Spring is finally here!
I don’t know about you but I’m certainly glad it is and really hoping it sticks around. The winter was drab and lasted way too long. The kids were cooped up inside too often. Now that it’s warming up, it’s time to get out of the house and enjoy the fresh air and sunshine.
If you are looking for some new ideas for getting outside with your kids, I’ve pulled together 6 fabulous ways to do just that.
Paint the town or maybe just your backyard. Family Fun Magazine had a great idea that I had never seen before. Use sidewalk chalk that has been crushed and mixed with water to paint the trees in your backyard an array of amazing colors.
Head out to fly a kite. Before you do that, spend time together building the kite. Buy a kit or try a couple of different ones and see which flies the best. On a rainy day, spend it inside building the kites and then get out and fly them when the weather improves.
Race homemade boats. My friend Sarah shared a fun activity she did with her family. They took inexpensive plastic boats they found in a dollar bin that did not float and added popsicle sticks and sails to them. They then had their own family boat race to see whose boat went the farthest. Another way to do this would be to build them using recyclables. Create teams within your family and take them to a nearby small creek to race them. Be sure to build the family trophy with those recyclables too!
Create a fun scavenger hunt. This is a great way to get the kids outside and moving. Create a list of clues to send your kids on a scavenger hunt. How you do it is up to you but some ideas can be using pictures for the younger kids, clues for the older ones and or a list of items to do for those that can drive. End the hunt at a favorite park for a family picnic.
Have fun with a theme. Choose a theme for your weekend. It could be a letter of the alphabet, insects, nature, sports or a culture, like Italian or Mexican. Everything you do, including activities, food, or movies you watch, should be around that theme. For example on “P” day you could go on a picnic while wearing pink or purple and eat plums, pizza and potatoes. Be sure to include the kids when creating your list and make a rule to keep it outside as much as possible.
Create a fairy garden. Before you can create your fairy garden, check out a few books on the folk lore behind fairies and how to build a fairy garden for your own backyard. If you are lucky, fairies will visit you while you sleep. Once you have an idea for what you want to make, take a hike and collect items found in nature to create a luxurious home that would make even the pickiest of fairies happy.
These great tips will be sure to keep your family outdoors all season long. I can’t wait to use each of them with my own children. I think we’ll start with a weekend brought to you by the letter “B.” One activity on the list will be making boats!
What do you think you’ll do first?
Jessica Streit is an educator, freelance writer and single mom of 2 boys. Her writing can be found on a variety of topics including personal finance, education and parenting. She blogs about overcoming debt and living a royal life on a budget at The Debt Princess.
*Photo by Sarah via Instagram
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