little dirt, some plant starts or seeds, and a sunny spot. You can even buy a basic planter box to grow spring flowers for a pop of spring color in your yard.

Gardening activities are great for getting your hands dirty (literally), but they’re also a good opportunity for learning. Little ones can be enthralled by watching things grow, and kids of all ages can benefit from learning about where their food comes from. For a simple, kid-friendly gardening project, try growing your own fresh herbs!

2. Blow some bubbles

Take a quick venture into the backyard to enjoy a classic outdoor play activity: Blowing bubbles! You can make your own bubbles by following these simple steps:

• Start with 1 cup of water in a jar.

• Add 1 tablespoon of dish soap.

• Stir or shake the ingredients.

• Add a bit more soap if needed.

Bubbles are a favorite spring activity for younger kids and toddlers, and showing your kids how to make their own bubbles (it’s simple!) is a good way to add some learning to the activity.

3. Enjoy a hike

Hiking is a classic among fun spring activities, with or without kids. While hiking can seem intimidating, remember that you don’t have to take it to the extremes — even a quick walk at a park you’ve never been to is a great way to mix it up!

And for older kids, going out for a bigger hike can be lots of fun. Just remember to pack enough food and water to keep everyone safe and happy!

4. Run a science experiment

Science experiments are a great learning activity for kids, and springtime opens up some new outdoor opportunities. For instance, kids will love blasting off a baking soda rocket or playing with oobleck (a cornflour and water mixture) in the backyard, and parents will appreciate the easy cleanup!

5. Pack a picnic

A spring picnic is a great opportunity to enjoy the spring weather while munching on some tasty snacks. Plus, it’s an outdoor activity that pretty much anyone will enjoy. Stick to the basics or make it spring-themed by packing seasonal fruits and veggies!

6. Enjoy a rainy day

Spring is when the sunshine returns, but many areas also get a fair amount of rain during the spring months. Spring is the perfect time to teach kids to appreciate all types of weather, even drizzly afternoons! Fun ideas for rainy spring days include making mud pies in the backyard or puddle-stomping on a neighborhood walk.

7. Go to the farmer's market

Farmer’s markets often open back up in the springtime, with local vendors selling fresh fruits and vegetables, proteins, crafts, flowers, and more. Heading to the farmer’s market is a great opportunity to teach kids about where their food comes from — and many vendors will be happy to talk to little ones about growing tasty and nutritious foods!

8 indoor-friendly spring activities to get creative

Getting creative through DIY projects, baking/cooking, and art projects is a fun way to pass the time in any season. And the spring opens up more opportunities for indoor and outdoor creative experiences. Here are some ideas.

1. Make some spring art

Getting kids involved in an art activity is always a good option, as it’s both entertaining and helps kids develop their artistic or creative skills. Spring craft and art ideas include drying flowers, painting Easter eggs, spring-themed watercolor painting, and flower craft projects like pipe cleaner flowers or egg carton flowers.

2. Plan (and save money for) a spring break trip

Traveling helps show kids the world and teach them valuable life lessons — and in fact, planning for traveling can also be a great learning opportunity. While trip planning, talk to your kids about the activities they might want to do and the sites they want to see. 

And if they’re old enough, you can start talking about the costs of the trip and the tradeoffs of each financial decision (“we could go to the zoo or the aquarium, but not both”). 

You could even encourage your kids to start saving up money of their own for a special treat or a souvenir while traveling. Greenlight makes it easy to set savings goals, track progress, and even earn rewards on savings.

3. Design a scavenger hunt

A scavenger hunt can take place indoors or out — or even both combined! With an outdoor element, this becomes an opportunity to teach kids about seasonal changes. For instance, you could ask them to find new flower buds just poking out or the airy seed pods of spring dandelions.

4. Make a birdhouse

In the spring, migratory birds return and are often looking for places to nest. As a parent, you can use this opportunity to teach kids about migration, wildlife, fine motor skills, and even elements of kindness and compassion for other critters! Making a birdhouse is a fun activity, and there are plenty of free printable plans online. You can also order a birdhouse kit online to make things easier.

5. Bake some springtime treats

From brightly colored cupcakes to flower cookies, springtime brings plenty of great reasons for a tasty treat! Plus, baking is often an easy introduction to get kids in the kitchen, and kids of all ages can help out with some basic kitchen tasks.

6. Read (or write!) spring stories

Encourage your kids to read seasonally appropriate books about nature, adventure, and even the seasons themselves! And if your kids show an interest, encourage them to write their own stories. Even something as simple as writing down the details of a mini adventure they had with friends can teach writing skills and inspire creativity.

7. Learn something new

Change is in the air when spring rolls around! This is a great time to learn new things, from academic subjects to personal interests, such as cooking. And you can make it fun by getting creative. 

For instance, kids can learn valuable personal finance skills with Level Up, the financial literacy game from Greenlight. In fact, Greenlight offers all sorts of ways to teach money lessons to kids in a fun, engaging way.

8. Host an event

Spring is also a good time to host seasonal events, birthday parties, or even Earth Day parties (think of it like a birthday party for Earth!). For a good learning experience, let your kids be involved in the planning of the event.

Spring is a great time to enjoy new activities!

Hopefully, these spring activities for children give you some fresh ideas to enjoy this wonderful time of year. As a parent, it’s wise to consider how you might use fun activities as a way to also teach valuable skills or life lessons to your kids.

When it comes to teaching kids about money, check out Greenlight. Greenlight is a money app for kids and teens with a debit card, plus features for investing, saving, budgeting, and much more. Try one month of Greenlight, on us.